Bruce Gradkowski continues to captivate the AFC West.
Gradkowski was the runaway winner in our “you pick it” feature this week. Gradkowski went back to his native Pittsburgh and threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including one in the final seconds, as Oakland upset the Steelers. Gradkowski, in his third start with the Raiders after taking over for JaMarcus Russell, was named the AFC offensive player of the week for his efforts.
In our vote, Gradkowski beat these stories: A group of Raiders fans bought a billboard in Oakland urging owner Al Davis to hire a general manager, and for the third time this season, three AFC West teams won in the same week. Prior to Week 6 this season, the last time that happened was in 2006. The division has won a combined 24 games, surpassing last season’s total of 23 victories.
I agree with the readers. The story of the week is Gradkowski. It’s amazing how much Gradkowski has meant to Oakland. His play against the Steelers was stirring.
Below are some of your responses. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Matt Slater from San Diego: Bill, the story of the week has to be Gradkowski. Raiders fans being angry at Al Davis is a perennial theme these days, and the AFCW as a whole has just regressed (progressed?) to the mean: getting back to .500 after a bad year is nothing to whoop about. But Gradkowski is a real everyman-hero. He doesn't look like an NFL QB, and he doesn't play for a powerhouse team, and it's a tough thing to tell the world you're JaMarcus Russell's backup, but he stuck it out, and now the Raiders are recovering some dignity.
Mike M. from Oceanside, Calif.: Bruce wins in Pittsburgh: Absolutely the highlight of the week for me. I was in a Sportsbar in San Diego and even the Charger fans were giving the Raiders some love. Gradkowski is making the whole team better and getting the Raiders some respect in the league, it's about time.
Gabriel Macias from S.F.: You pick it: AFC West storylinesIt has to be Gradkowski going into Pittsburgh, his home town, and marching the Raiders down the field 3 times against the Steelers in the 4th Quarter. Each time the Raiders had just lost the lead. Fantastic and gutsy play making.There is no way anyone would have believed that that was possible before the game.Oh and as a side note, lost in all of this hooplah about Gradkowski is the fact that this past summer the Raider released another small, wily QB that used to wear #5 (Garcia).
Marc from San Lorenzo, Calif.: It's gotta be Gradkowski going home and silencing that whole crowd. Come on... that's like dream to play for someone else, come home and not only win, but to win in that style is just huge.I don't want to jump out in front of a truck here but the Raiders might have lucked out here. Gruden was actually the one who found this guy back in TB and Paul Hacket has been coaching him his whole career. I wouldn't doubt after Hacket was hired here he told AD and Cable to take a flyer on this kid because he has some major potential. I for one am just glad to see competive football back in Oakland. It just seemed like with Russell, they had no chance. Brush Almighty to the rescue.
David Hayes from Seymour, Tenn.: I think Gradkowski is the story of the week, not only for the obvious reason of winning in his home town, but for a secondary, not so obvious reason. Everyone wonders if Al Davis will allow for Gradkowski to be the quarterback of the future because he is not the prototypical Al Davis quarterback ie: Daryl Lamonica, Marc Wilson, Jay Schroeder, Jeff George and others, but someone needs to point out to Mr. Davis that the quarterbacks that he had his most success with ie: Ken Stabler, Jim Plunkett, and Rich Gannon were average armed mobile quarterbacks. In the Immaculate Reception game the only touchdown scored before Franco Harris was a 30+ yard run by Ken Stabler. Every ball Plunkett (only QB with two SB wins not in The Hall of Fame) threw looked like a duck, but he could avoid the rush, and he was mostly smart with the ball. Finally, Rich Gannon had the Raiders in the palyoffs at least 3 times, and doesn't Gradkowski remind you a bit of Gannon with his work ethic and leadership, and of course his play. So to me the story is Gradkowski, can he be the next prototypical, great Raider quarterback.
Peter from San Diego, Calif.: Preseason, people talked about how tough and dominant the NFC East was and how the Chargers were good, but the AFC West was weak... So I think the top storyline is AFC West's resurgance. Digging deeper, when the Chargers were 3-3 people talked about they had only beaten teams with losing records and Norv Turner was less-than-adequate coach... They are now 9-3 and if they win in Dallas they will have beaten all 3 preseason NFC East contenders.
Malcolm Pickett from Templeton, Calif.: Its gotta be Bruce Almighty! He scored three TDs in a quarter which hasnt been done by a Raiders QB since Ken Stabler in 1979! Plus he threw more TDs in the game than Russel has all year!
Doug from Seattle, Wash.: Hey Bill, I have to say the story of the week is Bruce wins in Pittsburgh. As a Chargers fan, there are few things I love more than seeing Pittsburgh lose. Anytime you can go in to the defending champ's house and beat them it's newsworthy. I'm happy for the Raiders. It's nice to see the division turning around for the better. Now imagine where the Raiders might be if they'd had a legitimate QB all season...
H from San Diego, Calif.: With the exception of the Raiders victory over the Steelers, the AFC West's big week consisted of quality teams in the Broncos and Chargers disposing of inferior opponents. The big story this week is the quality performance by Bruce Gradkowski. This guy has shown guts the past few weeks, and its clear that the play makers are rallying around him to make plays when it counts. He may not be an elite quarterback but he's got heart and plays with passion, two traits which Jamarcus clearly lacks. I think the Raiders overcoming the last several years of mediocrity to reach 6 or even 7 wins and avoid another 11 win season could go a long way towards securing Gradkowski a starting spot next year.
Aaron from Denver: As much credit as I have to give the Raiders' glimmer of hope with Bruce, and their ongoing struggle with Al Davis, I think the Storyline for the week has to be the AFC West as a whole (Kansas City aside). The embarassment that was the 2008 season can hopefully be looked on as a fluke with Chargers and Broncos both eyeing the playoffs, and the Raiders' having a shot at posting their best season since 2002.
Gradkowski was the runaway winner in our “you pick it” feature this week. Gradkowski went back to his native Pittsburgh and threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including one in the final seconds, as Oakland upset the Steelers. Gradkowski, in his third start with the Raiders after taking over for JaMarcus Russell, was named the AFC offensive player of the week for his efforts.
In our vote, Gradkowski beat these stories: A group of Raiders fans bought a billboard in Oakland urging owner Al Davis to hire a general manager, and for the third time this season, three AFC West teams won in the same week. Prior to Week 6 this season, the last time that happened was in 2006. The division has won a combined 24 games, surpassing last season’s total of 23 victories.
I agree with the readers. The story of the week is Gradkowski. It’s amazing how much Gradkowski has meant to Oakland. His play against the Steelers was stirring.
Below are some of your responses. Thanks to everyone who participated.
Matt Slater from San Diego: Bill, the story of the week has to be Gradkowski. Raiders fans being angry at Al Davis is a perennial theme these days, and the AFCW as a whole has just regressed (progressed?) to the mean: getting back to .500 after a bad year is nothing to whoop about. But Gradkowski is a real everyman-hero. He doesn't look like an NFL QB, and he doesn't play for a powerhouse team, and it's a tough thing to tell the world you're JaMarcus Russell's backup, but he stuck it out, and now the Raiders are recovering some dignity.
Mike M. from Oceanside, Calif.: Bruce wins in Pittsburgh: Absolutely the highlight of the week for me. I was in a Sportsbar in San Diego and even the Charger fans were giving the Raiders some love. Gradkowski is making the whole team better and getting the Raiders some respect in the league, it's about time.
Gabriel Macias from S.F.: You pick it: AFC West storylinesIt has to be Gradkowski going into Pittsburgh, his home town, and marching the Raiders down the field 3 times against the Steelers in the 4th Quarter. Each time the Raiders had just lost the lead. Fantastic and gutsy play making.There is no way anyone would have believed that that was possible before the game.Oh and as a side note, lost in all of this hooplah about Gradkowski is the fact that this past summer the Raider released another small, wily QB that used to wear #5 (Garcia).
Marc from San Lorenzo, Calif.: It's gotta be Gradkowski going home and silencing that whole crowd. Come on... that's like dream to play for someone else, come home and not only win, but to win in that style is just huge.I don't want to jump out in front of a truck here but the Raiders might have lucked out here. Gruden was actually the one who found this guy back in TB and Paul Hacket has been coaching him his whole career. I wouldn't doubt after Hacket was hired here he told AD and Cable to take a flyer on this kid because he has some major potential. I for one am just glad to see competive football back in Oakland. It just seemed like with Russell, they had no chance. Brush Almighty to the rescue.
David Hayes from Seymour, Tenn.: I think Gradkowski is the story of the week, not only for the obvious reason of winning in his home town, but for a secondary, not so obvious reason. Everyone wonders if Al Davis will allow for Gradkowski to be the quarterback of the future because he is not the prototypical Al Davis quarterback ie: Daryl Lamonica, Marc Wilson, Jay Schroeder, Jeff George and others, but someone needs to point out to Mr. Davis that the quarterbacks that he had his most success with ie: Ken Stabler, Jim Plunkett, and Rich Gannon were average armed mobile quarterbacks. In the Immaculate Reception game the only touchdown scored before Franco Harris was a 30+ yard run by Ken Stabler. Every ball Plunkett (only QB with two SB wins not in The Hall of Fame) threw looked like a duck, but he could avoid the rush, and he was mostly smart with the ball. Finally, Rich Gannon had the Raiders in the palyoffs at least 3 times, and doesn't Gradkowski remind you a bit of Gannon with his work ethic and leadership, and of course his play. So to me the story is Gradkowski, can he be the next prototypical, great Raider quarterback.
Peter from San Diego, Calif.: Preseason, people talked about how tough and dominant the NFC East was and how the Chargers were good, but the AFC West was weak... So I think the top storyline is AFC West's resurgance. Digging deeper, when the Chargers were 3-3 people talked about they had only beaten teams with losing records and Norv Turner was less-than-adequate coach... They are now 9-3 and if they win in Dallas they will have beaten all 3 preseason NFC East contenders.
Malcolm Pickett from Templeton, Calif.: Its gotta be Bruce Almighty! He scored three TDs in a quarter which hasnt been done by a Raiders QB since Ken Stabler in 1979! Plus he threw more TDs in the game than Russel has all year!
Doug from Seattle, Wash.: Hey Bill, I have to say the story of the week is Bruce wins in Pittsburgh. As a Chargers fan, there are few things I love more than seeing Pittsburgh lose. Anytime you can go in to the defending champ's house and beat them it's newsworthy. I'm happy for the Raiders. It's nice to see the division turning around for the better. Now imagine where the Raiders might be if they'd had a legitimate QB all season...
H from San Diego, Calif.: With the exception of the Raiders victory over the Steelers, the AFC West's big week consisted of quality teams in the Broncos and Chargers disposing of inferior opponents. The big story this week is the quality performance by Bruce Gradkowski. This guy has shown guts the past few weeks, and its clear that the play makers are rallying around him to make plays when it counts. He may not be an elite quarterback but he's got heart and plays with passion, two traits which Jamarcus clearly lacks. I think the Raiders overcoming the last several years of mediocrity to reach 6 or even 7 wins and avoid another 11 win season could go a long way towards securing Gradkowski a starting spot next year.
Aaron from Denver: As much credit as I have to give the Raiders' glimmer of hope with Bruce, and their ongoing struggle with Al Davis, I think the Storyline for the week has to be the AFC West as a whole (Kansas City aside). The embarassment that was the 2008 season can hopefully be looked on as a fluke with Chargers and Broncos both eyeing the playoffs, and the Raiders' having a shot at posting their best season since 2002.
Bill Williamson | email
NFL- ESPN AFC West Blogger
- Spent four seasons covering the Broncos for the Denver Post
- Previously covered Vikings, Packers, Seahawks
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Bill Williamson
Williamson joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the Denver Broncos for the Denver Post. He previously covered the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
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