Silver and Black Report

Zach Miller hauled in a Charlie Frye pass for a score

QUARTERBACK:

Charlie Frye – A

Frye was gutsy during his performance, limping around till halftime and compiling 180-yards passing and 1 touchdown on 18-of-25. He led the Raiders to 191 total yards of offense. He knew were he wanted to go with the football giving his targets a chance to move the chains. Frye started Oakland’s third drive down 7-0 with a 15-yard pass to Chaz Schilens. A few plays later, he connected with Johnnie Lee Higgins for 16-yards and then on 3^rd and 7, he spun around and scrambled to free himself and hook up with Higgins for 16-yards. Oakland scored on that drive and cut into the Baltimore lead, 7-3. In the 2^nd quarter, he performed an outstanding play fake, turning his back to the defense and then hitting Higgins for 21-yards. Five plays later, he showed great touch lobbing a 12-yard pass to Zach Miller in the end zone. The score cut the Ravens lead to 14-10 and gave him his first touchdown pass since October of 2008.

JaMarcus Russell – C-

His insertion came with a chorus of boos, but often he was able to turn the jeers to cheers. On 2^nd and 7 on his first series, Russell scanned the field and then hit Schilens for 18-yards. On 2^nd and 8 in his second drive, Russell hit Louis Murphy in stride for 11-yards. And on 3^rd and 14 a few plays later, he rocketed a pass to Schilens for 17 yards. Oakland was able to cut into the Baltimore lead on that drive, 14-13. But then he unraveled at the end of the 3^rd quarter with a pivotal interception into the hands of linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who ran it back 28-yards to the Oakland 22-yard line. A few plays later Willis McGahee tallied his third touchdown of the game to give the Ravens a 21-13 lead. It appeared Russell would shake off the turnover with completion of 18 yards and a 3^rd and 7 conversion to Murphy for 20-yards. But in Russell fashion, he coughed it up again when he did not feel the pressure on his backside and Antwan Barnes forced a fumble at the Baltimore 25-yard line.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: D

Michael Bush was used as a battering ram against that stout Ravens rush defense. Problem was, he had no room to wiggle through and had little effectiveness throughout the afternoon. Bush ended with 10 carries for 18-yards. Darren McFadden did not fare better with 9 yards on 5-carries. He only paid dividends on a 2^nd and 8 in the 1^st quarter when he drew an illegal contact flag on Frank Walker split out wide as a receiver. McFadden did aide Frye on a scramble on 3^rd and 1, blocking defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at the 1^st down marker.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: A

Chaz Schilens compiled 99-yards on 8 receptions. He had his best game of the season and provided one of the better highlights on Sunday jumping over former Raider Chris Carr on a 22-yard gain. Higgins closed the season on a high note as a receiver with 4 catches for 71-yards. Murphy had a career best 6 grabs for 59-yards. Zach Miller ended with 7 catches for 38-yards, including a solid route beating Ray Lewis into the end zone and leaping to haul in his third touchdown of the campaign.  Marcel Reece was used as a target and saw increased playing time in the finale.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D

They were not able to move the Ravens front seven and the running suffered with only 51-yards in the day. Baltimore compiled three sacks as well. Cornell Green added to his penalty resume with a ineligible man down the field infraction to open the game, a false start on 3^rd and 9 when Russell entered in the third quarter and another false start on the Raiders last offensive possession.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F

The Ravens ran for 240 yards. Baltimore’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage when they decided to run the ball consistently and stabilized a Raiders front four that can get to the passer. Jay Richardson chased down Joe Flacco as the passer got back to the line of scrimmage. Greg Ellis was quiet this afternoon and Richard Seymour had a few highlights, but not enough to significantly affect what the Ravens wanted to accomplish.

LINEBACKERS: D

It seemed like Kirk Morrison was out of position all day or being pushed around by Ravens’ linemen. He tallied a sack, but the linebacker was caught in pass coverage and his 9 solo tackles were not effective. Thomas Howard jarred a Ray Rice potential completion loose and Trevor Scott tallied another sack (7 for the season).

SECONDARY: B-

Mike Mitchell and Michael Huff shared a sack today

Nnamdi Asomugha shut down Derrick Mason. Asoomugha’s corner blitz on 3^rd and 8 forced Flacco into Morrison. Flacco ended with a meek 102 passing yards and Stanford Routt played solid for an inactive Chris Johnson. Routt’s lone blip was when he got beat by Mark Clayton on 3^rd and 5 for 7 yards with 5 minutes left in the game. Tyvon Branch had his moments, but he again at times was sub par in space. Branch was out of position on the Ravens big running plays. Mike Mitchell and Michael Huff shared a sack on 3^rd and 8 to end a Ravens drive in the final quarter. Hiram Eugene’s horrific attempt at a tackle sprung Willis McGahee for his 77-yard touchdown scamper. His high off-balance attempt was met with a stiff arm that left him in the turf.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

Sebastian Janikowski hit both of his field goals (37 and 39 yards). Shane Lechler capped off a solid campaign with 5-punts for an average of 52.4. But the coverage teams were bad; allowing 138-yards by Jalen Parmele including a 54-yard kickoff return to the Oakland 43-yard line that was a backbreaker after Oakland cut the lead to 14-10 (Brandon Myers missed tackle). Fortunately, the Ravens couldn’t score, as Billy Cundiff missed from 37-yards as time expired at intermission.

COACHING: B

John Marshall brought the heat on a few blitzes and it helped the Raiders corral the Ravens at times. Tom Cable tried to mix up the play calling with two reverses to Murphy that tallied 17-yards. And considering they played a solid defense that neutralized their running game, Oakland moved the ball well via the pass and gave themselves chances to stay close and possibly tie the game late. Cable’s team played well at home to close the season, and with little fan support due to an empty stadium, they tried their best to keep the ravens out of the playoffs.

GAME NOTES

• McGahee ended with 16 carries for 167 yards and 3 rushing scores. He had big runs all day; including a 36-yard scamper on 3^rd and 5 that ended any chance of a Raider comeback. That run was out of a spread formation and Oakland’s front seven was not able to seal the corner on the edge run. Ray Rice also was solid, compiling 70-yards on the ground. On his 27-yard rush, Kirk Morrison lost containment  and another run, Branch and Mitchell were caught inside with all the traffic.
• Russell ended his dreadful campaign 9/14 for 102 yards, one interception and a rating of 56.3.
• The loss extended the Raiders streak to seven straight seasons with 11 or more defeats in a campaign. That is a NFL worst.

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: D

Charlie Frye dropped to 7-15 as a starter. He put the Raiders behind the eight ball early in the contest with his first pass of the game. David Bowens intercepted Frye as the passer tried to get the ball to Darren McFadden on a slant. The linebacker drifted into the area Frye was locked in on and set the Browns up at Oakland’s 17-yard line before Jerome Harrison drove it in for a score to give Cleveland a 7-0 lead. His next two passes were deep balls to Chaz Schilens that were off the mark. At times Frye was decisive and handled the offense smartly. He hit Schilens on a 16-yard gain on 3^rd and 3 in the first quarter, combined with Zach Miller for a 5-yard completion on 3^rd and 3 right before the half and he used his feet to extend plays. But the turnovers thwarted too many drives and his miscues crippled the offense when they needed big plays. He ended 26/45 for 333 yards, no scores and 3 interceptions.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: C

Michael Bush had 9 carries for 50 yards at halftime. Oakland only fed him the ball on the ground one other time in the second half for 2-yards. Bush had a decent start running for 14-yards on the Raiders third drive and gaining 12 on a 2^nd and 8 in the 2^nd quarter. But for some reason, the Raiders abandoned the rushing game and made life easier for the Cleveland defense. Darren McFadden tallied 23-yards on the ground and 55-yards receiving. Against a team that allowed 149.6 yards per game on the ground and the opponent within reach, Oakland failed to establish a run game and give Frye a more balanced attack. Gary Russell added 2 catches for 14-yards, the key one being an 11 yard toss out of the backfield when Oakland started a drive backed up against their own goal line. But the fullback blew a block at the start of the 4^th quarter that led to a Matt Roth sack.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: C-

Zach Miller was stellar, compiling 9 receptions for 110 yards. His taunting infraction was sketchy after a remarkable 27-yard grab in the 4^th quarter. Chaz Schilens ended with 64-yards on 4 grabs. Johnnie Lee Higgins victimized Frye with two key drops and was out of sync in the passing game. His lone haul was a 33-yard pass on a double move, beating cornerback Eric Wright on Oakland’s first play of the final quarter. Louis Murphy had a key catch negated by a penalty that could’ve set Oakland with a 1^st down at Cleveland’s 2-yard line. His 3^rd and 1 reception late in the game for 6-yards was a nice snatch on a high toss.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

This group allowed four sacks and offered very little support to the ball carries, as the Raiders ended with a feeble 88-yards rushing. Cornell Green’s holding infraction on 3rd and 4 wiped away Murphy’s 14-yard reception at the Browns 2-yard line in the 1^st quarter.  Once Langston Walker left the game, the Raiders lost their toughness. He was replaced by Chris Morris who quickly picked up a false start flag on a 3^rd and 3 and the Browns overloaded the left side of the formation on the ensuing play to rush Frye and facilitate an incompletion. Morris was later penalized for a hold and on the next play; Roth mauled him on a blitz that put the Raiders in a 2^nd and 26. Mario Henderson faced a lot of blitzes on his side of the formation and was flagged for a false start as the game wound down.

DEFENSIVE LINE: D

Harrison had a strong outing with 39-carries for 148-yards and a touchdown. For some stretches, the Raiders held up at the line of scrimmage and battled against an offense that wanted to stay on the ground most of the day. But Harrison pounded away and a few times, his offensive line was able to open up some gaping holes. Matt Shaughnessy gave a solid effort today with two tackles for losses – displaying strong backside help on one 8-yard loss. Gerard Warren continued his solid play and tallied a sack versus his old club. Richard Seymour single-handedly gave the Browns seven points with his personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct infractions late in the 1^st half when the contest became tense. “A little light just started the whole thing,” Seymour commented. “Everybody just jumped on. Obviously, we have to keep our composure. You never want to have personal fouls on a drive, especially on a play that didn’t even happen and you get another one.”

LINEBACKERS: D

Kirk Morrison was out of position on many of Harrison’s key runs; getting caught in traffic or getting late to a meeting point with the ball carrier around the line of scrimmage. Thomas Howard had one stand out play in coverage against Evan Moore. Otherwise, it was a quiet game from this group, including Trevor Scott who was sold at times versus the run, but did not provide the rush he has in recent weeks.

SECONDARY: C

Stanford Routt was ejected for a head-butt in the 2^nd quarter and was seen pushing Eric Steinbach a few plays before Mohamed Massaquoi’s 19-yard touchdown reception versus Chris Johnson. Johnson again had a tough time being the focal point of the opponent, beaten by Massaquoi for a 28-yard gain and getting flagged for pass interference on a 3^rd and 16 for 18-yards. Tyvon Branch was active again against the run, but he continues to have lapses in space allowing a 24-yard completion to Michael Gaines. Derek Anderson only had 17-pass attempts, but he completed eight of them for 121 yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B+

Sebastian Janikowski nailed a career long 61-yard field goal as time expired in the 2^nd quarter. He also booted both of his other two attempts through the uprights from 44 and 34-yards out to give the Raiders their only scores of the game. Oakland had directional kick-offs to avoid Joshua Cribbs, but it hurt them on one instance when Harrison recovered the football and went 39-yards to the Oakland 43-yard line. That field position led to a Phil Dawson 33-yard field goal, which gave the Browns a 20-9 lead. Slade Norris and Isaiah Ekejiuba had a nice stuff on Cribbs, as well as Gary Russell, who helped corral the explosive returner for 60 total yards on the day on 5 touches. The return units for Oakland continue to be abysmal and to compound the misery today, Tony Stewart was ejected after Russell’s horrific 11-yard kickoff return in the 4^th quarter.

COACHING: F

Tom Cable’s bunch again failed to notch back-to-back victories. They abandoned the run and came out with Frye firing against a team that has struggled all season stopping consistent ground attacks. The play-calling was lackluster, especially late when they attempted to run fade routes to Murphy on back-to-back plays – one which ended on a interception by Eric Wright that was overturned another on a busted play that Frye was not able to get off after penetration disrupted his short drop in the pocket. The Browns have an anemic offense as well, ranking 31^st in total yards per game entering the contest. But allowed too many big plays to help them move the chains and sustain drives. What also helped was how undisciplined the defense was, losing their composure and imploding in certain spots. Oakland tallied 13-penalties for 126-yards. Add the three turnovers, and this just proves that it does not matter who the opponent is, the Raiders are not ready to build on their recent success and go on the road and take care of business. “Some it is uncalled for stuff,” Cable said. “We’ve got to see what’s going on, but that’s 130 yards and that’s disappointing.” And that falls directly on the coaching staff, their preparation and inability to challenge these players. Another defeat next week extends their already agonizing 11 losses or more streak.

GAME NOTES:

• Inactives included: Bruce Gradkowski, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Justin Fargas, Khalif Barnes, Brandon Myers, Javon Walker and Nick Miller.
• “I didn’t give our team a very good chance to win. Turnovers trump everything,” said Frye after the game, who sustained a concussion last week and faced his former team today.
• “We’ve shown flashes of being a championship-caliber team. We’ve shown flashes of being one of those cellar-dweller type teams,” Nnamdi Asomugha said. “It’s kind of like we haven’t been able to figure out who we wanted to be. If you want to be a contender in this league, you have to have an identity.”

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK:

Charlie Frye: C

Oakland’s offense tallied 174-yards in the first half with Frye under center. In his second drive on 3^rd and 3, he inexcusably lofted a prayer to Johnnie Lee Higgins that was intercepted by Champ Bailey. That gave Denver the ball at the Raiders 41-yard line and five plays later, the Broncos went up 6-0 on Matt Prater’s 43-yard field goal. Frye ended the 1^st quarter with designed bootleg run after a fake to Darren McFadden, which netted 26-yards. A few plays later, he hit Higgins on 3^rd and 10 for a 12-yard gain and the Raiders ended that drive with a score. Frye had some tempo with the offense and he could’ve had a touchdown pass if Chaz Schilens would’ve hung on to a long toss in the 2^nd quarter that he could not come down with. At times, Frye had happy feet and bailed out on plays by using his legs to roll out due to pressure. Right before halftime, he had a chance to use his legs on a 3^rd and 3 and run for a first down, instead Frye tossed an incomplete pass and the Raiders settled on a field goal to extend their lead to 13-6. In the 4^th quarter, he took a big hit as he released a pass, the back of his head bounced off the turf and the way his body reacted on impact led you to believe that there was enough trauma there that he could not finish the contest.

JaMarcus Russell: B

Raider fans probably said, “Oh no, not again…,” as soon as he entered the game. Immediately, he faced a tough situation, a 3^rd and 12 that he was not able to convert when he bounced a deep out to Louis Murphy. On his second drive, he found an open Michael Bush on a 3^rd and 2 after scrambling, but the rusher was not able to convert on the catch-able pass. Russell did not feel the pressure early on that game-winning drive and disaster almost occurred when the fumbled on the first play. But he redeemed himself on 4^th and 10 – after missing the prior play due to injury – by hitting Tony Stewart with a 10-yard strike. On consecutive plays he hit Stewart again and Schilens for gains of 9 and 13 yards. He then slid in the pocket to avoid the Denver rush and hit Schilens for 4-yards on 2^nd and goal, but the Broncos were flagged for illegal contact and that gave the Silver & Black a new set of downs. A few plays later, Russell connected with Schilens for a 10-yard game-winning touchdown.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: A

Even though Bush dropped a key pass on 3^rd and 2 late in the game, fumbled in the 2^nd quarter which was recovered by a teammate and Darren McFadden had a costly turnover that led the Broncos score that gave them a 16-13 lead, this group had a very productive afternoon. This is what Raider fans envisioned of this combo when they were drafted, as both combined for 207 yards on the ground. On Bush’s first touch of the contest, he rumbled for 23-yards and a score to give Oakland a 7-6 lead. On 3^rd and 9 in the 2^nd quarter, he ran for 13 yards and later that drive, he broke a Brian Dawkins tackle and weaved his way for 13 yards. Late in the 3^rd quarter he couldn’t punch it in near the goal line, but neither could McFadden who was thwarted by a stout Denver defensive stance on 4^th and goal, when he tried to cut his run back after initially taking the pitch and looking like he could get to the pylon. That drive got started with a bang when Bush gained 18 yards had a burst for another 40 and McFadden bolted for 28 yards on consecutive plays.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: C

Tony Stewart was key with his 3 receptions for 37-yards. With Zach Miller out, he made vital receptions late in the game to keep a drive alive and to get them close to the winning score. Brandon Myers had only one catch for 6-yards, but his blocking was stellar. Schilens finished with 5 grabs for 37-yards and one touchdown. He caught the game winning score by breaking a tackle at the 3-yard line to hit paydirt. Louis Murphy gave good effort and his bets moment was when he beat Bailey for 14-yards on an out pattern.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B-

Oakland ran for 241-yards rushing. The offensive line was stellar when they asserted themselves and especially when Erik Pears was in as an extra blocker. Pears had key blocks on many of the Raiders big run plays as well as Langston Walker, who mauled the interior of the Denver defensive line on Bush’s score. Elvis Dumervil gave Mario Henderson many problems, but he did not add to his league leading sack total. Cooper Carlisle was flagged for being an ineligible man down the field to start a drive in the 2^nd quarter, but he won many matches in the trenches. Henderson was at the right spot at the right time when Bush fumbled right into his hands. You would’ve liked to see them get push near the goal line when Denver had their stand and not be so shaky late in the game when the Broncos were applying heat with only four-down linemen. But overall, they paved the way for a big day on the ground and kept Russell upright long enough to make plays as time expired. Cornell Green could’ve been a goat in the final drive with a false start from the 5-yard line with 45 seconds remaining.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

At the half, the Broncos had 55 yards rushing. They only managed 25 the rest of the day on the strength of the defensive line of the Raiders. Matt Shaughnessy was outstanding versus the run and tallied another sack (4^th of the season) with a great bull rush. Tommy Kelly and Gerard Warren were gobbling up Knowshon Moreno, who ended with 19 carries, for 42-yards (2.2 per carry). William Joseph was even very active up front, giving the Raiders a nice rotation without any weakening along the trenches. Desmond Bryant also played well and Greg Ellis compiled two more sacks; one on Denver’s first play of the final drive. This group disrupted Kyle Orton’s timing with his targets all day.

LINEBACKERS: B

Kirk Morrison probably had his best game of the season. He had 8-tackles, one for a loss and was solid working in space when in zone. Thomas Howard ended with 4 tackles and got better in pursuit as the game went on. Trevor Scott did not tally a sack today, but his run defense continues to be a spark on the front-seven.

SECONDARY: C-

Denver’s targets tallied 278 yards receiving. Stanford Routt was beaten badly in the slot by Brandon Stokley for 63-yards on a play that could have been a back-breaker for the visiting Raiders. On 3^rd and 12 on the opening drive, Chris Johnson was beat by Eddie Royal for 18-yards, Brandon Marshall also terrorized him fooling him on one route for 24-yards, but he defended Jabar Gaffney well on a fade route that ended a drive. Mike Mitchell was stout versus the run and had a key blitz on a 3^rd and 6 that forced Orton into an incompletion. Nnamdi Asomugha was at his best tackling around the line of scrimmage and Michael Huff jarred loose a potential big play by Marshall on 3^rd and 17 in the final seconds of the contest.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

In the thin air, this was a game of many touchbacks and of place kickers that had were on point with Sebastian Janikowski nailing field goal of 54 and 28 yards while Matt Prater connected on all four of his attempts. Shane Lechler averaged 54.8 per punt. Higgins had a nice punt return of 15-yards and Mitchell had a solid hit on the game’s final kickoff return.

COACHING: A

Tom Cable did a stellar job today. His play calling was rhythmic and precise. The bootleg when Frye was in the game for big yardage gave them life, the draw play on 3^rd down for a nice gain surprised the Denver defense and the run game kept them unbalanced. The offensive line was the facilitator, and he made the right choice playing Walker this weekend. When Russell was inserted, the game plan did not regress and they ran plays that kept Denver back peddling; which was vastly different from his approach against Washington once Russell entered. The again, he did not have the potent ground attack as he did today. Oakland’s defense kept the team alive. In the first half, they held the Broncos to 1/7 on 3^rd downs and Josh McDaniels’ offense only mustered up 3 more after that. The Raiders blitzed often, which affected the flow of Denver’s attack. Oakland was down 6-0 before battling back, And after a missed 4^th down opportunity with McFadden Stokley’ big play and losing his starter, Cable kept his team inspired and fighting on the road. Also, bringing Bush out of the doghouse helped, as the former Louisville star injected life to an offense that hadn’t run the ball well in recent weeks.

GAME NOTES

• Frye ended 9/17 for 68-yards and 1 interception. Russell tallied 5 completions on 11 attempts for 47-yards and a touchdown pass. J.P Losman entered the game for one play – a 3^rd and 10 in the 4^th quarter – before being replaced by Russell, who was healthy enough to complete the game after sustaining an injury. Losman was pressured on his lone play and tossed an incompletion to Murphy. Russell received the game ball after the game, but Cable stated to reporters that Frye will be the starter next week versus Cleveland if healthy.
• Bush had his best game of the year with season highs in carries (18) and yards (133). Justin Fargas “tweaked” his knee according to Cable after the game.
• Former Raider LaMont Jordan rushed for 27 yards on 5 carries.
• Tommy Kelly was injured, but finished the game.
• The game was delayed with 6:53 left when a fan was apparently shinning a laser onto the field.

QUARTERBACK:

Bruce Gradkowski – A

The Oakland offense looked lively again with Gradkowski under center. The underdog passer displayed his elusiveness and ability to spark the play of others with his 10-of-18 for 153 yards and 3 rushes for 16-yards. But he couldn’t finish the game, leaving at halftime with a torn meniscus ligament in his left knee and a partially torn meniscus in his right knee. “See what the MRI says tomorrow but who knows?” Gradkowski said after the game. “I don’t count myself out. You never need surgery with MCLs. I’ll do whatever I can to get healthy fast, if I can.” Some highlights included a 3^rd and 10 hook up for 15-yards to Chaz Schilens – the key play on a drive they took a 10-7 lead – a 10-yard scramble on 3^rd and 10 before the half and a 6-yard pass to Justin Fargas, improvising and getting the football to his running back as he was being tackled.

JaMarcus Russell – F

The life was drained out of the offense once he came into the game. Oakland’s play calling was effected by his insertion, they were not able to move the yard sticks and the immobile passer was sitting duck for salivating Washington defenders. Russell was sacked six times partly due to the offensive line’s ineffectiveness, but also because of his lack of pocket awareness and lumbering movements. Unlike Gradkowski, Russell could not extend plays, make something happen with his legs or formulate quick decisions. Oakland regressed to their old selves with shorter routes to Zach Miller. On his interception, Russell delivered the ball late to an open target and LaRon Landry was able to break on the ball.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: D

Darren McFadden had a great start to the game.  He had a 43-yard reception to open Oakland’s third drive and an acrobatic 26-yard reception on a slant and go, hauling in the pass as he fell to the turf. But McFadden had only one other catch the rest of the way for 15-yards and was pedestrian with his 8 carries for 21-yards on a sloppy field. Justin Fargas had 9 carries for 21 yards and the team’s only touchdown on a 1-yard run on 4^th and goal in the second quarter.  Gary Russell had 2 carries for -2 yards, but fared better as a receiver with 22-yards on 2 grabs. Both times Russell ran the ball, he was the lone set-back after Oakland motioned McFadden as a flanker.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: D

Zach Miller again became Russell’s security blanket on short routes and at the end; he tallied 7 receptions for 46 yards.  Miller had a 21-yard reception negated by an Schilens pass interference penalty. On 1^st and 10 at the OAK 37, Gradkowski delivered a strike to Miller after he avoided the rush moving toward the line of scrimmage, but the tight end dropped the pass near the Redskins 30-yard line.  Johnnie Lee Higgins ended with 3 catches for 35 yards; his best receptions being a 16-yard out pattern on 1^st and 10 on the last drive before halftime and a 3^rd and 3 conversion on a 10-yard slant in which he took a major hit from cornerback Carlos Rogers. Chaz Schilens had 2 receptions for 20-yards and Louis Murphy finished with 1 grab for 8 yards. Murphy gave great effort on a 28-yard sinking Gradkowski toss that appeared to be a reception, but was overturned by a booth review.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

Robert Gallery was missed. The line got no push at the line of scrimmage and was often manhandled which led to the putrid 65-yard effort on the ground. Washington compiled 8-sacks – yes many during Russell’s stint, when he was not able to feel the pressure and react accordingly – four by rookie Brian Orakpo and two by Andre Carter who now has 10-sacks in his last nine contests.  Cooper Carlisle got infracted for a false start in the 3^rd quarter on a 2^nd and 16 and a few plays later, Russell had to face an insurmountable 3^rd and 35 because Cornell Green was flagged for being illegally down the field as Oakland tried to set up a screen.  Green was penalized again in the 4^th quarter on a 3^rd and 5 for holding.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

Tommy Kelly was physical at times, stuffing Quinton Ganther (14 car. 50 yards 2 TD) on short yardage situations. Gerard Warren hurt Jason Campbell (16-of-28 for 222 yards and 2 TD 0 INT) on a 3^rd and 6 when he tossed him to the turf and forced an incompletion to end a drive. Greg Ellis also got pressure along with Richard Seymour, but they both got penalized for offsides. Matt Shaughnessy recorded his third sack of the season and had a tackle for a loss. The Redskins rushed for 100 yards today, 61 of those coming in the second half.

LINEBACKERS: C-

Trevor Scott continued his solid play with a sack on the second play for the Redskins and keying run stuffs early in the contest. Kirk Morrison was out of position many times, trailing his assignment when in coverage; which helped tight end Fred Davis amass 50-yards receiving and 2 touchdowns.

SECONDARY: C-

Mike Mitchell recording his first NFL sack

Nnamdi Asomugha had a right forearm injury, but finished the game. Stanford Routt played in his place and was quickly greeted by Santana Moss. Campbell hooked up with his speedy receiver on a nice pitch-and-catch for 28-yards against Routt.  The 15-yard pass interference penalty against Routt that aided the drive in which the Redskins went up 24-13 was a bad call by the ref. Chris Johnson almost made a stellar interception in the 4^th quarter while trying to adjust to the flight of the ball against Moss. Tyvon Branch blew some coverages against Davis and was a victim in space, but again aided solid effort versus the run with his tackling. Mike Mitchell recorded his first NFL sack on a blitz on 3^rd and 10 that resulted in a 13-yard loss. Michael Huff left in the second quarter with a stinger.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Shane Lechler punted six times at a 49.5 average (68 long). Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 33-yarder to give Oakland a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and a 54-yarder in the 3^rd quarter to cut the Redskins lead to 17-13. His only miss was a 66-yard effort at the end of the first half. Higgins looked more elusive than what he has all season. The Redskins tackled well on punts, as a few times, it looked like Higgins could break a few returns for substantial gains. He ended with 47 yards on 4 punt returns. Russell sparked a Raider drive with a 41-yard kickoff return. The great field position by the Raiders was aided when Fred Davis was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after a touchdown, which had the Redskins kick off on their own 15-yard line.  Eight plays later, the Raiders took the lead 10-7. Hiram Eugene had a better game on special teams than he did in the defensive backfield.

COACHING: D

Again, the Raiders failed to take advantage of a struggling opponent at home and notch a back-to-back victory. This troubling trend continued once Russell came into the game. The energy was sucked out of the offense and it appeared that the team lost any confidence it had when Gradkowski limped off the field. The play calling was simplified, the offense went back to their lackluster ways and the Redskins teed off on a passer that cannot handle a NFL playbook that is a stiff in the pocket and cannot inspire or elevate the play of others. Russell hamstrung Tom Cable’s offense and his play calling. But there is no excuses for a complete shut-down in the 2^nd half against a team that struggled recently in holding 4^th quarter leads and that entered this final quarter today with a lead for the 4^th straight contest. Oakland managed 39-yards of total net offense in the 2^nd half. At least the defense was on attack, keeping Campbell moving in the pocket and making life difficult for their targets. The Raiders had a couple of breakdowns on defense, especially when they brought the heat and had the linebackers and secondary in man-to-man, leaving Washington’s passer to scramble for some key yards. But for the most part, the effort was there and John Marshall called an aggressive game showing many fronts in trying to confuse Jim Zorn’s attack. John Fassel was flagged for a 15-yard penalty when he ran onto the field to argue with a judge.

GAME NOTES

• Russell ended 10-of-16 for 74-yards and 1 interception. He is public enemy number one in Oakland right now and he failed to live up to the comment he made just recently when he was asked what type of player he was going to be when he saw the field again; “A totally different JaMarcus – people are going to have their opinion, and I really don’t pay too much attention to that.” Today, the same JaMarcus was on exhibit.
• Tony Stewart recovered a muffed punt fumble by Antwaan Randle El in the 4^th quarter.
• Inactive players for the game included: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Khalif Barnes, Javon Walker, Nick Miller, William Joseph and Roy Scheuning. Scheuning was promoted to the 53-man roster when Robert Gallery was placed on the injured list.
• The Raiders had more penalty yards (108) than rushing yards (65).

QUARTERBACK: A

Bruce Gradkowski had the best statistical game for any Raider passer in a long time. His poise was stellar along with his ability to extend plays and make clutch throws in key spots. Oakland would have never won this game with JaMarcus Russell at the helm. Early on, Gradkowski missed an open Louis Murphy on a 3^rd and 3 that would’ve led to a big gain. But he bounced back from that on the next drive hitting Johnnie Lee Higgins on a 22-yard pass on 3^rd and 14 – the key play on a possession that ended with a field goal to cut the Pittsburgh lead to 10-6. Gradkowski ended the first half 7-of-9 for 86 yards. He opened the 2^nd half with a nice sidearm delivery to Zach Miller for 10-yards on a 3^rd and 8, and in the 4^th quarter, he moved the chains on a 3^rd and 3 scrambling for 8-yards. Oakland’s passer could’ve had at least 30-more yards rushing if not for infractions that negated some nice runs. He made a strong throw to Chaz Schilens for 17-yards with a lineman bearing down on him for a score that made it 13-10 with 8:21 remaining. The 75-yard bomb to Murphy was vital giving the Raiders a 20-17 lead with 5:28 left in the game. Then his passes to Higgins for 17-yards, Todd Watkins for 12-yards on 3^rd and 10, and Murphy for 19-yards marched the Silver & Black down the field as time expired. His final throw, an 11-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Murphy to cap the frantic 4^th quarter became the best moment for Oakland in 2009. His final numbers: 20/33 for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: C+

Justin Fargas led the team with 15 carries for 63-yards. He kept the Steelers’ defense honest, but was not a major factor in Oakland moving the ball when they needed it most. Darren McFadden had a key run on 3^rd and 2 in the final quarter, darting for 6-yards on a pitch near the end of a drive in which the Raiders took the lead. He ended with 9 rushes for 25 yards. Michael Bush was a non-factor with one-carry for one yard and making a cameo as a passer on a toss in which he overthrew a wide-open Schilens. Luke Lawton was flagged for a false start to start a drive deep in their own territory.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: A

The receivers had their best game of the season, without the presence of rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey – out with a foot injury. Murphy shined when it mattered most with 4-catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He had his best game as a pro and could’ve had another big gainer after beating William Gay on a slant and go route on the first play of the 2^nd quarter, but Gradkowski overthrew him. He torched Ike Taylor for the 75-yard touchdown and tiptoed his way into the end zone the last 5-yards. Higgins made his first sizeable contribution to this team in 2009. He had 4 receptions for 63-yards. Schilens also keyed the huge 4^th quarter with his scoring grab; ending the game with 45-yards on 3 catches. Zach Miller continued his solid play with 43 yards receiving.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B-

Samson Satele was injured, did not return to the line-up and was replaced by Chris Morris. Robert Gallery injured his back and was replaced by Langston Walker. Oakland as a team ran for 109-yards – a win considering that Pittsburgh is the toughest team in the league statistically to run against. They allowed only 2-sacks, keeping Gradkowski’s jersey clean for most of the day, but the passer’s legs were the main reason Oakland was able to extend plays. Mario Henderson was flagged for a hold on a Gradkowski 20-yard scramble.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B-

Yes, they allowed 132-yards on the ground. But the defensive line was stout during some stretches and if you take away Rashard Mendenhall’s 60-yard scamper, the run defense would’ve had one of their best games of the season. They missed Greg Ellis’ pass rushing abilities, but they were able to keep Ben Roethlisberger moving out of the pocket. Pittsburgh’s passer is always dangerous on the run and he showed at times what he could do when improvising. A key play for this unit was a 4^th and 1 with their backs to the end zone at the 5-yard line, stuffing Big Ben on a sneak and keeping vital Pittsburgh points off the scoreboard. Richard Seymour was flagged for an illegal hands to the face.

LINEBACKERS: B

Trevor Scott recorded the Raiders only sack of the game. Kirk Morrison finished with 7-tackles. Thomas Howard played decently in his first start as a strong-side linebacker. At times, this unit was late on their assignment on shallower routes when they were in zones, but overall, they played well enough to keep the integrity of the defense on run and pass plays near the line of scrimmage. Scott’s sack was imperative on 3^rd and 6 at the end of the 3^rd quarter, as it was a 9-yard loss for the Steelers and forced Jeff Reed into a 53-yard field goal attempt  that he missed, keeping another three-points off the board for Pittsburgh.

SECONDARY: C-

Santonio Holmes had a career game (8 rec. 149 yards 1 TD). And far too often, this group either had a blown tackle or a missed assignment. Chris Johnson almost had an interception on a 3^rd and 11 early in the contest. On Holmes score, Tyvon Branch and Johnson were beat on the corner route. The previous play, Branch was beaten by Hines Ward for 27-yards on a post pattern. Branch (11 tackles) was taken advantage of in coverage, but was at his best as the last line of defense on run pays and around the line of scrimmage. Johnson had a case for a illegal hands to the face/facemask penalty on Hines Ward during his 11-yard scoring reception that made it 24-20 Pittsburgh with 3:32 remaining. Michael Huff broke up several plays with big hits as the ball approached the intended receiver. Hiram Eugene’s first interception of the season was a stellar grab in the end zone as time expired in the first half. That was the only turnover in the game and it was another play that kept points off the board for the Steelers. Roethlisberger’s throw to Holmes for 57-yards in the 4^th quarter was precise and over the head of Stanford Routt – Branch made the touchdown saving tackle.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

Stefan Logan’s 83-yard kickoff return to open the game startled the Raiders. But Oakland’s defense kept the Steelers out of the end zone. Logan had another solid return later in the game for 37-yards to set-up a Pittsburgh possession at their own 40. Sebastian Janikowski nailed both of his field goal attempts (48 and 43 yards) in a tough outdoor stadium to kick in. Shane Lechler had 6-punts, averaging 46.8 per. Gary Russell had one of his better games with 72-yards worth of kickoff returns.

COACHING: B

Tom Cable got a little mischievous in opening the playbook. Bush’s halfback pass was on a 3^rd and 8 – a risky play – considering the field position they had. Ultimately they scored on that drive, but not the player you want passing the ball against a defense that likes to bring pressure. In their opening drive of the second half, Cable called for more trickery on a hand off to McFadden, which he lateral back to Gradkowski and wound up losing 16-yards. The passing plays called were aided by Gradkowski’s improvising, but Cable did make the right calls during that scoring outburst in the final quarter. Something he would have never been able to relay to Russell if he was in the game. The Raiders scored 21-points in the 4^th quarter – a stunning development considering their woes on offense late in games. And after disheartening drives by the home team, Oakland answered with big plays of their own – a credit to the coaching staff keeping the morale of this team up in a tough stadium to play in, on a cold day versus a team playing for their playoff lives. John Marshall’s bunch blitzed today from all the levels of their defense and gave the Steelers’ offense all they could handle. The defense played a solid game into the 2^nd half until the madness begun and both teams started exploding in the waning moments.

QUARTERBACK: C-

Bruce Gradkowski ended the game 18-of-35 for 200 yards one touchdown and no interceptions. Many times, he had to get rid of the football under the gun, which affected his accuracy. On back-to-back plays to open the game – on 2^nd and 6 and 3^rd and 6 – he was not able to set up his feet or release the ball cleanly to keep the drive alive. A few times, Oakland attempted to stretch the field and Gradkowski stated after the game, “There were plays there to be made downfield and I didn’t make them.”

His elusiveness helped the Raiders on their scoring drive and in total; Gradkowski’s feet helped him tally 30-yards rushing. Oakland’s passer misfired on plays that could have been converted which would have moved the chains.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: B

Justin Fargas’ first half was superb. He ran hard and gained big chunks, compiling most of his team leading 63-yards rushing. Darren McFadden finished the game with 6 carries for 23 yards, but he was mostly used as a receiver, getting split out wide in one-to-one match-ups with the Cowboys’ cornerbacks. On 2^nd and 5 on the Raiders’ first drive, he hauled in a quick slant for 16-yards. McFadden had 4 catches for 43-yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: D

Zach Miller recorded 5 grabs for 73-yards in the dual between two of the top tight ends in the NFL. Miller on national television demonstrated he ranks right up there with Jason Witten (5 rec. 107 yards) and was one of the few bright spots for the Oakland offense. Chaz Schilens outstretched on a 3^rd and 4 on the game’s third drive but could not haul in a make able reception. On the Raiders next possession, he ran a sloppy slant that the defender broke up on a 3^rd and 4. Schilens ended with 2 receptions for 32-yards. Darrius Heyward-Bey finally hauled iin his first professional touchdown. “I tried to help the cause with that play,” Heyward-Bey commented, “but when you lose, it’s all that matters. You want to win at the end.” The rookie had a nice block on McFadden’s best run of the game – a sweep for 12-yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D

Right tackle Cornell Green left the game for a few plays with an injury and was replaced by Langston Walker. He eventually went back into the game. Cooper Carlisle’s holding penalty thwarted any movement on Oakland’s second drive. The front looked good early in opening holes for their rushers, but did very little at times to keep Gradkowski’s pocket clean or his passing lanes paved. They allowed three sacks.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F

Dallas ran up 195 rushing yards against this defense. It all headed downhill after Tashard Choice’s 66-yard run to open their third drive in the 1^st quarter. To the defenses credit, they did hold the Cowboys to a field goal on that drive. But on the very next Dallas possession, Felix Jones erupted on a 46-yard scamper for a score. “What is Rule No. 1 in Pop Warner?” nose tackle Gerard Warren pose to reporters after the game. “Stop the run.”

LINEBACKERS: C

Trevor Scott had a stellar game at weak side linebacker. Due to injuries on this unit, Oakland mixed it up placing the defensive end in coverage situations and giving him the opportunity to use his instincts in space. Scott could’ve had an interception on a 3^rd and 9 in which Tony Romo carelessly tossed the football away,  on a 2^nd and 13, he dissected a screen and closed in on the pass catcher for a 4-yard loss and he ended with two-sacks when he pass rushed. “A few days ago they said they wanted me to start at (Will) this game so I was like, `all right, let’s run with it,’ ” Scott was quoted. “If it’s an opportunity to get on the field, so be it. Some guys don’t feel comfortable in a two-point stance, so if they stick with it, great.”  Sam Williams was beat a few times by Witten.

SECONDARY: F

Miles Austin torched this unit for 7 receptions, 145 yards and 1 touchdown. Nnamdi Asomugha was the victim a few times on man-to-man coverage. Michael Huff started the game nicely on a 3^rd and 24, breaking up a pass intended for Roy Williams and then on the next Cowboy possession on 2^nd and 9, jarring a pass out of Austin’s grasp with a solid hit. Romo had a field day with his 18 completions for 309 yards. Tyvon Branch had a beat on a deflected ball that could’ve been an interception for a touchdown, but Trevor Scott gave chase as well and both took each other out on the play.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

The anemic return units continued with their struggles. Gary Russell did very little to add some pop to the kickoff returns as Oakland looked for a change of pace after trying Jonathan Holland in that spot for a few games. Shane Lechler punted nine-times for a 54.8 average. His season average is now 51.9 – keeping him ahead of Sammy Baugh’s single season record.

COACHING: D

On defense, it was nice to see the Raiders pressure from the linebacker spot and John Marshall mixing up the formations and disguising the coverages. But many times, the attacks along the line of scrimmage led to big plays due to the Raiders being out of position.  Not too much praise though can be given especially after Dallas racked up 494 total yards of offense. Tom Cable has altered his game plan and feels more confident with Gradkowski at the helm of the offense. The Raiders are mixing up more passing a play, but at times, that has taken away from their bread and butter – running the football.

GAME NOTES

• Jon Alston was placed on injured reserve, ending his season, after suffering two concussions in four weeks. Rookie Slade Norris was activated in his place after spending the majority of the season on the practice squad.
• CB John Bowie, forever linked as the player selected with a 4^th round pick acquired from the Patriots in the Randy Moss trade, was waived this week. His final stats with the Raiders – 2 tackles.
• Greg Ellis did not finish the contest due to swelling in his knee. “I don’t know what happened. I just know swelling, a lot of pressure, going down my leg, going down my knee down my shin and my calf. I don’t know if I did something during the game,’’ Ellis stated. “It started off swelling some but that’s to be expected coming off the scope but when we started playing, it was just killing me.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B

Bruce Gradkowski is now 4-9 in his career while starting and 1-0 at the helm of the Silver & Black. His decisiveness, inspiring play and ability to diversify the offense with his accuracy helped the Raider offense churn out yardage when they needed it most and it got them their first second half touchdown in seven games. His nine-yard touchdown pass to Zach Miller ended a personal three-year drought (11/19/2006) and was his first scoring pass in 116 attempts. He led Oakland in a way JaMarcus Russell hasn’t. Gradkowski managed the game well with his feet, evading sacks and getting rid of the ball quickly when all his options were covered and pressure was coming. On the game tying drive, his quick release on a blitz was able to gain 19-yards on 2^nd and 4. Then on 4^th and 10, he hit an open Chaz Schilens to give the Raiders life. The 29-yard toss to his rookie target was one of the most clutch plays this season.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: C –

After a solid performance last week, Michael Bush could have been a goat today with his fumble in the 3^rd quarter. That turnover led to a 25-yard Shayne Graham field goal, which extended the Bengals lead to 17-10. He did average 6.8 yards per carry on his 4 attempts. Darren McFadden played a physical contest, finishing a few of his six carries with blows to the attempting tackler. He had 9 touches for 25-yards, many of them on earlier downs that helped Gradkowski into manageable down and distances in key drives. Justin Fargas led the team with 8 carries for 32-yards. Oakland did not need a powerful ground game today, something you couldn’t say if Russell was under center. Luke Lawton helped with 3 grabs for 14 yards.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: B –

Louis Murphy’s lone catch of the game was a 29-yard strike that tied the game with 33 seconds remaining in the game. He worked the cornerback well and was able to adjust to make the reception and bolt into the end zone. Zach Miller had another solid effort with 5 receptions for 65-yards and a score. His back-to-back catches; on 2^nd and 4 for 19-yards and on 1^st and 10 for 9-yards in the game tying drive helped move the chains. In his second game this campaign, Chaz Schilens hauled in a stellar 25-yard pass to start a drive, jumping to snag the football with a cornerback draped on him and a 16-yard catch on 4^th and 10 with the game on the line. Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped a potential first-down on a 3^rd and 4 in the 2^nd quarter, but snagged a 7-yard pass on a 3^rd and 3. In the 3^rd quarter, the speedy rookie did draw a 19-yard pass interference flag on Leon Hall.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B

This group played well at times, others they got mixed up in trying to block the varying Bengal blitzes. Gradkowski’s mobility and instant decision making kept Cincinnati from tallying a sack. Robert Gallery mauled the interior of the defensive line during Bush’s 10-yard gain on 3^rd and 2 in the 3^rd quarter. Most of the Bengals pressure was up the gut of the trenches and surprisingly, starting right tackle Cornell Green played a mistake free game. Samson Satele and Gradkowski had a mix-up during an exchange that was recovered by Domato Peko. Gradkowski’s interception to open a drive in the 4^th quarter was facilitated by the pressure the Bengals applied. The passer floated a pass into the hands of Jonathan Joseph as Oakland attempted for a quick strike to Murphy.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B –

The run defense allowed way too many yards (177). But many times, the front-four was able to pressure Carson Palmer. Cincinnati has protected their passer all year very well, allowing a mere 14-sacks in 2009, but Oakland was able to compile three sacks. Greg Ellis had a huge sack late in the 4^th quarter on a 3^rd and 12. Desmond Bryant added energy to the defensive line and played well in place of Richard Seymour, who left in the opening quarter with a lower back injury. Jay Richardson played with a good motor.

LINEBACKERS: A

Probably the best game the linebackers played all season. Thomas Howard was very active, firing through the line of scrimmage on many stops and covering tailback Brian Leonard on a deep pattern to force an incompletion. Kirk Morrison had his best game of the year with 4-tackles – two behind the line of scrimmage. Sam Williams was in on a turnover that Desmond Bryant facilitated.

SECONDARY: B

This was a Jekyll and Hide game for this unit. Tyvon Branch tallied 12-tackles. He was routinely making stops around the line of scrimmage and in the backfield. On a 3^rd and 6 in the 2^nd quarter, Branch blitzed, sacked Palmer and forced a fumble when Cincinnati was at the OAK 27-yard line. He did get burned on an Andre Caldwell 17-yard reception in the 1^st quarter, but he dove in the end-zone to break up a potential score on a 2^nd and goal in the 3^rd quarter – a key play as Graham missed a 37-yarder five plays later. The safety out of UCONN also saved a touchdown as the last line of defense on Bernard Scott’s 23-yard reception on 2^nd and 22 in the 1^st quarter. Chris Johnson was torched deep by Laveranues Coles for 40-yards, he whiffed when trying to tackle Scott that resulted in a 61-yard run, but he had a nice tackle behind the line of scrimmage and broke up a pass intended for Chad Ochocinco on a drive that the Bengals went three-and-out in the final quarter. Stanford Routt was infracted for roughing the passer on a 3^rd and goal. The dumb penalty gave Cincinnati a new set of downs, but Routt redeemed himself three plays later on 3^rd and goal with an 18-yard sack of Palmer that hurt Graham when he missed his field goal on the ensuing play. Nnamdi Asomugha closed the game with an interception, but on a few occasions, Ochocinco got the best of him. His blitz broke containment on Scott’s long run. Mike Mitchell played sparingly and had a couple of run stuffing tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Rookie tight end Brandon Myers had the play of the game; stripping Caldwell on the game’s final kickoff with seconds remaining and recovering the loose ball at the Bengals 17-yard line. A few plays later, Sebastian Janikowski nailed his second field goal of the game from 37-yards out with 15 seconds remaining, giving Oakland the late victory. He missed from 57-yards wide right after Cincinnati called a time-out to freeze him and missed wide left officially as time expired in the first half. Shane Lechler boomed a 66-yard punt and averaged 50.5 per kick this afternoon. Jonathan Holland continues to be hesitant during kickoff returns and a non-threat. Coming into the game, the Oakland special teams had the fewest number of penalties called on the in the NFL (4).

COACHING: B

The play calling was significantly different with Gradkowski at quarterback. Oakland tossed the ball 34-times and the offense was pass happy on many drives. Tom Cable’s club looked impressive out of the gate in the 2^nd half, putting together a 10-play drive and cutting the Bengals lead to 14-10 after intermission. The blitzing defense was a similar attack they installed against the Eagles, and it kept the often-stationary Palmer moving in the pocket. The team played motivated even after falling behind and they came from behind in front of an empty building. It was disturbing to see the Bengals shoot themselves in the foot consistently, but with the upper hand regardless at times. In the opening drive, Cincy had 3 flags and converted on two long down and distances and after they took a 14-0 lead, they led Oakland 217-to-14 in total yards, had tallied 15 first downs as oppose to the Raiders one, and had a time of possession lead of 19:48 to 3:00. But Oakland forced turnovers and pressured the over confident Bengals, who came into the contest undefeated on the road and looking to put away their division after the Steelers were upset by the Chiefs earlier in the day.

GAME NOTES

• Ochocinco was flagged twice for false starts, playing anxiously in trying to get an edge by releasing early off the line against Oakland’s top-flight cornerback. He finished the game with 4-receptions for 67-yards.
• Gradkowski induced am encroachment penalty with his cadence in the first quarter. In total, the Bengals compiled 8-penalties for 59-yards. The Raiders’ passer facilitated another offside infraction later in the game, but the penalty was declined due to a McFadden 9-yard gain. Gradkowski finished 17 for 34 for 183 yards with an INT and two touchdowns.
• Rookie Bernard Scott ran for a season-high 119 yards in place of the injured Cedric Benson. Former Chief Larry Johnson had two carries for 5 yards in his first game as a Bengal.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: C

JaMarcus Russell bounced back from his benching last week with a conservative and safe effort against the Chargers. When Oakland drafted him, they hoped that at this point of his career he’d be using his big arm to go vertical and deep. Today, the majority of his passes were short and non-threatening to the San Diego secondary. He opened the game with a quick 5-yard toss to Zach Miller for 5-yards. His second pass was off a play fake in which Russell overthrew Miller, who was covered by multiple defenders, and was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie. On Oakland’s second possession, he overthrew a wide-open Miller again on a 3^rd and 4, displaying poor footwork; as he never set his feet to get off a strong throw. He did the same thing in the 3^rd quarter, floating a pass to Louis Murphy – who was in double coverage – as he moved backward when releasing the football. His best pass was late in the 4^th quarter, facing a 4^th and 7, avoiding the rush in the pocket and finding Miller for 10-yards. He ended 14-of-22 for 109 yards at a measly 5.0 yards per completion. It’s agonizing watching this passing attack struggling for every yard they can tally and not being able to present a threat to opposing defensive backfields.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: B

Justin Fargas again demonstrated great determination and fought hard to pick up every one of those 59-yards compiled this afternoon. He was able to tie the game at seven in the 2^nd quarter with a 3yard touchdown run – his first score of the season. Fargas added 3 receptions for 20-yards. Michael Bush got 7-carries for 27-yards. Early in the game it looked like he could romp through the Charger defense, but the offensive line could not sustain their blocks throughout the game and Bush’s production waned as the game went on. Luke Lawton blocked well in stints.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: F

On 2^nd and 28 in the 4^th quarter, the Raiders receiver woes were highlighted when Johnnie Lee Higgins and Louis Murphy ran into each other at the start of the play, taking themselves out and collapsing to the turf erasing any chance of Russell having them as targets. On that play, Shawne Merriman recorded a sack. Higgins’ only catch of the game came on a 3^rd and 5 in the 3^rd quarter in which he gained 6-yards. Darrius Heyward-Bey finished with one reception for 10-yards, which came at the end of the 2^nd quarter right before they scored on a field goal to make it 21-10 Chargers. Higgins was futile in his attempt to volley a pass from Russell to Heyward-Bey on 4^th and 20 at the end of the contest – attempting a lateral before completing a catch. Murphy had a drive-killing false start on 3^rd and 8 at the start of the final quarter. Zach Miller compiled 5-receptions for 52-yards, but struggled blocking allowing Steve Gregory to blow past him for a sack on a 3^rd and 10 and was ineffective aiding the line on running downs. Brandon Myers recorded his first two receptions in the NFL.

OFFENSIVE LINE: D

Khalif Barnes was horrendous. He was flagged for a false start in the first quarter, and late in the game, and was consistently beat by an attacking Charger front-seven. Cooper Carlisle struggled inside getting any push, was infracted for a false start as well and Mario Henderson was victimized by Merriman and Shaun Phillips for a few sacks. This group looked nothing like the dominant unit that knocked around the Chargers during their first match-up.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

The 100-rushing yards allowed were not crippling. The front-seven was able to contain LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, but most of the day, they could not get any pressure on Philip Rivers. Matt Shaughnessy was the best performer on the defense tallying 5 tackles (most of them around or behind the line of scrimmage versus the run) and his first career sack.

LINEBACKERS: B

Jon Alston has his most active game this year with 5-tackles and solid play versus the Charger ground game. Kirk Morrison ran freely and Thomas Howard got good depth in coverage versus Antonio Gates. Their one-mix up when in zone coverage came when Morrison released Gates into the back-end of the secondary with no help for a gain of 30-yards on a 3^rd and 4.

SECONDARY: D

Rivers orchestrated a solid passing attack and finished with 249 passing yards. Vincent Jackson tortured Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt, as he tallied 103 yards and a score on 8 receptions. Malcolm Floyd out jumped Michael Huff on San Diego’s first play, a pass that gained 53-yards and set Tomlinson up for a 6-yard touchdown scamper on the next play. Floyd tormented Johnson, as he drew a flag in the first half on the Raider defensive back for illegal contact. Johnson’s second interception of the season came off a bobbled Rivers pass. That turnover helped the Silver & Black tie the game at 7. Tyvon Branch was very good at times covering Gates and helping in run support. But Jackson consistently beat the Raiders; gaining 20-yards on a 3^rd and 7, 14-yards on a 3^rd and 9 and scoring on a 3^rd and 4. Rivers challenged Nnamdi Asomugha once, as he completed a difficult 3^rd and 10 pass to Chris Chambers for 20-yards with the receiver looking into the sun and blanketed by the All-Pro cornerback.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Jonathan Holland had his best game returning this season. He compiled 145 yards on kickoffs, but none were more important than the 60-yards he acquired to set-up the Oakland offense at the San Diego 37-yard line before the end of the half.  Branch was stellar containing Sproles on punt returns. Sebastian Janikowski was 3-for-3, nailing field goals from 48, 41 and 28-yards. Sam Williams got penetration when attacking a punt, just barely grazed the football, but was not able to affect the flight of the punt enough to help Oakland. Sproles had a 39-yard return and was chased down from behind by rookie Mike Mitchell.

COACHING: C

Tom Cable is trying to ease Russell through his tough times. He has simplified the offense a lot, but at this point there is no scary aspect to this passing attack nor is there any chance of this team coming back when they are down in games or have to go the length of the field in a short time. When Oakland started their drive at the 4:38 mark of the 4^th quarter down by 8, you just got the feeling that there was no way they could move the chains down the field 74-yards for a chance at the upset. A few times on 3^rd downs, Oakland elected to run the ball with Fargas instead of letting their pricey passer find a way to get a first down. Unlike Russell, Rivers and the Chargers can get big chunks of yardage and find a way to convert when they are facing long down and distances. John Marshall’s secondary was torched and Norv Turner’s play calling at times had Oakland off-balance.

GAME NOTES

• Tomlinson scored twice, increasing his total to 25 against the Raiders. The Hall of Fame bound rusher has scored three touchdowns against the Silver & Black and none against any other opponent this season.
• Russell was sacked five times, twice by Shaun Phillips who increased his career total against the Raiders to 11.5. Merriman tallied his first two sacks of the campaign.
• Oakland has lost 13 straight games to San Diego.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACKS: F

The loudest cheers during this lowly contest were of fans happy to see Bruce Gradkowski in at quarterback for the ineffective JaMarcus Russell. Oakland pulled their pricey young passer after he went 6-for-11 for 61 yards with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble. Russell had three turnovers in four possessions and after the fifth drive, the coaching staff and crowd had seen enough. The former number one overall pick was sacked on the opening play of the game and lost the football, giving the Jets a start at the Oakland 4-yard line. Russell again showed poor pocket presence, was oblivious to the incoming pressure, locked down the field to his target and victimized the offense with his lack of awareness. On a 2^nd and 8 a few drives later, he was blitzed, panicked and lofted a pass into Jim Leonhard’s hands that was returned 44-yards to the Oakland 4-yard line. Russell has accounted for 13 turnovers and completed only 46% of his passes. Gradkowski finished 10-of-19 for 97 yards. He attempted to go long on his first pass to Louis Murphy, but Darrelle Revis broke up the toss. In his first drive of the second half, Gradkowski eluded blitzing defenders and ran for a 20-yard gain. But a few plays later Calvin Pace stripped him while scrambling on 3^rd and 5.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: B

This grade is solely based on Justin Fargas’ constant professionalism. He ran 8 times for 67-yards and added 3 receptions for 23-yards. Fargas was one of the few Raiders who showed up ready to play and did not give up when the game was out of reach. Michael Bush had another non-eventful performance, carrying the football 8 times for 25-yards. After a solid outing last week, Gary Russell was silent as a ball carriers and pass catcher.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: F

Louis Murphy had 4 grabs for 58-yards, but most of those stats were compiled during garbage time. The rookie out of Florida hurt the Raiders on offense on their second drive, dropping a catch able pass on 3^rd and 3. He tried to take out a Jets defender at the end of Tony Stewart’s 19-yard reception on a 3^rd and 10 in the first quarter, but got shook up after the huge impact. Darrius Heyward-Bey had 2 receptions for 28-yards, but again was a non-threat. His 24-yard grab in the first quarter was probably the best executed pass play of the afternoon, as the Jets blitzed and Russell was able to sit in the pocket and fire a dart to the rookie. Heyward-Bey had his hands on a fade pattern late in the 4^th quarter that he should have come down with in the end zone. Zach Miller had only 2 receptions and Todd Watkins again had drops, and was no help to Russell on a pass that Revis made a spectacular play on to haul in the interception.

OFFENSIVE LINE: F

The Jets came into the game allowing 148 rushing yards per during their three-game slide. And with no Kris Jenkins, the Raiders offensive line was not able to establish themselves for any sustained drives. They allowed 3 sacks and were confused at times when Rex Ryan attacked with his blitzing 3-4 fronts. The Jets also played without Shaun Ellis, who left the game in the 1^st quarter with an ankle injury.

DEFENSIVE LINE: F

Oakland let the Jets run wild for 316 yards on the ground. Thomas Jones followed up his career outing last week with 121 yards and a score. Rookie Shonn Greene tallied his first 2 touchdowns of his career and 144 yards rushing. Greene came on when New York’s multi-dimensional rusher Leon Washington was lost with a broken leg earlier in the contest. The Jets’ offensive line dominated from the start. Richard Seymour was flagged for a personal foul on a 3^rd and 5 after the Raiders held and forced an incompletion out of Mark Sanchez.

LINEBACKERS: F

This group missed tackles, was out of position and when John Marshall sold out to stop the run with this corps, it just put them in bad configurations all afternoon. Kirk Morrison almost got an interception in the 4^th quarter; one of the few times he dropped back into zone and the front-four applied pressure. It seemed like every time the Raiders run blitzed, the Jets took advantage of missing defenders on the second level.

SECONDARY: D

Chris Johnson was bad again. David Clowney torched him on the 35-yard touchdown reception and on a 19-yard grab on 3^rd and 6. The Jets were hurt at wide receiver this week, playing without Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith. In the 2^nd quarter, Stanford Routt was flagged for defensive holding on a 3^rd and 5 that was not converted. Michael Huff saved a few big plays as the last line of defender on many runs. Unfortunately for Oakland, many of those times, the Jets already had ripped through the defense for big chunks.

SPECIAL TEAMS: F

The Jets toyed with the Raiders punt coverage team in the first quarter with a fake punt. Steven Weatherford ran for 16-yards before Isaiah Ekejiuba could make the stop, with the majority of the coverage team with their backs to the punter. Jonathan Holland has been futile on kickoff returns. He puts no fear on opposing coverage teams and the blocking on kickoffs has been dreadful.

COACHING: F

With a second home game after a solid performance last week in front of the ‘Black Hole’, Tom Cable’s bunch missed a great opportunity to send a message to their fan base and the rest of the NFL that they were in fact turning the corner. The Raiders came out flat, were not inspired and played a horrendous game at home against a team that had a struggling rookie passer, many of their best players inactive, a first year coach trying to steer his team away from a fourth straight loss while traveling across country for their lone west coast visit. Cable takes a big hit for this performance. Now he has to play psychologist in dealing with Russell and his benching.

GAME NOTES

• Former Raiders head coach Bill Callahan – who was at the helm during Oakland’s last winning season in 2002 – now the assistant head coach/offensive line coach for the Jets, was showered after the game with a Gatorade bath. Callahan’s team in 2002 led the NFL in passing and set new team records for total offensive yards (6,237), first downs (366), first downs passing (226), passes attempted (619), passes completed (418), passing yards (4,689) and highest completion percentage (67.5).
• TV cameras caught Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog on the sidelines. “I want to apologize for that,” he said. “I wasn’t feeling very good and didn’t eat much before the game, so I was feeling a little queasy. Toward the end of the game, I probably should have eaten one of those bars or something, but someone offered [a hot dog], so I grabbed it and tried to be discreet about it, but obviously not discreet enough. So I shouldn’t have done that, and it won’t happen again.”
• Seymour, who talked earlier in the week about the Raiders making the playoffs stated after the loss, “I don’t think we could have beaten an Oakland high school team today.”
• Cable stated about his quarterback situation, “I thought [Russell] was really out of sorts early in the game. I just did not feel like at that point he gave us the best chance to have the success we needed to have offensively and made the move. JaMarcus will continue to be our starter. There is no issue there.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

QUARTERBACK: B

Facing what could’ve been more boos and a hostile crowd with another bad performance, JaMarcus Russell (17-of-28 for 224 yards 1 TD 2 INT) gave the ‘Black Hole’ a glimmer of hope that all may not be lost. For the first time in 2009, the big-armed passer was composed, looked comfortable and decisive throughout the contest. He opened the game with a slant to Darrius Heyward-Bey that was off target and almost intercepted. Then on that same drive, he audibled on 3^rd and 10 into a safe run play and that three and out had those in attendance worried about another inept offensive outing. A couple of drives later, Russell was picked off by Asante Samuel when his pass popped out of the hands of Louis Murphy. But after the Eagles took a 3-0 lead, Russell answered with an 86-yard completion to his tight end that put Oakland up 7-3. In the 2^nd quarter, he showed off his elusiveness opting to bolt out of the pocket and gain 12-yards on a run that ended with a spin move to evade the tackler. On the ens9uing play, he connected with Zach Miller for 20-yards showing good pocket awareness and demonstrating a play fake prior to the football leaving his hand. At the end of that drive, he managed the game well on a 3^rd and 8, and eventually, the Raiders would score on that 13-play possession and go up 10-3. One of his better moments was on a 3^rd and 2, as Trent Cole tried to drag him down, he got the ball off to Tony Stewart for an 8-yard gain. But on the next play, he lobbed a ball into double coverage that was picked off by Quintin Mikell. Overall, he played within himself, made key throws late to his fullback and got some heat off his back with a win and a solid performance in leading this offense that is lacking pop at wide receiver and a offensive line that has been re-shuffled the last few weeks.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS: A

Until further notice, Justin Fargas should be the starting running back for the Silver & Black. His tough running and energy was a welcomed site to this offense. His 23 carries for 87-yards were vital in keeping the Eagles honest on defense. He chugged for physical yardage and punished defenders all afternoon. More importantly was his blocking; protecting Russell against a blitz happy defense and giving his passer that extra second to get rid of the football, specifically on Gary Russell’s big gainers where he picked up attacking linemen. Russell was elusive as the starting fullback, providing punch out of the backfield with his pass catching abilities and getting into the second level quickly to set up his blocks for Fargas. His 5-catches for 55-yards were crucial in the win. His 13-yard reception on 3^rd and 10 before the two-minute warning finished the Eagles.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS: B

If not for Zach Miller’s best game as a pro, and the solid contributions from Tony Stewart, this group would get an ‘f’ grade.  Miller blocked very well today and it showed on Fargas’ sweeps. His six-receptions for 139-yards (first career 100-yard game), will go down as the best performance by a Raider so far in 2009. Louis Murphy’s two blocks on Miller’s long touchdown run were textbook and exactly what Oakland needs to do more of on offense to get some juice back into this attack. His physical play annoyed Asante Samuel enough to draw a personal foul flag on the veteran cornerback in the 2^nd quarter. Javon Walker was active, but again was a ghost when he saw action on the field.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B

LT Mario Henderson, LG Chris Morris, C Samson Satele, RG Cooper Carlisle and RT Erik Pears played a solid game. They allowed two-sacks, but at times controlled the line of scrimmage and helped Fargas get some key yardage. The mistakes were eliminated, Morris had a false start, but no infractions or miscues wrecked any drives. On a 3^rd and 2 to open the 4^th quarter, Juqua Parker beat Pears for a sack. One of the few noticeable plays where the offensive line was at fault.

DEFENSIVE LINE: A

At times, this group was suffocating. Richard Seymour looked great against all-pro tackle Jason Peters. But once he left with an injury, Seymour dominated his match-up and tallied two-sacks and four-solo tackles, including one stop behind the line of scrimmage in which he timed the snap and got to LeSean McCoy before he could even get started. Trevor Scott seems to have a knack to have multiple sack games in raider wins. Last year, he had his coming out party versus the Jets, and today, he compiled two-sacks on Philadelphia’s first two possessions. Jay Richardson’s sack for a loss of 13-yards came on a 2^nd and 2. The rush defense allowed no yards in the first half and the Eagles ended with a lackluster 67-yards on the ground. It forced Donovan McNabb to drop back to pass 46-times, which helped the Raiders tally 6-sacks in the game.

LINEBACKERS: B

Thomas Howard had his best game of the season. He recorded a sack and was key in coverage versus Brent Celek. On one of the finer individual plays this afternoon, Howard dissected a screen pass to Brian Westbrook and nailed the versatile rusher for no gain. Kirk Morrison was in on 11-tackles and was stout versus the run. Philadelphia was 2-of-16 on 3^rd downs; and when you play against Westbrook who is a multi-dimensional threat, credit has to be given to the linebackers for keying on him and keeping him under wraps.

SECONDARY: A

Stanford Routt came on strong when the Raiders needed him most. Nnamdi Asomugha got hurt, entered briefly, but Routt ended playing on his side of the field the rest of the game when the all-pro cornerback could not finish the contest. Routt had an interception return for a touchdown nullified on a questionable pass interference infraction, blanketed DeSean Jackson on key plays in the 2^nd half and ran in stride with Jeremy Maclin to ground an Eagles pass attack that can be very tough to stop. Chris Johnson had his ups and downs; torched by Jackson on a 51-yard completion, but providing the hardest hit of the afternoon on Leonard Weaver on a 3^rd and 10 for no gain as time expired in the final quarter. Tyvon Branch tackled well, was on his assignments in help coverage and on man-to-man match-ups versus Celek.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

They contained Jackson – who is deadly – on punt returns. Shane Lechler 51.1 yards per punt and Sebastian Janikowski was 2-for-2, converting field goals of 29 and 46 yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins continues to be passive on punt returns. On one return, he lost control of the football before recovering his own fumble.

COACHING: B+

Tom Cable got the best out of his club facing a team that was flying high on offense and that had a chance to move a game from being atop the NFC East. The game plan on defense was to attack McNabb and keep him uneasy in the pocket. And that worked, with an uncharacteristic number of blitzes by John Marshall’s defense. That helped cause havoc whenever McNabb dropped back to throw and gave the secondary a break in trying to cover down the field man-to-man throughout he entire contest. The offense still struggled at times, with a couple of three-and-outs, adding to their league leading total of 26, but he tried to be creative and attack especially on a 4^th and 1 when he called a play action with Russell that could have gone for a first down if his passer would have hit Russell on a shallower route or if he would have zipped the ball to a wide open Murphy. The reverse run to Heyward-Bey in the red zone was not a good call considering the defense they were playing and the position of the field they were in. Oakland did not fold after turnovers and played inspired football in front of a home crowd that booed them off the field their last home game.

AFTER THE GAME

• “It’s a matter of whether we go out and fight to win,” said Tom Cable after the game. “Today we fought to win.”
• “That was pretty sweet,” commented JaMarcus Russell after the victory. “Whether we were up or down; good or bad play, we found a way to keep fighting. And as an offense, that’s what we need to get us going.”

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist