Silver and Black Report

The barrage of yards and points tallied by the Oakland Raiders against the Pittsburgh Steelers was quite impressive. Bruce Gradkowski totaled 308 yards passing in leading the Raiders to a stunning 27-24 victory at Heinz Field. Oakland score 21-points in the 4^th quarter and the last time they compiled 20 or more points in the final quarter of a game was on October 6, 2002 when they put up 21 in Buffalo during a 49-31 win against the Bills.

Daunte Culpepper was the last Raider passer to throw for more than 300-yards when he tallied 344 against the Minnesota Vikings on November 18, 2007. Coincidentally, the last time a wide receiver donning the Silver & Black amassed more than 100-yards receiving came in that same game when Ronald Curry gained 120 yards. Yesterday, Louis Murphy ended that 33-game receiver drought by a Raider when he finished with 128 aerial yards.

“You always visualize the game going into it, and you always picture yourself winning and doing very well,” Gradkowski stated after the contest. “That was exciting, and you wouldn’t want it to end any better.”

Gradkowski’s homecoming was like a dream come true. He brought along teammates to his family’s home to share a meal and then on Sunday, he feasted on the Steelers’ secondary with a career game.

“It’s been exciting to come back and share this with my family, and how happy I saw my mom and dad after the game, that’s awesome,” Gradkowski said. “But it’s awesome for our guys, too. I couldn’t be happier for our team.”

And that is what matters most when Gradkowski is out there – how the team fares. So far, so good, as the Raiders are 2-1 with their new passer and looking like a respectable offense.

Gradkowski is fiery and when he is on the field, the Raider offense appears to have more of a bounce in its step, a rhythm that it never had with JaMarcus Russell. But more importantly, when he is manning the position, the team plays better, his cast elevates their play and the production has been noticeable.

Wide receivers all of sudden are making plays. The offense is now moving the chains and compiling yards. Oh, and the play calling – the offense now looks more modern.

Tom Cable is now able to expand on his playbook, call a more diverse game and not worry about the limitations that his passer has.

Unlike Russell, Gradkowski is absorbing the playbook, extending plays, making things happen on the football field when a specific play is called or, he is improvising, using his head and feet to give  his Raiders a chance at something positive when the whistle blows or at the end of a drive.

“You kidding me? You’re coming home, his folks were in the stands, and to play the way he does, lead his team, hang in there at the end, make huge plays — big throws? Just a great job by him,” Cable noted after the contest.

Gradkowski is making this Raider offense a tougher one to defend. True he has a healthy Chaz Schilens to his disposal. Yes, Cable is finding ways to incorporate Darren McFadden into the scheme more seamlessly. But the passer who is able to help Cable run a more complex attack is what’s been the big difference.

And if this continues, there won’t be a quarterback controversy in Oakland…

Gradkowski will be the obvious choice to lead this team into 2010.

Langston Walker, who played at Guard when Robert Gallery was nicked stated, “Bruce is fiery. He’s yelling at us, screaming at us, running around like a banshee, but it’s all controlled. That’s how he gets it done. You saw the result.”

Cornell Green commented; “Bruce had something about him today. I don’t know if it was being home or just letting it all hang out, but he took control of the huddle. He’s cursing at people to hurry up. He brings that to the team. He brings that fire and that’s good.”

“When I am out there, when I am at practice, it is my offense and that is how I’m going to lead,” Gradkowski said after his 20-of-33 performance.

Gradkowski is impressing teammates, fans and opponents. But will all this be enough to astound the one man who may still believe that Russell is this organization’s future…

Yup, Al Davis will have to see more of this if Gradkowski wants to be a starter for the Silver & Black. The journey man who is the under dog is doing all the right things now.

Check that, forget about what I said earlier…I have a feeling we are headed toward a quarterback controversy in Oakland. It’s destiny.

The Oakland Raiders cleared salary cap space on Friday with the release of wide receiver Ronald Curry, defensive end Kalimba Edwards and safety Gibril Wilson.

After signing Nnamdi Asomugha to the richest deal ever for a defensive back and retaining Shane Lechler for four more years with a contract that was dubbed “the greatest ever awarded to a punter in the history of the National Football League,” Oakland needed some relief in order to move forward with their off-season maneuvering.

Curry, 29, was expected to be a casualty some time ago, as they saved nearly $2.3 million by taking him off the roster. After posting 117 receptions in two prior seasons, the former 7^th round pick struggled in 2008 with a meager 19 catches for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The wide-out was even benched midway through the season, which left him pondering his future with the team that gave him a chance to develop at wide receiver after starting his career as a quarterback on the scout team.

“It’s like the team gave up on me. You go from playing to getting one or two snaps a game, the decision is being made. I’m going to go out there and continue to work at practice, work at games and once the season’s over, the picture’s pretty clear,” Curry stated after his demotion.

Wilson was one of the major free agents acquired last off-season when the Raiders attempted to solidify the back-end of their secondary.

After winning Super Bowl XLII as a member of the New York Giants,Wilson cashed in on his success and inked a lucrative six-year, $39-million deal with the Silver & Black that included $16 million in guarantees and that would’ve  paid him $19.5 million over the first three years.

Wilson was one of the more outspoken Raiders in 2008, demonstrating good leadership on the field and during the tumultuous end of Lane Kiffin’s stay as head coach.

In November, he opened up and had one of the more compelling thoughts regarding the happenings in Oakland:

This is a soap opera over here, man. If this was New York there would have been about 50 media people around here. This is a soap opera. I just think we need to settle on something. We need to have a vision of where we’re trying to take this team. If you don’t have a vision and you’re just trying to plug in players, then you’re always going to get the same results. We’re not about losing. This is the first team that I’ve been in a situation like this ever since I been playing football. We gotta win. That’s all I’m worried about, getting a win. I’m getting phone calls from friends asking me what’s going on and all that stuff. Right now, to be honest, football’s not even really fun just because of all the losing and stuff. Coming to work is kind of hard. Now dealing with D getting cut and all that stuff…

One thing is losing and another is dealing with all the extra stuff. We have so much on our plate already. To deal with the extra stuff is not healthy for anybody, especially when you’re trying to get a game plan in and you’re trying to know what you’re supposed to do and all that. It’s not a healthy situation at all.

 The 27-year old tallied 96 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 interceptions in his only season in Silver & Black.

Edwards started 11 contests for the Raiders and compiled 5 sacks. After signing a two-year deal, the 29-year old defensive lineman was scheduled to make $2.25 million in base salary in 2009. 

 

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

According to the NFL Network, the Oakland Raiders are ready to part ways with wide receiver Ronald Curry in a move that could save them up to $2.3 million in salary cap space.

Curry, 29, had been one of the more dependable players on the roster in recent memory. But after posting 117 receptions in two prior seasons, the former 7^th round pick struggled in 2008 with a meager 19 catches for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. A turf toe injury, inconsistent play and difficulties integrating him into an aerial attack that ranked last in the NFL in passing yards per game were just some of the reasons his numbers dipped significantly.

The wide-out was even benched midway through the season, which left him pondering his future with the team that gave him a chance to develop at wide receiver after starting his career as a quarterback on the scout team.

“It’s like the team gave up on me. You go from playing to getting one or two snaps a game, the decision is being made. I’m going to go out there and continue to work at practice, work at games and once the season’s over, the picture’s pretty clear,” Curry stated after his demotion.

After showing toughness and determination, sustaining season ending injuries only to bounce back and produce on teams that struggled, Oakland signed him to five-year, $20 million extension that included $8.5 million guarantees.

He said in November, “It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you go from that to not playing at all. Like I said, the picture’s pretty clear. I feel like my past kind of speaks for itself and I’ve shown that I can make plays and hopefully my talent will be wanted somewhere else.”

Reports are also circulating regarding the future of Kwame Harris. The one-year experiment at left tackle with the former 49er was a disaster and at this point, a situation that may not be salvageable for the Raiders.

The Raiders could free up an estimated $7.2 million if they release Harris, who has an $8.8 million cap number for 2009.

ANALYSIS:

Curry was a model citizen, worked hard to get on the field after season ending injuries and at times, appeared to be the lone productive talent on offense through the years. But he did not warrant the big contract bestowed on him and at best, he’s a complimentary receiver and not the type of target you can depend on as a ‘go-to’ guy.

He was not happy with the happenings with the club this year and soured throughout 2008.

Yes the Raiders have a lack of talent at receiver and need an infusion at that position, but they ranked at the bottom of the league with Curry, and with the cap being a major issue for them this off-season, it’s a move that Oakland has to make if they want to find JaMarcus Russell a top tier receiver an improve the rest of the roster.

Curry is a good player, but not at that price. Moreover, the drops, mental lapses and dip in play were signs of a player that may need a change of scenery.

As for Harris, the time has come for Oakland to purge themselves of inept players. And he was a main reason why the offense sputtered with his penalties, sloppy pass protection and malaise at left tackle.

Tom Cable tried to get something out of the former 1^st round pick and it didn’t work. Incredibly enough, the Raiders did structure his deal in a way where they could severe ties with him without major ramifications. Probably the lone silver lining in their decision to bring in a player who at times looked defeated after games with no signs of confidence in his abilities. 

 

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

The Oakland Raiders placed wide receiver Ashley Lelie on injured reserve, ending his season and almost certainly his stint as a member of the Silver & Black.

In 13 games this season, Lelie has only 11 receptions for 197 yards and 2 scores.

The already thin and pedestrian receiving corps is expected to be without Ronald Curry this weekend because of a turf toe injury. His future is also in doubt, as there has been talk about the team parting ways with Curry and that his days may be numbered in Oakland after a disappointing season. 

Oakland has put four wide receivers on injured reserve in 2008; Javon Walker (ankle), Drew Carter (knee), Arman Shields (knee) and Lelie (calf).

With probably the weakest receiving unit in the league, the Raiders are averaging a league worst 142.9 yards passing per game. Their 6.0 yards per completion is 29^th in the NFL and the 26.8 pass attempts per contest is the worst in the league for the vertically challenged Raiders.

The Raiders activated Darrell Strong from the practice squad on Saturday.

STATUS REPORT – TEXANS

QUESTIONABLE

LB Xavier Adibi (groin)

PROBABLE

TE Clark Harris (illness), DE Jesse Nading (knee), G Chester Pitts (ankle)

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

On Wednesday

LB Xavier Adibi (groin), G Chester Pitts (ankle)

On Thursday

LB Xavier Adibi (groin), TE Clark Harris (illness)

On Friday

RB Steve Slaton (not injury related)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

On Wednesday

DE Jesse Nading (knee)

On Thursday

DE Jesse Nading (knee), G Chester Pitts (ankle)

On Friday

LB Xavier Adibi (groin), TE Clark Harris (illness)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Friday

DE Jesse Nading (knee), G Chester Pitts (ankle)

STATUS REPORT – RAIDERS

OUT

LB Ricky Brown (groin)

DOUBTFUL

WR Ronald Curry (toe), WR Ashley Lelie (calf)

QUESTIONABLE

RB Luke Lawton (concussion)

PROBABLE

DT Tommy Kelly (knee), TE Zach Miller (shoulder)

Practice Report

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

On Wednesday

LB Ricky Brown (groin), WR Ronald Curry (toe), DT Tommy Kelly (knee), WR Ashley Lelie (calf)

On Thursday

LB Ricky Brown (groin), WR Ronald Curry (toe), WR Ashley Lelie (calf)

On Friday

LB Ricky Brown (groin), WR Ronald Curry (toe), WR Ashley Lelie (calf)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

On Wednesday

RB Luke Lawton (concussion), TE Zach Miller (shoulder)

On Thursday

DT Tommy Kelly (knee), RB Luke Lawton (concussion), TE Zach Miller (shoulder)

On Friday

RB Luke Lawton (concussion)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

On Friday

DT Tommy Kelly (knee), TE Zach Miller (shoulder)

 

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

MIAMI, FL – On the game’s opening drive, the Oakland Raiders in typical fashion looked out of sync, were non-threatening and went three and out. A Cooper Carlisle false start penalty on the first play put them in 1^st and 15 hole they could no dig themselves out of.

Then the Miami Dolphins drove 9 plays and 93 yards for a 7-0 lead.

On 3^rd and 7, the Raiders were flagged for a neutral zone infraction (Trevor Scott), which made the down a manageable 2-yard. On the ensuing play, Chad Pennington rushed for 7 yards and a 1^st down. Ultimately the drive was capped off by Ted Ginn’s first career rushing touchdown from 40-yards out.

Ronald Curry was the Raiders lone threat on their next drive, as he converted two first downs on receptions of 10-yards on the drive’s first play and a 9 yard grab on 2^nd and 8. But a deep toss to Curry, that was slightly under thrown by JaMarcus Russell, was broken up by cornerback Will Allen.

Allen blitzed on 3^rd and 8 a few plays later and got a sack, ending the Raiders drive.

Miami sputtered on their next drive. Tommy Kelly took down Pennington on 3^rd and 10 for his third sack of the season.

Johnnie Lee Higgins had a punt return of only 5-yards, as Jon Alston missed an assignment on the play.

Score: Miami 7 – Oakland 0

For the Oakland Raiders, rookie running back Darren McFadden will miss his third straight contest, designated inactive for today’s game versus the Carolina Panthers.

Oakland will start Andrew Walter today, as JaMarcus Russell was also on the inactive list along with WR Ronald Curry, OL James Marten and OL John Wade.

On defense, Derrick Burgess will sit again along with linebacker Ricky Brown.

Sam Williams will start today in place of Brown, who was replaced by Robert Thomas last week before he was injured and eventually placed on injured reserve.

Kalimba Edwards will be in the starting line-up once again in place of Burgess.

For Russell, it’s the first game missed in his career due to injury. Throughout the week, rumors circled regarding his aching right knee and whether he would be able to make the start. 

For the Panthers; CB CJ Wilson, LB James Anderson, G Mackenzy Bernadeau, T Frank Omiyale, WR Dwayne Jarett, WR Kenneth Moore, DT Darwin Walker and QB Matt Moore (3^rd in the depth chart) occupied the inactive list. 

The Oakland Raiders 2-6 start has frustrated owner Al Davis so much, that rumors are beginning to circulate regarding the future of several veterans on the roster.

According to ESPN and NFL Network reports, the Silver & Black could cut ties with DeAngelo Hall as early as Wednesday.

After being picked on by his former team, the Raiders may have grown tired of Hall’s play and may be ready to bite the bullet on his deal to avoid paying the $16 million in guarantees in his contract.

If Oakland does part ways with the two time pro bowl selection, teams could put a claim on him while he is on waivers, take on the contract, a scenario which is unlikely due to how much money is owed. If he clears waivers, Hall will become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team.

The Raiders sent a second round pick to Atlanta to acquire Hall. But the deal became official when they agreed to a seven-year, $70 million contract. His start in Oakland was a rocky one, as Denver’s rookie wide out Eddie Royal torched the talkative cornerback in the season opener for 9 receptions, 146 yards and one score. This after talking to the SBReport and stating, “It’s a good thing I don’t mess up [smiling],” when asked about how the Raider fans in the Coliseum react to players that don’t perform well.

Since then, teams have targeted him as the weak link of the secondary, refusing to challenge corner mate Nnamdi Asomugha, who went into the Atlanta game as the cornerback least tested in the NFL.

Raiders may also consider cutting wide receiver Javon Walker, who has been extremely disappointing after inking a six-year $55 million contract with $16 million in guarantees.

The former Packer and Bronco has only 13 receptions in seven games, and has been enigmatic since he arrived in the summer.

Since taking over as coach, Tom Cable has shook up the starting line-up, benching safety Michael Huff and wide receiver Ronald Curry, while giving indications that more changes may be coming.

Curry stated last week after his demotion, “It’s like the team gave up on me. You go from playing to getting one or two snaps a game, the decision is being made. I’m going to go out there and continue to work at practice, work at games and once the season’s over, the picture’s pretty clear.”

He has been the Raiders’ leading receiver each of the past two seasons and last year signed a five-year, $20 million extension that included $8.5 million guarantees.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you go from that to not playing at all. Like I said, the picture’s pretty clear. I feel like my past kind of speaks for itself and I’ve shown that I can make plays and hopefully my talent will be wanted somewhere else.”

ANALYSIS

Parting ways with Hall may be a good thing. For one, they compensated the wrong cornerback this past off-season, and if they want to keep the better of the two, purging the team of bad contracts, especially Hall’s, may be the best situation in trying to keep Asomugha, who has stated in the past that he does not want to be franchised again.

Asomugha is a model citizen, has developed with the Raiders through the bad times and has become a fan favorite.

The Raiders spent a lot of money this off-season. Many of the players they brought in were gambles. The crapshoot with Hall has failed due to his style of play. He is not your typical cover corner in the Raider mold, and when teams pinpointed his deficiencies; it made the Raiders realize that he was not the cornerback they thought he was.

With Stanford Routt on the roster, losing Hall may not hurt them on the field as much and it will give them a better opportunity to lock up the player they should’ve some time ago.

Walker was needed to be their ‘go to’ target for JaMarcus Russell. He is far from that and no where near the receiver he was a few years back. They have not received any production from him. And at this point, with the money he makes, there is no reason to keep him on the roster, especially with the team ranking 31^st in the NFL passing the football.

When the season is over, Oakland will need another makeover, as the Kwame Harris experiment at left tackle has not worked and the situation over at right tackle isn’t a whole lot better. 

New Orleans, LA – The Oakland Raiders started quickly once again this afternoon, shutting down the New Orleans Saints on their initial possession with a stout three and out and then getting on the board on their opening drive.

Gibril Wilson made key stops on all three of the Saints first plays, one tackle in the open field on a misdirection on 3^rd and 8 that gain 6-yards.

Johnnie Lee Higgins continued his solid start to the season on special teams returning the game’s first punt 35-yards and setting up Oakland’s offense at the New Orleans 39-yard line.

Nine plays later, Oakland had a 3-0 lead on a 24-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. During the drive, JaMarcus Russell hit Ronald Curry on a 2^nd and 8 for 13 yards and then again on a 3^rd and 7 for 11 yards.

On the Saints ensuing possession, Drew Brees connected with Reggie Bush on a 21-yard pass and then with tight end Mark Campbell for 29 yards to set up a scoring opportunity deep in Oakland territory. But Jammal Brown’s two holding penalties thwarted the Saints drive and put them in a daunting 3^rd and 22. On 4^th down, Taylor Mehlhaff’s 31 yard field goal attempt was no good, as costly penalties and mistakes kept the Saints from scoring in the first quarter.

Oakland ended the quarter with the ball and in the midst of a drive that ended in Saints territory. Russell again connected with his targets, hitting Javon Walker on a 3^rd and 5 for 7 yards and again with Curry on a 3^rd and 2 for 8 yards.

Saints missed out on a opportunity to pick off Russell for the second time in the quarter when Randall Gay dropped a near interception on a ball thrown behind Ashley Lelie.

Score at the end of the 1^st quarter: Oakland 3 – New Orleans 0

NOTES:

 

• Brees ended the 1^st quarter 6/6 for 88 yards
• Curry had 3 grabs for 32 yards 

Oakland, CA –- Monday night football, season & home opener, and against a hated division rival who in all accounts should be a beatable team this year…

All the ingredients needed to take that next step forward into a season of respectability. Instead, what happened to the Raiders was a do-it-yourself clinic on how to beat yourself with mental mistakes, penalties, and an unwillingness to change things up on defense.

First, let’s look at the mental mistakes. The Raiders looked to unleash it’s formidable running game on a Denver Broncos team that was one of the worst teams at stopping the run last year; and run is exactly what the Raiders did. On their opening offensive drive, Oakland got a kick-start with a 57-yard kick off return by Johnnie Lee Higgins. It was a steady diet of hand offs to running backs Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas. The Raiders even converted on a 4th down to keep the drive alive. All that hard work of driving down the field came crashing down when quarterback JaMarcus Russell fumbled (slipped out of his hand), while reaching back to make a pass.

That wouldn’t be the only costly error on offense for Oakland. In the second quarter, wide receiver Ronald Curry drops an easy pass with no one around him for what would have been major yardage. The pass hit Curry in both hands before it dropped harmlessly to the ground. The Raiders would be forced to punt.

On its next offensive drive, Higgins would badly muff a reverse hand off as Denver would scoop it up to claim the fumbled ball. Higgins later in the game would also blow it when on another reverse handoff, instead of getting outside the tackles and throwing the ball away when the defense read and reacted to the play, he opted to run to the sidelines 15-yards deep in his backfield leaving the Raiders to climb out of a 2nd and 25 hole.

The defensive mistakes were two-fold. Newly acquired cornerback DeAngelo Hall was picked apart all night long by rookie wide receiver Eddie Royal. Hall would give the receiver a 10-yard cushion the entire night as he accumulated 149 yards (mostly on Hall) and a touchdown, (when it looked like Hall had broke off his coverage and released Royal). Hall would compound the mistakes by committing two personal fouls in three plays.

But where the biggest defensive mistake came from was the sideline. The Raiders stayed in man coverage the entire night. There was no mixing up coverages and there were no blitzes all night long, thus allowing Broncos quarterback, Jay Cutler, the luxury to sit back and throw to any receiver he wanted to at will. The four Raiders down lineman did not get any pressure on Cutler the entire night as the defense gave away 441 total yards to its divisional foe.

The Broncos would score often throughout the game as they amassed 41 points and ushered the Raiders out of their own stadium as scores of faithful fans walked out to their cars with 10 minutes remaining in the game. So much was promised, so much was said to be different, to be better when in fact, fans were treated to it’s home team that showed it was not yet ready to turn that corner and looked as if some of the coaching staff was inept or unable to scout, game plan, or compete against a divisional rival that for the most part out-coaches this staff in his sleep.

RONALD CURRY

• WIDE RECEIVER
• No: 89
• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 210
• Birth date: 05/28/1979
• College: North Carolina
• Acquired: Selected in the 7^th round (235^th overall) of the 2002 NFL Entry Draft  

 Ronald Curry went from the practice squad, to being a key cog in the Oakland Raiders offense. Upon entering the league, Curry had no position which to latch on to, so the Silver & Black utilized him as a scout quarterback, on special teams as a returner, with some brief glimpses in the secondary as well, in order to take advantage of the great athleticism he possessed.

 In 2003, he played 15-games, only starting twice at wide receiver, but he led the special teams unit with 17 tackles. When 2004 arrived, Oakland quickly learned that their patience would be worthwhile as Curry compiled 50 receptions for 670 yards and six scores while becoming a go to guy for then quarterback Kerry Collins.

 His shinning moment that season was during a Sunday night match-up versus the Denver Broncos. Curry torched Oakland’s rival for 110 yards receiving, and with the Silver & Black trailing, his amazing one-handed grab in the back of the end zone during a snow storm cut the lead to 24-19 and provided Raider fans with one of the memorable moments in recent team history. The Raiders eventually won that game, and the winning score in the 4^th quarter was set up by a Curry 63-yard grab.

 Since, he has sustained Achilles injuries that have kept him off the field for extended periods, has been hindered this off-season by foot ailments, but his work ethic and unwavering determination is what has made him a productive NFL target and a fan favorite.

 In 2006 and 2007, Curry amassed a combined 117 catches, 1,444 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, while being one of the better 3^rd down converters in the league.