The Raiders Adjust

Wow.  A lot has happened with the Raiders in just two weeks of football!

Let me say right off the top, that I still believe this team has the best chance of turning around the loosing record they have established over the past seven seasons. 

The press has made a lot of the quarterback change, and of the fact that Hue Jackson came out on Wednesday and said that he had gone to Tom Cable at half-time and told Cable that he wanted to switch quarterbacks.  The Oakland/East Bay papers wanted to make this out to be a coaching controversy.   When you watch the press conference, which is where the reporters get most of their "news" it's hard to come away with the same conclusion.  Cable and Jackson were on the same page, and Cable made the call to switch.  He could have said no, but he didn't.  Unreported in the paper was Cable's statement that he and Jackson had spoken about making a switch during the game earlier in the week if they weren't seeing the kind of productivity they were looking for.

So they switched to Gradkowski.  Great!  Both Campbell and Gradkowski are talented leaders, but with very different styles.  It appears, from what we saw last year and this, that Gradkowski brings a lot of energy and talent to the field.  The Raiders have three very good QB's, so that's a real plus. 

Gradkowski has demonstrated that he could find the "missing" receivers.  Heyward-Bey and Murphy had each caught only one pass in the first half against the Rams, but both got five (yes, each!) after Gradkowski came in, including finding Murphy for a TD in a Kenny Stabler manner as he threw falling back off his back foot.  He also found the seam with passes to Murphy and tight end Zack Miller.  Nice.

One of the local writers, Monte Poole made the case that Campbell should have been given the start this week because to do otherwise makes Cable look "desperate" to keep his job.  He cited other apparent reasons, but I can only assume he really has no clue about talent, nor does he really pay attention to the sideline action.  The move to Gradkowski could have just as easily come at the beginning of the season, but Campbell hadn't really lost the position - just yet.

Gradkowski, win or loose, has been dynamic on the field.  I have felt like the Raiders had a chance with him in there.  In prior posts, I noted how he exhibited leadership in the huddle and on the sideline.  Against the Rams he was all over talking to players and handing out high-fives and pats on the back.  The Raiders need leaders, and have always responded to the coach or leader who is more energized than stoic.  Remember Gruden?  How about how excited Madden used to get? 

Speaking of Gruden . . . he brought in a guy who wasn't supposed to be a starter.  He brought us a proven backup quarterback.  A journeyman.  In Oakland, all that guy did was win.  Gruden brought him in because he had talent, and he had a fire in his belly.  Rich Gannon was one of the best quarterbacks the Raiders have had, and was certainly a leader. 

Gradkowski may not be a Stabler, or a Gannon, but he has a lot of the same characteristics.  And he was drafted by Jon Gruden.  I suspect Gruden loved that fire in his belly, and recognized that he has talent.  But once you get that label of a "backup quarterback" it's hard to shake.

We'll see what Gradkowski can do.  I believe he now has the best opportunity as a starting quarterback of his career, playing for a team that can win. 

Looking at the offensive line, for a moment, I thought that Daniel Loper had a great game as he filled in for injured Robert Gallery.  With all the other great things that happened last week, the press has largely overlooked his play.  The offensive line is a concern I've had, but I liked the way Loper did not over commit on his blocks (I watched him quite a bit during the game, and on replays of the Titans game).  He was better able to pick up a blitzing linebacker or corner, and to help out either Henderson or Veldheer at the left tackle position if they needed it inside.  He was constantly looking around to lay a block where needed. Loper also seemed to be able to move the defender at the right time, and to the proper side to create a gap for McFadden. Right now if it was up to me, Loper would stay as my starting Guard.  I'd let Gallery heal and see how the team plays with Loper.  If all is good - keep him starting.

McFadden has really stepped into his role, and shown without a doubt that he can play in this league.  I'll still hold onto my worry for his durability, but if he holds up, and the line continues to clear out gaps for him to run through, that ought to open up the passing game.  The Raiders could really have an interesting season.

Week One against the Titans was one of those odd games.  Statistically the Raiders were actually not that awful, but it sure looked it while watching the game.  But take away the big play - 76 yard run for TD by Johnson, the 56 yard pass to Washington (one of three long passes that Chris Johnson couldn't seem to defend that day), and the fumble recovery in the final two minutes of the first quarter that resulted in a field goal, you have a 21-13 game instead of a blow-out, and the stats look better.  Those all seem to be things the Raiders are addressing . . . we'll see how successfully.

There were still a lot of problems - Corner Chris Johnson had an awful game, his worst as a Raider that I recall, and frankly, Gallery and Henderson were both problems on the left, and watching the replay and focusing strictly on the offensive line, I thought Langston Walker really struggled as well (probably should have been at LEAST three holding calls against him).  The left side tightened up in the second half (because Gallery was out?).

The Rams were a team the Raiders should have beaten, and did.  I think they are a team in transition like the Raiders, and they played better than expected.  Stupid mistakes on their part late in the game helped the Raiders hold on to the ball and the win. 

Defensively the Raiders played well against the Rams, and poorly against the Titans.  Nothing earth shaking in that statement.  But they actually did quite well against the Titans Johnson, who ran for 142 yards, but had 76 of those on one run in the first half, had 36 yards on 12 carries the rest of the first half, and had only 30 yards on 14 carries in the second half. 

It would appear the Raiders have the ability to shut down the top runners. 

But the big play continues to haunt them.  My take on that one big run by Johnson was that McClain over played his man and actually pushed him too far outside, and created the gap that Johnson exploited.  The question is - where were the safeties?  This too has been a common problem for the Raiders.  Can they fix it?

So, tomorrow, Sunday the 26th of September the Raiders take on the Arizona Cardinals. 

I think the Raiders have a good chance of being 2-1 on Monday!  Go Bruce!  Go Raiders!

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Photo Credits:
All photographs "2010 Week 2"  from The Oakland Raiders website
http://www.raiders.com/media-vault/photo-gallery/2010-Week-2/afaf624b-b1de-4a95-a0cb-5b408c8444df