Silver and Black Report

Best Offensive Player:

Zach Miller, Tight End – 66 rec. 805 yards 3 TD

It amazes me how on a horrendous offense, Miller continues to improve on his numbers on a yearly basis. Raiders don’t have many scary targets on offense. And Miller is not as dynamic as other tight ends around the league, but he sure is productive and a solid blocker.

Best Defensive Player:

Nnamdi Asomugha, Cornerback

Among the best defenders in the NFL. Asomugha is a complete defensive back and a better citizen.

Best Special Team Player:

Shane Lechler, Punter

The Pro Bowl talent ended with a 51.1 average, short of Sammy Baugh’s 51.4 record set in 1940. But he did break the net average mark with 43.9, topping the 41.2 he set last season.

Best Coach:

Lionel Washington, Defensive Backs

Tyvon Branch matured into a solid starter, Michael Huff had his best season as a pro, rookie Mike Mitchell gave the backfield a jolt and Asomugha is among the best. Washington did a solid job with this group.

Least Valuable Offensive Player:

Darrius Heyward-Bey, Wide Receiver

Nine receptions for 124-yards and one score. Two carries for 19-yards. This from the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft with $23.5 million in guarantees coming to him.

Least Valuable Defensive Player:

Chris Johnson, Cornerback

It’s hard to constantly be the target of opponents, especially with Asomugha on the other side. But Johnson gave up too many big plays and was a weak spot in a secondary that was solid to very good at times.

Most Improved Player:

Tyvon Branch, Strong Safety

He was a tackling machine around the line of scrimmage and developed into one of the upcoming SS in the conference.

Least Improved Player:

JaMarcus Russell, Quarterback

The stats were horrendous, his development was non-existent and when you get benched in favor of Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye, you know things are bad. He went from being the first overall pick and possible savior to public enemy number one.

Best Rookie (Offense):

Louis Murphy, Wide Receiver – 34 rec. 521 yards 4 TD

He was fiery, injected life to a dead unit at times and was a gamer. Sure he had his drops, mental lapses and was sometimes the victim of bad calls from officials, but the 4^th round pick has legitimate potential to be a starting caliber receiver at this level.

Best Rookie (Defense):

Matt Shaughnessy, Defensive Lineman

He compiled four-sacks and played well in the interior when tabbed in the second half of the season with more reps.

Player Missed the Most due to Injury:

Robert Gallery, Left Guard

He missed six regular season games with a broken leg before returning to the line-up, but then he injured his lower back in December and Oakland shut him down for the season. By far the best offensive lineman they have.

Most entertaining player when entering the field:

Sebastian Janikowski, Kicker

He enjoyed his best season as a pro. He was 26-of-29, with his only misses coming from long distance.

Deserving of more carries award:

Michael Bush, Running Back

He ended the campaign with a team leading 589 yards rushing. Bush averaged 4.8 a carry and had the best two rushing performances by a raider this season (119 vs. KC and 133 vs. DEN).

Hardest Worker Award:

Justin Fargas, Running Back

Probably the least talented of the trio of rushers but no one runs harder or with more intensity.

The ‘I want out…’ Award:

Javon Walker, Wide Receiver

He signed a six-year $55 million deal with $16 million in guarantees in March of 2008. Since, he has been one of the biggest free-agent busts in league history. Walker has been inactive all season and left in the organizations doghouse.

Best Victories:

1. Week 13 – Raiders 27 – Steelers 24: A 21-point barrage in the 4^th quarter led by Bruce Gradkowski’s 308-yards passing and 3 touchdowns. The 35-point final quarter was exciting and full of big plays, including two Murphy touchdowns: one for 75-yards and the closing score from 11-yards out.
2. Week 15 – Raiders 20 – Broncos 19: Charlie Frye started, J.P Losman got a snap but JaMarcus Russell was the one who put a road block on Denver’s effort to make the playoffs with his game winning touchdown pass at Invesco Field. Michael Bush had 133 yards and a touchdown on 18-carries.
3. Week 11 – Raiders 20 – Bengals 17: The Bruce ‘Almighty’ Gradkowski stint started with a win. Oakland scored 13 second half points in a frantic finish. “As a team, we’re not really known for fighting back, and we came back,” rookie Louis Murphy said.

Worst Losses:

1. Week 7 – Jets 38 – Raiders 0: New York came in reeling; losing three in a row, missing Kris Jenkins after his injury a week earlier, a struggling rookie passer, a coach beleaguered by the media that had to travel to the west coast. Oakland allowed 316 rushing yards, led by rookie Shonn Greene, this after beating the Eagles a week earlier in the midst of back-to-back home games.
2. Week 3 – Broncos 23 – Raiders 3: Denver went 3-0 with a road victory in the Black Hole. Oakland was held to 137 yards of offense, and at the time, it was only the third time since 1993 that they had offensive outputs of less than 200-yards in ensuing weeks. Russell had only one passing yard in the second half and thus began the weekly booing’s in Oakland.
3. Week 14 – Redskins 34 – Raiders 13: Russell came in for an injured Gradkowski and sucked the life out of the offense. An offense that tallied nearly 200-yards of offense against the Redskins went to hibernation when Russell took over.

Best Moments of the Season:

1. Zach Miller’s 86-yard touchdown romp versus the Philadelphia Eagles that was aided by two stellar blocks by rookie Louis Murphy.
2. Bruce Gradkowski’s 29-yard game tying touchdown pass to Murphy with 33 seconds left versus the Cincinnati Bengals. On the ensuing kickoff, Brandon Myers forced a fumble which set-up Janikowski for a game winning 33-yard field goal. “He caused the fumble,” linebacker Sam Williams said. “That was unbelievable.”
3. Louis Murphy’s 11-yard touchdown catch with nine seconds left at Pittsburgh.
4. JaMarcus Russell’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Schilens with 35 seconds remaining to beat the Broncos at Denver, “They’re all special, but this one’s pretty high,” said Russell.
5. Janikowski nailing a 61-yard field goal in cold Cleveland.

Worst Moments of the Season:

1. Darrius Heyward-Bey’s bobbled pass deep in Kansas City territory that fell into the hands of a Chiefs defender. That turnover sealed the victory for the visiting rivals as Oakland drove late in the contest.
2. Russell being pulled after going 6-for-11 for 61 yards with 2 interceptions and a lost fumble against the Jets.
3. Johnnie Lee Higgins and Louis Murphy bumping into each other as they came off the line of scrimmage, and taking themselves out of the play against the Chargers.
4. Russell entering the game against the Redskins after Gradkowski was injured and then getting sacked six of the eight times Washington tallied sacks. “We had heard that Russell’s just had a tough time, and you could tell when he stepped on the field and the crowd started booing,” Washington defensive end Andre Carter said.
5. All of the Tom Cable off the field distractions.
6. Hiram Eugene getting pushed aside by Willis McGahee during his 77-yard scamper in the season finale.

Unit that was lackluster:

Punt and Kickoff returns

Whether it was Gary Russell, Jonathan Holland, Justin Miller briefly or Louis Rankin, the return units were non-threats to opponents. Even Johnnie Lee Higgins, who made a name for himself as an explosive punt returner in 2008 was quiet in 2009.

Hey look, I’m a starter award:

Michael Huff, Safety

Turned himself into a reliable player in the secondary after years of the Raiders waiting on this first round talent to turn the corner.

Hey look, I should not be a starter:

Cornell Green, Right Tackle

The penalty machine was at it again this season. Green may be the best option for the Raiders at right tackle, which demonstrates the need for them to upgrade that side of the offensive line.

Best Off-season Move:

Greg Ellis, Defensive End

Tied with Trevor Scott for the team lead with sacks (7).

‘We are waiting…,’ Award:

Darren McFadden, Running Back – 104 car. 357 yards 1 TD, 21 rec. 245 yards

Is it the lack of creativity on this offense? Do the Raiders need a better mind running the offense? Are the quarterback issues impacting him? Regardless of the excuses, McFadden has not been the explosive talent they had hoped for and certainly not the multi-dimensional weapon he can potentially be. Plus, he had 4 fumbles this season (3 lost) while missing four games due to injury.

Best Quote(s):

• “I don’t think we could have beaten an Oakland high school team today,” said Richard Seymour after the 38-0 loss to the Jets. Ironically, he stated earlier that week that Oakland would make the playoffs.
• “If you really want to look at it, you can go 8-0 and you might end up 10-6,” stated Chris Johnson. “There’s a possible way you can actually do it.”

Contact Author:  Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Three Oakland Raiders were fined by the NFL for their actions last Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Tight end Tony Stewart got hit the hardest; penalized $25,000 for “making intentional physical contact with a game official.” Stewart claimed that linebacker Alex Hall punched him on a kickoff return and he was pleading his case to the officials after the play.

“I’d give them one percent chance that they couldn’t have seen the play, seen that happen. I was saying to the refs, ‘You didn’t see that? You didn’t see him punch me in the face? You’re not going to throw a flag?’ And the ref came up to me and put his hand on my chest and started pushing me,” Stewart said. “I just swiped his hand off my chest. Just a natural reaction.”

Richard Seymour, who was recently selected as a Pro Bowl alternate, was fined $10,000. He got flagged for a personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct against the Browns.

In total, Oakland was penalized 13 times for 126 yards last weekend. The game became volatile with scuffles and referees appeared to take control of the game by tossing flags around.

“That’s how I felt. I’ve never seen flags thrown like that,” Seymour said. “Obviously we have to understand how the game is being played and how the game is being called and play accordingly. We didn’t do a good job of that after we understood that they were going to throw it if you looked the wrong way.”

Stewart was ejected from that contest, along with cornerback Stanford Routt who was also docked $5,000 this week. He was booted off the field due to a head-butting an opponent.

“They said I head-butted him. That was it,” Routt said Thursday. “That happened four days ago. That might as well have happened four years ago, in my opinion. Know what I mean? What’s done is done.”

SECONDARY AILING

Cornerback Chris Johnson has been slowed this week in practice with a strained hamstring and starting strong safety Tyvon Branch in hindered by a ailing hip flexor.

To everyone in the Raider Nation – enjoy a safe and prosperous Holiday Season with best wishes for the New Year. Since this is the season of giving, SBReport.net will hand out presents to a few Oakland Raiders:

JaMarcus Russell:

Hopefully Santa will bring him accuracy, better footwork, pocket awareness and a little more motivation this Christmas. On second thought, the jolly old fat-man and his reindeers may not be able to lug that around on his sleigh. He may not be able to give Russell a ride either – poor reindeers.

Luke Lawton:

Clean blood and urine samples.

Shane Lechler:

Continued strength on that powerful right leg so he can destroy Sammy Baugh’s 51.4 punt average set in 1940. He is currently at 51.5 per punt.

Nnamdi Asomugha:

Another Pro-Bowl selection.

Tyvon Branch:

More recognition around the league as he continues to develop into one of the better safeties in the AFC.

Darren McFadden:

More touches in varying formations and glue for his hands.

Cornell Green:

A new address in 2010.

Darrius Heyward-Bey:

An injection of instant wide receiver skills.

Tommy Kelly:

A functioning belt.

Mike Mitchell:

More reps and clean targets for his fury.

Nick Miller:

A one-way ticket off the inactive list.

Javon Walker:

A time machine to speed up his departure out of Oakland.

Greg Ellis:

A healthy set of knees.

Johnnie Lee Higgins:

A new barber.

Louis Murphy:

His own set of referees that won’t overturn any of his receptions.

Tom Cable:

A punching bag, a new playbook and hope for two-more wins and a chance to keep his job.

Sebastian Janikowski:

Ten more clean attempts at a 70-yard field goal.

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.

Bruce Gradkowski’s performance on Sunday just earned him a shot at proving his case to why he should be leading the Oakland Raiders, and not JaMarcus Russell.

Realistically, we all know that the money and years invested on the LSU product will weigh heavily on their decision for the future. We all know that Al Davis – who has the final say on any and all decisions – will let his feelings be known about who should be under center. And that will be an uphill battle for Gradkowski. But for one weekend, he did what is asked of every quarterback in this league – and that’s to win.

Moreover, he led with passion, feistiness, playing within himself, evading key mistakes and performing when it mattered most. His numbers were not eye popping. But the outcome and how the team played while he was in the huddle and at the helm spoke volumes.

Sure, the back-up quarterback is generally a fan-base’s solution to everything. And we’ve seen many second stringers come into games, have short stints as a starter, play well enough to tease and then fizzle out quickly when they get propelled to the forefront.

In this case, what Gradkowski did and what was seen against the Cincinnati Bengals is an indictment on what Russell has not done or been able to accomplish.

Unlike Russell, Gradkowski has altered this offense in his first week of practice and debut as a starter into a confident group. Something a highly touted passer picked number one overall should do, don’t you think?

Last week, Zach Miller stated, “He’s obviously a pretty smart guy, reads things well, throws a real good ball. He’s a pro quarterback, so they’re all good. We feel like we’ll be able to throw it around better now.”

No, Oakland’s best offensive player was not talking about the prospective gun slinging big-armed passer they got in the draft.

The Raiders toughest talent on offense stated, “A love for the game that he shows in the way he plays, the way he calls plays. The way he works on details of plays with players, in between. He’s just uh, I think that’s the main thing I’m seeing with him. It’s just, he’s a get-after-it type of guy.”

Justin Fargas was not talking about the guy given a lot of money after he held out for all of his first camp and pre-season and that has been critiqued for his lack of passion for the game since.

Darren McFadden continued with the valuation of Gradkowski commenting, “He goes through all his reads. He’s been making the right decisions”

Russell has made a lot of bad decisions on and off the field; whether reading a defense, or not yearning or immersing himself into his craft; like a quarterback who was chosen to be the savior of an organization should.

And for those reasons, Gradkowski should finish 2009 as the starter in Oakland. If he bombs and does not perform well, Russell will get back in there – its not realistic to think at this point that the Silver & Black will part ways with the 24-year old. And even if he ends the campaign on a roll, all that will do is raise questions on who should be leading this team, while challenging Russell to elevate his game and give Oakland a nice quarterback controversy in 2010.

And boy, is this organization used to their share of controversy.

MURPHY PRAISING HIS QB

Rookie Louis Murphy hauled in the tying touchdown late in the 4^th quarter. After the game he stated about his quarterback: “It was a great approach. This week, he was full of energy,” Murphy said. “He commanded the huddle, and he was punctual, and he was ready for the Bengals . . . he said that we’re gonna continue to try to just move the ball and try to get first downs. Nothing too big, just move the chains. So that’s what we did.”

BRANCH PRAISED BY CABLE

Tom Cable praised starting SS Tyvon Branch on Monday when asked if the second year pro had one of his finest games yesterday, stating, “I don’t think there’s any question.”

He got a game ball after tallying 12-tackles, one-sack, a pass defended and a forced fumble.

NOTES

Yankees hurler CC Sabathia visited the Black Hole during Sunday's game vs. the Bengals

• New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia – a long time Raider fan – was in attendance on Sunday.
• Linebacker Ricky Brown was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. The starting linebacker suffered an ankle injury earlier in the campaign. Oakland added LB David Nixon to the active roster.

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

QUARTERBACK – C-

JaMarcus Russell’s accuracy problems were on display on Monday night. On a few occasions, he overthrew or sailed passes that were nowhere near his intended targets. The hefty passer was 8-of-18 in the first half for 111 yards, one interception and a 41.7 rating. Some of his highlights include; an 11-yard pass to Zach Miller on 3^rd and 7, and on the Raiders second drive, Russell scanned the field after play-action, finding Miller for 30 yards. He even showed some out of pocket awareness, rolling away from pressure at times to rid himself of the football and running for 4-yards on a 3^rd and 3. Russell ended 12-of-30 for 208 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. The offense was stagnant because of his wild throws at times, but to his credit, on 4^th and 14 with over 2 minutes remaining in the game, he hit his rookie target for a clutch 57-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 20-17 lead.

RUNNING BACKS – B+

Darren McFadden almost showed his whole repertoire. The speedster had 17 carries for 68 yards; running with power between the tackles, showing his burst through lanes and to the edges and even laying some vicious blocks. His fumble in the 2^nd quarter led to a San Diego touchdown. Michael Bush scored the game’s first touchdown and ended with 55-yards rushing. The product out of Louisville keyed a big play on Oakland’s second quarter scoring drive. On 3^rd and 10, Bush picked up a blitzing linebacker, allowing Russell to connect with Louis Murphy for 15-yards on 3^rd and 10. Six plays later, Oakland took a 10-7 lead.

WIDE RECEIVERS & TIGHT ENDS – C

If not for Louis Murphy and Zach Miller, this would be an ‘F’ grade. Miller was in pro-bowl form, tallying 96-yards on 6 receptions. Murphy was shafted out of his 2^nd quarter touchdown. But he bounced back to finish with 87-yards on 4 grabs. His touchdown late in the game would have been one of the more memorable moments in recent Raiders history if not for the collapse of the defense. Darrius Heyward-Bey was non-existent. The first-round draft choice dropped a nice gainer on a 1^st and 10 after the Chargers tied the game at 7. His speed down the field did facilitate an illegal contact infraction on Quentin Jammer on 3^rd and 10, who locked in on the receiver throughout the route. Heyward-Bey is clearly not ready to contribute on a consistent basis. Tony Stewart’s 13-yard reception showed some fight after making the grab, hitting the turf and picking up extra yardage. Johnnie Lee Higgins dropped what would have been a 1^st down on a 3^rd and 14 play, but he was clobbered and could not hold on to the pass. His 19-yard run on a reverse was a highlight, especially with Russell getting out in front to block for him.

OFFENSIVE LINE – B+

For three quarters, the Raiders mauled the San Diego front-seven. Mario Henderson, Robert Gallery. Chris Morris, Cooper Carlisle and Cornell Green were assertive, faster and more explosive at the point of attack, and played with a physical nature not seen in years along the trenches. But in the 4^th quarter, they couldn’t sustain their dominance and the production on the ground dropped off substantially in the second half. Green was flagged for a false start in the opening drive, then again in the 4^th quarter on a 3^rd and 4, and then a holding infraction a few plays later on 1^st and 10. Carlisle played his best game as a Raider and Henderson made a nice first impression as the teams left tackle.

DEFENSIVE LINE – A-

Richard Seymour aligned himself all over the line of scrimmage and was a disruptor on all night recording 2-sacks in his debut. Greg Ellis, another acquisition this off-season, also notched a sack and played equally as well versus the run and when chasing down Philip Rivers. He stripped LaDainian Tomlinson on a 3^rd and 8 deep in their own territory, as Oakland stopped the Chargers in the red-zone after the big kickoff by Sproles. The run defense looked nothing like the abysmal group of recent past. They held the Chargers to 77 yards rushing (21 in the first half), with physical play, disciplined gap control and linebackers and safeties that jolted through San Diego’s blocking schemes. Gerard Warren was steady all evening, while Tommy Kelly has flashes of total control in his game. Trevor Scott had a non-stop motor all night, and surprisingly, defended the run very well, a glaring deficit in his game all pre-season. The front-four was able to put pressure by themselves, allowing John Marshall to drop his linebackers in coverage; a move that ultimately hurt them as the game wound down.

LINEBACKERS – C-

Thomas Howard was the best performer of the night on this unit. On consecutive plays in the 4th quarter, he darted across the line of scrimmage to tackle Darren Sproles for a 3-yard loss, then lined-up in front of him out wide and clobbered the little rusher on a screen to force an incomplete. Ricky Brown had his ups and downs, but shined in the first half in run defense. Inexplicably, this got too much depth in coverage late in the game, allowing the Chargers to pick up chunks of yardage on their march to the game-winning drive.

SECONDARY – B+

Nnamdi Asomugha was stellar all evening, showing off his tackling abilities in run support and blanketing the field, as rarely did Rivers attack the pro-bowler. One of the few times he did, Asomugha was beat by Vincent Jackson on a 15-yard pass for a score. Asomugha had late help from Stanford Routt on the play. Chris Johnson had his moments; mauling Sproles on a dump off on a 2^nd and 12 in the first half and jumping underneath a slant route and almost getting a pick. But with Asomugha on the other side, Rivers attacked the riskier cornerback and got most of his 252-yards on him and safety Tyvon Branch. Branch was exceptional tackling around the line of scrimmage and to his credit, did an admirable job against one of the better pass catching tight ends in the NFL. But Antonio Gates did amass 83-yards on 5 receptions and when San Diego was successful moving the ball, it was when they attacked everyone in the secondary not named Asomugha. Michael Huff had a fumble recovery, handled Gates on a few tosses that went incomplete and on a 3^rd and 3 as San Diego moved into field goal range, the safety recorded an interception of a deflection. Even Hiram Eugene got in on the act, showing toughness on a few tackles and holding his own in deep coverage. This group helped a lot in run defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS – D-

Sproles had some momentum swinging returns, as he finished with 170 yards on kickoffs. Trevor Scott looked lively on the coverage units, as well as Todd Watkins and the rookie Mike Mitchell who had a nice stop in the second half on a punt. Louis Rankin was a non-threat on kickoffs and Higgins was quiet. Shane Lechler had a solid punting game (48.8) and Sebastian Janikowski booted both of his field goal attempts cleanly.

COACHING – A-

Tom Cable and his staff did a wonderful job preparing for the Chargers, playing it safe throughout the game, corralling the team as needed, opening up the playbook at times and ultimately getting this club primed for the opener. Cable made the right call on that 4^th and 14 touchdown to Murphy, as they got San Diego crossed up on the play, and changing the pace of the stagnant game with the reverse to Higgins. On the 3^rd and 5 prior to the nullified Murphy score, Cable called a time out, composed the team and ran a nice play that should have been a score if not for the referees overrule. John Marshall should have stayed in attack mode late in the game, as Oakland was more imposing and physical than the Chargers throughout the game. Schematically, dropping back the linebackers and giving Sproles and Rivers the shorter routes was their undoing. Nonetheless, this coaching staff did a nice job. They weren’t at fault for Russell’s wildness and the team not being able to sustain their physical play over four quarters.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist

Here are some notes from yesterday’s PM practice versus the San Francisco 49ers.

• Nnamdi Asomugha sustained a slight heel injury; but he will be just fine. The pro-bowl cornerback was suited but did not practice.
• OL Cornell Green got poked in the eye, and his injury is not considered serious.
• The defense did a better job versus Fran Gore and the rest of the 49ers rushers during the PM session. All the linebackers were better in pursuit and tackling with the exception of Kirk Morrison. His struggles continued, as he was getting lost in traffic and was ‘dancing’ around the line of scrimmage per S&B Report journalist DeMarcus Davis. He continued, “[Morrison] showed a real indecisiveness at times.”

Continuing with the defense:

• Hiram Eugene got his hands on a Shaun Hill pass for an interception.
• TE Vernon Davis gave the Raiders fits; scoring on back-to-back plays during the session.
• DE Greg Ellis was getting in the backfield with frequency, showing good pressure and recording at least one sack in the process.
• Thomas Howard was sharp yesterday, as evidenced by his dissection of a 49er mis-direction play that was blown up by the speedy linebacker.
• LB Ricky Brown “was much better than Morrison” and was very verbal after Vernon Davis scored on a play. Brown was disruptive on several plays; deflecting a pass and shedding a blocker on another play to record the tackle.
• Tyvon Branch came up from his safety spot to wipe out a run at the line scrimmage towards the end of practice.
• As for the offense: they were vastly improved from the disastrous morning session. Jeff Garcia appeared to be the best passer on the team

In this first installment of SBReport’s draft outlook for the Oakland Raiders, we will look at the secondary and the moves done there in the off-season and whether or not the Silver & Black will add to a unit that ranked 10^th in the league versus the pass in 2008.

Signing Nnamdi Asomugha to the richest deal ever for a cornerback and locking up his mate on the other side of the formation, Chris Johnson, has put the Raiders in a position to focus solely at the back end of the secondary come draft time. Their ability to cover will not be in doubt. But this secondary’s aptitude in run support and provide big plays at the back end will.

Gibril Wilson was released after one season in the Bay area, so the Raiders will look to add a safety that can play around the line of scrimmage and be a sure tackler versus the run. Michael Huff is still around, but when will he ever show that he was worth being selected with the 7^th overall choice in the 2006 draft?

Huff is physically gifted and may still have a shot to prove his worth to this unit with a new defensive coordinator in place. But he is no enforcer and the Raiders will need that in 2009. Hiram Eugene has a few starts under his belt, but he is at best a back up and not the type of player you want to run out there for a lot of reps over the course of a season.

So in the draft, the Raiders must look to improve this unit. Tyvon Branch shined early in on 2008 and is highly regarded still by Tom Cable and Raider personnel. And he will be given a shot to play in the secondary. But at this point, he may be more valuable as a full time special teams contributor and extra defender off the bench.

DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH:

Chip Vaughn, SS, Wake Forest

Adds size, bulk and toughness with his tackling ability to the secondary. If Oakland wants to get tougher, Vaughn will be able to inject that quickly into the defense. He’s moving up many draft boards, so the Raiders will have to make a move on him early on draft day to get him. Unlike Derrick Gibson, Vaughn is a playmaker and will be a force in the front-seven for whomever he plays for. Gibson, Oakland’s 28^th selection in the 2001 draft, never materialized to be the enforcer they thought he would become. Considered a reach at draft time, out of the league after 2006, Gibson has been one of the biggest disappointments in recent Silver & Black drafts. Vaughn fits the Gibson mold in terms of what they need and what they thought they would get out of the former Florida State star. Vaughn will be everything that Gibson was not. The Raiders need a player of this skill set to add to a defense that has struggled since 2003 stopping the run at many levels of this defense.

Curtis Taylor, SS, L.S.U

Chris Clemons, SS, Clemson

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist