A day after the Oakland Raiders were dominated by the New York Jets, Tom Cable faced the local media for the weekly post mortem. Exactly one week after Cable proclaimed the Raiders would "bring the fight every Sunday," he had to take questions regarding the Raiders worst home loss ever, where the fightless Raiders got shut out to the tune of 38-0.
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
The Raiders offense was so inept that it got JaMarcus Russell benched before halftime. The benching brought a chorus of cheers from the sparse crowd. Despite Russell's season long slump, he will be starting on Sunday in San Diego because Tom Cable feels that Russell gives the Raiders the best chance to win. He described the second interception as follows, "when you see it on film it's pretty obvious that would have been a tough play for Superman and you've to give him a ball that he can catch over the middle of the field. He had him beat which was a great move by Todd Watkins, a great move, and you want a ball there where we can make that play, and if we throw that play in there on Sunday on San Diego, JaMarcus will make that throw. That's what I believe."
What is it about Russell's whopping 41.7 passer rating that makes Cable think that Russell will make that throw next week? Russell hasn't made many throws this season. However, in Russell's defense the receivers have had their own issues catching the ball the few times he has thrown it well.
Cable took his share of the blame for the rough start, "Maybe I shouldn't put the offense in that situation on the 10-yard line to start the game, you know, trying to throw four verticals. But I want to be more aggressive, I think that's an important part of it." However, those "aggressive" play calls have had a tendency to backfire more often than succeed.
Cable acknowledged that the Raiders have been hurt by injuries, "I think the fact that - and these aren't excuses, it's just facts - the fact that we're missing two very good offensive linemen, a good running back, a good wide receiver, all those things kind of make this a tough deal. But the point is, whoever's in there, we've got to find ways to do it. And we have not been able to do that yet. And so when I look at it, I look at it as we've got enough players, we've got enough scheme, now it's getting 'em that confidence I think it takes. There's a real small thing we're talking about here that's a huge thing, maybe the most important thing. And I just think we struggled to have the confidence it takes to be successful." The part about the injuries seems to violate the unwritten law that says 'injuries are not to blame, you play with what you got. The confidence, on the other hand, is a big part of the Raiders' problem. That stems from the lack of leadership
With the wide receivers on the field prooving ineffective. Cable said that he is sticking with the two rookies based on the success with Chaz Schilens and Johnnie Lee Higgins late last season, "I guess probably what happened to us last year. By playing Johnnie Lee and Chaz there at the end, they were able to have their breakthrough and it kind of happened about the same time JaMarcus had his, in terms of improvement. So you know that's where your future is and you want to go at it with the same mentality. That's where we came from, we just went through that and it worked in that manner. But this one I believe will do the same thing. And I thought Darrius had the best week of preparation. It showed. If he had caught the fade there at the end, it would have been a heck of a game for him. Blocked very, very well, caught the opportunities that were there for him to make. So there's some real progress in terms of his individual position. At the same time, you want the other guy to catch more balls and get lined up right and those kind of things. So it goes back and forth. It's seven weeks into the season, there's a lot of football left. I still know that this team's gonna succeed this year. To what degree, that will be decided in the next nine weeks, 10 weeks. And I'm not gonna lose faith in it. I haven't. And so we'll just keep moving forward. And I just think the biggest issue for us right now is making sure we take care of each other on this football team."
Comments
Tom Cable is totally full of b.s. If Johnny Lee had his damn breakthrough why is he not the starting wideout? Are we going to just develop new rookies every year? If Bey finally starts to get it at the end of the year are we going to sit him next year to develop the next wide receiver we draft? I thought it was about putting the best team on the field, not let's waste a season to develop rookies that are not as good as the guys on the bench. I think you are a lousy coach.Russell still needs to sit with his "I don't think it's me at all" attitude. Until he mans up and takes responsibility for his play he will never be a leader or a Raider. He's just an impostor.
IM SICK OG TOM CABLE IM SICK OF RUSSELL JUST GET RID OF BOTH OF THEM .ITS VERY CLEAR WERE GONNA BE IN THE TOP 5 PICKS NEXT YEAR .PLEASE STUPID ASS AL DAVIS YOU NEED TO DRAFT OFFENSIVE LINEMEN ,LB .THIS TEAM IS SO PATHETIC IM GLAD THE GAMES ARE BEING BLACKED OUT MAYBE AL WILL GET THE POINT RAIDER NATION IS SICK OF THIS GARBAGE THEY PUT ON THE FIELD .
Secondly, where was that blitzing defense we saw against Philly? Oh it worked so let's just abandon it. Don't want to do anything that works! Let's go back to the same crud that lost us a bunch of games this year. Oh defense, you can play like sissy nancys again because you proved you could play last week. No need to show the world twice you sheilas. I wish I could pay someone on the jets to rip the Raiders good like Pierce did. Getting called out by other teams is the only thing that seems to wake you up. You beat Philly so now you can go back to sleep for the rest of the year. Might as well cut Higgins since you won't play him except for fair catching punts. Same with Holland on kick returns even though he showed great hands as a receiver in pre season. Don't put him in at wide out. I'll show up and wave my arm around for fair catch and let the ball bounce around until they down it. Where the hell is Nick Miller? Did he break his neck or what?
you can't blitz against the run you idiots!
You guys don't know what you're talking about. Tom Cable is just what the Raiders need. He reminds me of Bill Parcells with his approach. Give him a couple of years and Jamarcus Russell will be juist like Peyton Manning. He has the size and the arms; he just needs better receivers.
Jim Yoon, I appreciate your blind faith but Jamarcus will never be like Peyton. It will never ever happen. Peyton always worked harder than anyone on the team to get better. He was the first player in to practice and the last to leave, still is. He lives, eats and sleeps football and Russell has never showed the slightest inclination to do any of these things. You can't get good at what you do if you don't give it your best shot. Do you really believe that Russell is giving it his all? Do you? Cable is a poor play caller for the Qb he has on the field. He does not seem to be able to motivate the Raiders to play hard week in and week out. What do you call that horrific performance last week? How can you say Cable is doing a good job? What are you basing this on? Oh and Acejase, there is what is known as the run blitz yet you won't see it from us for some unknown reason. Have you heard of it? It's used to stop obvious running plays and often leads to sacks if they fake the run.
comon man. jamarcus needs 2 be benched. raider palyers all have to be men not little kids. lets go perople
between dhb dropping passes, mcfadden fumbling, jamarcus fumbling, higgins muffing kickoffs, and jamarcus thorwing every where on the field but his reciever's numbers that is the 'why' to being such a terrible team. our defense took one look at this offense after a quarter and just stopped playing. until the offense can convert and move the ball, oakland's D is just going to sit back and take it easy. They have shown that they can play BUT they won't if JaFumble is stinking up the place with all of these rookies.
What of bunch of BS cable puts out, and we all fall for it, I live 100 miles from San Diego and I try to go watch the Raiders play SD every year, but I am staying away this year, i am tired of getting laughed at for the last 6 years, Save my Money and time.
I thought Higgins quit returning kick offs so that he could concentrate on being a receiver. Well he's not receiving so lets let him return kicks, Holland is one of the worst returners I've ever seen. He rarely makes it to the 20 (so it seems). We miss Gallery and Schillens. The other guys Cable mentioned weren't doing anything anyway.
Payton Manning, bro? Wow I thought I was optomistic. Your just in a state of delirium. I'm thinking Ryan Leaf without the temper (or a pulse for that matter). Manning's a winner cuz he has the tools and WANTS to be. If he screws up he doesn"t look to avoid blame. If you ask me who is the direct opposite of Payton Manning? I say JaMarcus Russell. You think that changes in a year or two? God, what's or record gonna be over those 2 years 5 and 27. Screw that!!!
The guy that hires the coaches, selects the players and selects the scheme is the guy that is to blame - and his name is Al Davis. Patrick - you articles make you appear as an apologist for Al Davis. The bick stops with Al Davis. It's not Cable's fault, nor Kiffin's, nor Turner's, nor Shell's, nor any other coach. The reason for the Raiders' woes are directly related to Mr. Davis. He at one time was the greates, but like Muhammed Ali all things must pass - his time has past!
He's the worst owner of this era and he should salvage whatever reputation he has left and sell the team to another owner. It all began when he became more interested in legal wrnangling to move his team to LA. He's not the competyitor he once was - evidenced by his consistent losing.
I was there at the game last week and all i got to say is to sign jon gruden all over again to re energize the franchise he and his staff took the raiders back to the top.. Tom Cable is a good coach but hes not a Head Coach..
To LA Raider: Gruden would never sign with the Raiders unless he had control on picking his style of offense and defense, picking his coaches ,and that is not going to happen with Mr. Davis calling the shots. Dream on
Jamarcus just needs some time. look how long it took peyton and gannon to be great QB's.
Jamarcus needs to go on a diet and start practicing throwing the ball for accuracy.PERIOD.
The NFl needs to shut the Raiders down. Nothing short of a complete overhaul of the organization will do anything. As long as Davis is in his fiefdom forget all the other stuff. Its over Raiders and I am truly sorry to say that.
It starts with a serious head coach, an offensive coordinator, a coaching staff, a GM, Trading or dropping Russel, a NT, an o-lineman and a whole lot of trust from Al.
"However, in Russell's defense the receivers have had their own" "issues catching the ball the few times he has thrown it well."
Russell is a very bad quarterback, maybe the worst who has ever played the game. It is silly to berate the receivers who are no doubt in utter shock anytime a ball actually is within 10 yards of them. They would be better off considering themselves as defensive backs and ball-hawk randomly in order to get their catches. That wide-open interception while back pedaling was the poorest thrown screen pass that I've ever seen--EVER in 60 years. The line was so porous that they have to secretly hate big money Russell and would be glad to see him go themselves. They are not as bad as he makes them appear because he is so bad, and whiny, and fat, and inaccurate, and wealthy, and smug.
If Cable doesn't push himself away from the training table he is going to outpork Jamarcus. This "fat men need love too" refrain is destroying the Raiders. It will be 20 years before this team has a winning season with such disdain being shown for simple dietary discipline let alone displaying professional responsibility and that includes the obvious in-house threats which had to have come out in the whitewash by the DA in the Hansen case.
I wonder what Al paid for the DA's campaign fund to get Cable off? Does this mean the coaches are now able to blackmail Al into keeping their jobs which they are unqualified for until they choke on a chicken bone ?
tonyt ur just liek other fans that run whe na team starts to have its bad time not goignto the diego game scared of being laugh at then throw some blows at whoever laughs at you so that they dont laugh at you be a man!
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