Oakland Raiders continue their downward spiral

November 6, 3:13 AMOakland Raiders ExaminerPatrick Patterson

Previous Next

3 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Oakland Raiders Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Is Tommy Kelly next?
Photo by Patrick A. Patterson/TFDSsports.com 

As expected, the Oakland Raiders released DeAngelo Hall. Also as expected, the Raiders have handled this situation in the worst way possible for the team chemistry. The Raiders have also added one of their original castoffs in Michael Waddell. This was not the sign that was supposed to be sent to the team with the roster moves. In fact, from the responses of the players, things are set to be getting worse in Raider-land.

Nnamdi Asomugha was outspoken in his displeasure of the handling of the situation:

You’re paid to deal with problems, at the same time, six years and running, you do get tired of a lot of things. Mind, body and soul, everything, you do get tired. Straight up. No lie.

Considering that Asomugha is considered by many around the league to be the best cover cornerback in the league, and is playing under the franchise tender this does not bode well for him to be signing on the dotted line to remain in Oakland beyond this season. The loss of Asomugha would be devastating to this defense, as he is by and far the best player on that unit, and one of the team leaders. To ressurect a phrase used about Tim Brown back when the Raiders were in their mid-90s lull, "he is proof that there is still professional football in Oakland." Now, that statement combined with his refusal to talk about his contract situation, just leaves the impression that the only way he will be wearing Silver and Black next season would be under yet another franchise tag.

What is further disconcerting is that Tom Cable did not even talk to Hall before his release, just as he hadn't talked to Ronald Curry before his demotion. The chaos of the Raiders front office has been on display all season, but seeing that it has now filtered down into the player-team relationships just makes it that much more surreal. If the release of Hall was supposed to be a motivator, then the team should have been addressed regarding the move. Instead, it just happens and the team captains weren't even really brought into the loop.

To further undermine any chance that this could be seen as a motivational factor for performance, the Raiders today signed two players who were cut at the end of preseason in William Joseph and Michael Waddell. In one of the first surreal moves of the Raiders' season, Joseph was on the original 53 man roster, only to be cut a day later and replaced by Luke Lawton who had been cut to get the team to the required 53 men. The return of Michael Waddell is even more confusing as he was flat out atrocious in the preseason. Waddell was known for his inability to cover or tackle, but yet he is back on the team for some unknown reason.

If all that is not bad enough, Gibril Wilson, who was the Raiders best move of the offseason had this to say:

It’s almost like we’re throwing in the towel. We have eight games to go and we’re two games down in the division. All we need to do is get on a roll in November and the next thing you know we’re right back in this thing.

Wilson has been rather outspoken about what he sees going on with the Raiders, and the comment about throwing in the towel is very disconcering. Wilson came to Oakland from the world champions, so he knows what it is like to be on a team that is winning. If he is feeling like the team is throwing in the towel clearly enough to say so to the media, the rest of the team has to see it too. The difference is, the culture of this generation of the Raiders seems to be about throwing in the towel once the going gets tough.

Chris Johnson, who was featured in Al Davis's anti-Lane Kiffin rant press conference leapfrogged former starter Stanford Routt to take the starting position being vacated by the departed Hall. World beaters such as Rashad Baker and Hiram Eugene will be seeing their playing time increase. The team that will be taking the field seems to be increasingly resembling the fourth quarter of the final preseason game.

Al Davis is known for listening to his players, he should take the following advice from Gibril Wilson:

This is a soap opera. I just think we need to settle on something. We need to have a vision of where we’re trying to take this team. If you don’t have a vision and you’re just trying to plug in players, then you’re always going to get the same results

If he doesn't, its only going to get worse.