Nick Miller returning a punt vs. the Chargers

The Oakland Raiders debuted Nick Miller yesterday on punt returns. His 46-yard return was a jump-starting play that will allow him to keep the job for another week. “Yeah, it was caught on the 10-yard line, the guy was right in my face, made him miss and the basically just set up the next little move and off from there,’’ Miller commented today. “I just kind of reacted. Felt good.”

John Henderson is weeks away from seeing any action, but he did state that his foot is feeling better. “I feel good. I want to play. But I’m listening to the doc,’’ the hefty defensive tackle said.

Jason Campbell played well in relief, but there are no signs this early in the week about who will start when they face the San Francisco 49ers. “That’s the coaches’ decision. My goal is to keep preparing each and every week and keep getting ready and play my game,’’ Campbell was quoted.

Chris Johnson had one of the underrated plays of the afternoon. The cornerback darted in the Philip Rivers and prevented a Charger player from getting to the loose ball. “That was my intention to keep the ball free, because I seen him trying to pick it up,’’ Johnson said. “I could have actually tried to get it myself, but there was only me and Tyvon [Branch] around it and the offensive lineman, so my thing was, like we did last year with Cincinnati, go for the guy and knock him out of the way and let my guy get it, and it worked out.’’

Rolando McClain continues to be brief with the media. When asked about the win, he stated, “Good game. No comment.’’

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance to watch the Raiders snap their streak.

He answered many questions that surround the Raiders, the teams in the Bay area and other happenings around the league:

“I think we have a stadium issue in all the California cities, including San Diego , where we’re trying to get solutions for those stadiums, those cities and those teams. We’ve got to work hard to find the right kind of solution that will work for the community and for the team.” – about the stadium situation in OAK and SF.

The NFL commissioner had a good seat while in Oakland

“I was down there with fans and there’s no shortage for passion here, that’s for sure. We just need to get more fans and get more fans in the stadium. That’s something we’re being challenged with throughout the country but clearly it’s an issue here.” – on the attendance at the Coliseum.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

About his endorsement of additional games to a campaign:

One of the things when we discussed this a year ago and as recently as yesterday is what we need to do to make the game better. How do we improve the game, not only through rules and equipment, but also with offseason training? Should we do things differently? I think we have to. We have been making a lot of those changes but we have to continue to evolve the game in that way. And the players are a big part of that process.

Are negotiations getting contentious?

This is a negotiation. You have to have a dialogue about how to make the game better. That includes for fans. That includes for the participants, including the players and coaches. It includes the teams. That’s what a dialogue is and that’s what the dialogue has been and will continue to be.

What do the players think about an 18-game season?

I’ve been talking about this for two years, including with the players. I don’t think there’s anything I’m not aware of with respect to the players. I will continue to talk with them, as we all will.

Regarding pay scale and the expanded campaign:

They are paid a percentage of our gross revenue that includes revenue from preseason games.  What we’re trying to do is figure out ways to grow those opportunities for the players.  And when you explain that to them they understand.  Also they are very focused on safety and that’s a very legitimate concern. And they’ve engaged in that. I’ve had a great dialogue with them.

Injuries:

Injuries are part of the game. You can’t prevent injuries.  What you can do is do things to make sure that they are physically prepared, give them the best medical care, and make sure we’re doing everything we can so that they play for as long as possible.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

On the New York-New Jersey Super Bowl and his role in getting it done:

Far too much is being made of my role. Our job is to make sure we present three terrific bids. Our staff and the Super Bowl Advisory Committee did that. There are three great communities, two of which we’ve had experience with. New York-New Jersey came in as a new bid with a new stadium with two franchises and I think there are some unique aspects to this and I think that appealed to our membership. But it was a tough vote because we had three great bids.

On impact of Super Bowl XLIV:

Obviously it was one of the greatest games we’ve had in the history of the NFL and certainly in Super Bowl history. Not only was it the play on the field, but the story of the Saints and the role they’ve had in their community in restoring hope and the connection they have with their community that had been through such a difficult period. The role the NFL and in particular the Saints played in that is something that we can all be very proud of. It added to the story of a terrific football game. When we reflect back on that, you can look at the records of the largest audience in the history of television. One of the greatest games, if not the greatest game in the history of the NFL. But it’s really the core of the relationship between that team and the fans and the history of the fans in that region that is something we’ll remember.

On Roethlisberger situation:

When I return following these meetings, I expect to be sitting down with our staff and reviewing the evaluation and determining the next steps. Sometime in the next week or so I will be issuing a decision.

On Los Angeles stadium and importance of a retractable roof:

There’s no cookie-cutter approach to this. What works in one community doesn’t necessarily work in another community. In large part, the reason we’ve been successful in getting our stadiums built is we’ve worked in public-private partnerships to find solutions that the community may have to address or those issues that they may have to address and we find reasonable solutions. In the case of the downtown LA stadium, that could potentially be addressing an issue with respect to convention facilities and would it add to the convention facilities they have in that area? That’s how we’ve been successful. We’ve done it in Indianapolis and other communities where we try to identify the issue and see if we can be part of the solution.

On HGH testing:

We’ve proposed that in our collective bargaining discussions. The only way to reliably do that is through blood testing at this point in time. But we support that because we think it’s important in making sure that we are all playing by the same rules. It is a health and safety issue also. We will continue to press it in negotiations and I’m hopeful we will reach an agreement where our new drug program will make some advancements, including HGH testing.

On a public component to a stadium project in Los Angeles:

I can’t address any of the specifics of it because I think they are at a very early stage of addressing that. I know these things are successful when they are public-private partnerships, when the public and the private sector work together to create these solutions. And that is what we want to do.

On Dr. Galea and possibility of league discipline:

We are going to pursue all of the information that’s been publicly available. Hopefully we’ll get additional information as the case proceeds. We are very anxious to understand all of the details and pursue it aggressively and we will. We don’t take those issues lightly. It’s important for us to get whatever information is available and we will pursue it in accordance with our policies.

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Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

For the fourth time in five seasons, the Oakland Raiders will open the regular season in prime time.

The Silver & Black will host the three-time defending AFC West champions San Diego Chargers on Monday September 14^th, on ESPN, as part of their traditional double header to kickoff Monday Night Football’s schedule. All four teams playing on that night began play in 1960, as the NFL will commemorate the 50th anniversary season of the American Football League.

Oakland, which has a 36-24-1 record on Monday Night Football, lead the all-time series versus the Chargers 54-42-2. In 2005, the Silver & Black opened the NFL season on a Thursday night versus the New England Patriots, in 2006 they hosted the Chargers on Monday night and in 2008, they faced the Denver Broncos in another prime time contest to kickoff the season.

The Raiders will also play on Thanksgiving at Dallas. That marks the first time since 1970 that the Silver & Black play on the traditional American holiday.

The announcement of the Kickoff Weekend and Thanksgiving games was made Monday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the NFL Annual Meeting in Dana Point, Calif.

The rest of the 2009 regular-season schedule will be completed and announced in April.

NOTES

• The Raiders have lost 10-straight nationally televised games by a combined score of 279-122.
• Oakland has lost six straight Monday night games by a margin of 173-31.
• Oakland’s other road games are at Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, the New York Giants, Pittsburgh, Houston and Cleveland. They will host: the New York Jets, Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Denver and Kansas City.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Randy Moss pointed to the back of his jersey on both touchdowns yesterday during the New England Patriots 49-26 thrashing of the dreary Oakland Raiders.

As he needed any more attention drawn to him.

The crowd knew who it was and he enjoyed rubbing it in; as the former Raider had a victorious return to the Bay area with his 5 receptions for 67 yards and 2 scores. Heck, he even went up against the pride and joy of the Raider Nation – Nnamdi Asomugha – and drew a couple of flags on the steady cornerback while making a few receptions on the one player the Silver & Black have that is in the stratosphere with him. Ok…maybe not.

Moss showed the fans in Oakland how he plays when he wants to play. And he showed them how he can perform when he cares about football, or when he has an agenda against the opponent.

“That’s just Randy being Randy,” said LaMont Jordan, another ex-Raider who made a successful return to the Black Hole. “I was definitely happy for him, especially the way the Oakland media had no good things to say about him. … We came here together to wear the Oakland uniform and to try to turn that program around. It didn’t work out and we both left on bad terms.”

The team jettisoned Moss when he wanted no part of an organization that was floundering. They traded him for a fourth round draft selection (John Bowie) and ridded themselves of a malcontent that could’ve caused way more damage than he did in his two seasons.

Moss’ vindication didn’t come when he romped through the Raiders secondary. Yeah, he wanted to show Raider Nation what type of player he really is per Wes Welker. “I think it meant a lot to him,” said his fellow receiver. “There was a lot of focus on Randy this week, just like every week. But you could tell he wanted this game and really wanted to show what kind of player he is.”

His vindication came when he was moved to a team that demanded respect from him that could corral his volatility and channel that talent onto what matters – winning on the field.

Moss’ return to limelight last season and the statistical epic regular season and playoff run he had with Tom Brady were enough of ‘I told you so…’, for those that casted him off. And Moss’ march towards the Hall of Fame is what ultimately people will remember, not his exiled time in Oakland.

THE COMMISH IN OAKLAND

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance yesterday. He met with the media at halftime and spoke on a few topics:

WHY COME HERE NOW, COMMISSIONER?

“I try to get around to every stadium every couple of years. I haven’t been out here yet so…this is a game that we had picked a couple of months ago. I’m glad I’m here.”

YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THIS STADIUM FACILITY AND THE AREA? ONE OF THE OLDEST IN THE NFL?

“It is. And it’s something that we’ve been meeting with a lot of people today about how to address that from a long-term standpoint. It’s clear, and I think everyone accepts it, that something has to get done here with a new stadium at some point. And I’ve had a chance to talk to some of the leadership here about how we can help in that process.

“There are a lot of passionate fans here, as you know, from talking to fans here.”

THE RAIDERS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPETITIVE FOR SOME TIME. DOES IT FALL WITHIN YOUR REALM AS COMMISSIONER TO ADDRESS?

“Not individually, no. Competitiveness…I think we’ve got a very competitive league. The Dolphins showed how fast you can turn a franchise around. The Atlanta Falcons have showed how fast you can turn a franchise around.

“This franchise has been competitive for decades. I’m sure Mr. Davis and the Raiders are going to turn that around.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THE RAIDERS TO REMAIN HERE IN OAKLAND ? THEIR LEASE IS UP IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

“I think it’s important for all of our teams to stay in their communities. This is something we’ve focused on a n awful lot over the last 10 or 15 years, in trying to make sure we create an environment where the team can be successful, the community can be successful and together they can create a partnership that’s going to do great things for the fans and the community.”

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ANY OF YOUR MEETING WITH AL DAVIS?

“No. Nothing that is significant. We talked about a variety of different issues. I don’t mean it was that secretive.”

SO, YOU CAN’T DIVULGE ANY DETAILS?

“No, we had a good dialogue about a variety of things that are happening in the league. And that’s part of what I do when I go to markets is want to hear from owners, I want to hear from club people, I want to hear from fans, I want to hear from the media.”

BURGESS A NON FACTOR

Derrick Burgess has no sacks since his return to the line-up after missing six games due to injury. He has 1.5 sacks all season and none in the Raiders last four games. And with the lack of pressure they’ve applied in recent weeks, it’s becoming more obvious the glaring need to generate more of a pass rush.

Burgess had hopes for a big season after injuries slowed him early last year. He ended 2007 strong and the Raiders felt he would get back to his dominant 2005 and 2006 form when he compiled 27 sacks and had back-to-back pro bowl appearances.

With one year remaining left on his 5-year deal, Burgess has to show in 2009 that he will be deserving of the raise he felt he should’ve got before the start of last season.

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto — SB Report Columnist