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| | | | | | | | Tuesday, November 14, 2000
Raiders outlook: Back in Black
By Alex Laracy
MondayNightFootball.com
Things haven't gone this well for the Raiders since before Howie Long became Terry Bradshaw's trusty network sidekick.
Tied for the best record in the league at 8-1, the Silver and Black attack is back after several seasons of being committed to little other than mediocrity. Jon Gruden's scowl has been directed primarily at referees and opposing players in 2000, as opposed to the past two years, when the most menacing glare in football burned holes in the jerseys of his own players for failing to perform up to their abilities.
|  | | Jon Gruden's scowl is not due to the Raiders' 8-1 record. |
The performance of quarterback Rich Gannon has been nothing short of spectacular, as the 34-year-old journeyman's numbers (1,849 yards, 14 TDs, 5 ints) combined with his less than aesthetically pleasing style of play at times has old-school Raiders fans comparing him to Ken Stabler, minus the bourbon. Gannon has also provided the no-nonsense leadership that has helped kick-start a number of previously underachieving players to bust their butts, Raiders-style.
There's a reason Gannon has never adopted the no-brainer nickname of "The Cannon," and that's because he doesn't have one. The veteran doesn't have Brett Favre's velocity, but he does possess Favre-like creativity in the way he releases the ball from a different angle almost every time he lets it rip. Gannon is also apt to run with the ball more than many coaches would be comfortable with in a 34 year old -- his 269 rushing yards is fourth amongst quarterbacks, trailing only 23-year-olds Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown.
But Gannon has not done it alone. Another couple of graybeards - 34-year-old Tim Brown (41 catches for 642 yards, 6TDs) and 33-year-old Andre Rison (26 catches for 359 yards, 3 TDs) -- are also playing with a youthful vigor for the division leaders. The often under-appreciated Brown would love to get a Super Bowl ring to ensure his place in the Hall of Fame. The brazen Rison would fancy a shot at thumbing his nose at the six teams that have let him go in his 12-year career with his second ring.
Offsetting the Raiders' prolific air attack is an unpredictable running game, featuring a pair of backs whose contrasting styles have combined for 959 yards and an outstanding 4.7 yards-per-carry average. Running behind an excellent line, featuring center Barret Robbins and veteran stalwart Steve Wisniewski, 235-pound Tyrone Wheatley grinds out the tough yards, while scatback Napoleon Kaufman's 5.7 yards-per-carry average has given opposing defenses a complex all season long.
Wheatley is questionable for Monday night's showdown with the arch-rival Broncos, as is his blocking and receiving backfield mate, tough guy Jon Ritchie (18 catches, 134 yards). If he can't go, look for Kaufman to get the bulk of the carries.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Raiders possess a unique blend of crafty, hard-nosed veterans and young, high-flying bucks that currently rank 24th in the league in total defense, due mainly to a lack of a legitimate pass rush.
Oakland's two best pass rushers -- Darrell Russell and Lance Johnstone (also listed as questionable against Denver) -- have combined for a meager 4.5 sacks after combining for 19.5 in '99. Russell, who has made two consecutive Pro Bowls, has also contributed 22 tackles, and needs to regain his All-Pro form if the Raiders are going to contend for a trip to Tampa. A pleasant surprise has been second-year man Roderick Coleman, whose three sacks are second on the team.
The linebacking corps features a pair of wily veterans in Greg Biekert and Eagles castoff William Thomas, who are both having Pro Bowl-type seasons. Biekert is finally getting the credit he deserves as one of the best run-stuffing middle linebackers in the game, while on the outside, Thomas' 48 tackles ranks him third on the team, and his three interceptions (one for a touchdown) lead the team.
The secondary has been a bright spot for the Raiders, with Charles Woodson not only providing outstanding man-to-man coverage, but perhaps the best tackling of anyone at the position. His 51 tackles and two interceptions both rank second on the team, however, it's the opposing quarterbacks' tendency to virtually ignore the receiver Woodson covers that separates him from perhaps any cornerback in the conference, excluding (maybe) Miami's Sam Madison.
Opposite Woodson, veteran Eric Allen (39 tackles, a team-leading 8 passes defended and one int.) is still more than capable, while Marquez Pope (40 tackles, two ints.) and Anthony Dorsett (43 tackles) are above average at the safety spots.
The prognosis
If Gannon continues his MVP-type season and Russell and Co. can establish some type of pass rush, there's no reason the Raiders can't contend for the Super Bowl. You get the feeling Gruden's grit alone won't let them collapse and miss the playoffs a la 1995 (they started out 8-2 and lost their last six). It is just a question of whether or not the ageless ones (Gannon, Brown, Rison, Wisniewski, Allen, etc.) can maintain their health and vigor long enough to vault the silver and black deep into the playoffs.
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Sal Paolantonio gets up close with coach Jon Gruden of the Oakland Raiders.
Jon Gruden praises his QB Rich Gannon.