Oakland needs that Raiders attitude to right the pirate ship

February 6, 3:01 AMOakland Raiders ExaminerPatrick Patterson

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JaMarcus Russell is the key to Raiders success
Photo by Patrick A. Patterson/TFDSsports.com

With the official ascension of  Tom Cable to head coach, it is time to look at what it is going to take to right the Raiders' pirate ship. The Raiders are going to have to work hard to raise out of the abyss of the last five years. They have a core of young players that they have to build around, and with a few smart moves can make some noise in the AFC West.

From the standpoint of the Raider Nation, the burden of proof is on Tom Cable and the Raiders to prove that the two game winning streak to close the season was not just an aberration, and is instead a portent of things to come. This task will not be easy. In order to restore the confidence of the Nation, the Raiders have to get off to a strong start. If they start losing early, the sense of "here we go again" will become even more entrenched.

One thing that Cable stressed in his press conference was the need for the culture of losing that has permeated in Oakland to change. He pointed to the success in the last two games as a sign of things to come. He is stressing that the only goal is the playoffs and to accomplish that goal it takes playing as a team. This should not be news to anyone who has played in organized football, but it is something this team is in dire need of a refresher course in. Cable is saying the right things, but talk is cheap. However, in the last two games he did show what a team playing as a team rather than a group of individuals could do.

To further improve the attitude of the Raiders, the players who are malcontents need to be let loose. Team captains Nnamdi Asomugha and Ronald Curry both called out their teammates saying that the team has a losing attitude. That was evident in the midseason swoon the Raiders endured as they were blown out repeatedly. The players who aren't part of the team, and aren't buying into Cable's talk of selflessness and dedication need to pound sand. This type of attitude that caused the losing infection in the first place.

We didn't win every game, but the other team sure the heck didn't go out dancing that night

--John Madden

The Raiders have lost that edge. Cable referred to the defense needing to get back to knocking helmets off of the other guys. The defense needs to be more aggressive, but they also need to eb fundamentally sound. There can be no more of the "communication problems" that plagued the defense for much of the season. Any player not dedicated to the team concept and not willing to do his part, again needs to be dumped. Fundamentals are an important part of practice, and Cable needs to insure that they are instilled from the OTAs through training camp so the defense is communicating properly once the first game of the season hits.

The attitude has to be that they are going to go out and play harder than the other team. They have to out hit the other team. They have to execute better than the other team. They need to have that Raider attitude of dominating their opponent and making them fear seeing the Silver and Black on the schedule. The veteran leaders need to take control of the locker room and insure that all 53 guys on the final roster are ready to fulfill their roles and play as one.

SEE ALSO:

• Raiders have losing attitude
• Oakland Raiders surrender
• Raiders need to clear the dead wood
• Infected by losing
• Tom Cable: We will be the Oakland Raiders
• Defensive woes fundamental

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