NFL FanHouse

Yankees' Blueprint a Lesson for Al Davis

Nancy Gay — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

The Boss, the one who rules Major League Baseball, wasn't in New York Wednesday night as the Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series title with a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. But George Steinbrenner, 79 -- still the architect of champions and the titan of New York sports -- was watching from his home in Tampa.

Every out. Every pitch. Every player celebration. Steinbrenner could see and hear his players express their gratitude, and his family said he was overcome with joy.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada told the owner through a camera lens. "Thank you for this. Thank you for having the team every year, to try to have a team to be here [the World Series]."

The Boss is not in robust health these days. He wasn't in the clubhouse to feel the champagne shower. But he was "teary eyed" said his son, Hank. "It meant everything."

Born on the 4th of July in 1930, Steinbrenner is an American icon as a team owner. Three thousand miles away, another iconic team owner - a true sports trailblazer born a year to the day before Steinbrenner -- may have been watching, too. He's a New Yorker, after all.

Al Davis wants that championship celebration as badly as Steinbrenner, and he enters every NFL season convinced his Oakland Raiders will ultimately hoist a Lombardi Trophy.

The Boss got his wish Wednesday night.

"Mr. Davis," as his employees and players call him, may not get his for many years to come. Davis' Oakland teams, carefully assembled under his close scrutiny, haven't had a winning record since 2003. This season, the Raiders are 2-6 at the halfway point.

Steinbrenner spent Wednesday watching his storied franchise win a world title. Davis spent Wednesday meeting with his embattled head coach, Tom Cable, and hearing another explanation for yet another lost season.

Al Davis is a proud Brooklyn boy from Flatbush, although he was born in Brockton, Mass. He admires winners. He's built winners -- three Super Bowl teams (1976, '80,'83) and five AFC champions.

Like Steinbrenner, Davis will do whatever it takes, spend whatever he has to, to put a championship team on the field.

Steinbrenner hired and fired Billy Martin five times. Al Davis hired and fired Art Shell twice. No one is sacrosanct.

Like Steinbrenner, who was infamous for berating his many managers, calling to the dugout during games to demand a pitching change or to criticize a player, Davis has always been the definition of hands-on. They both were called managing general partner. Never owner.

Davis has been known to abruptly change a head coach's carefully crafted game plan. He'll insist that certain players are in the starting lineup. He always drafts and signs the NFL's speediest players, even though they may not fill an immediate need, because he admires their athleticism.

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Oakland Raiders Photos

SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 1: Quarterback JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders is sacked by Steve Gregory #28 of the San DIego Chargers in the 2nd half on November 1, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo By Donald Miralle/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JaMarcus Russell

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Oakland Raiders Photos

Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable encourages his players during warm-ups prior to an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

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SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 1: Wide Receiver Vincent Jackson #83 of the San Diego Chargers catches the ball against cornerback Chris Johnson #37 of the Oakland Raiders on November 1, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Johnson;Vincent Jackson

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SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 1: Runningback LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the San Diego Chargers rushes in the game against the Oakland Raiders on November 1, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** LaDainian Tomlinson

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An Oakland Raiders security guard holds up a helmet while trying to block a photographer from shooting photos of Raiders' quarterback JaMarcus Russell (2) after the Raiders lost 24-16 to the San Diego Chargers of a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in San Diego. Russell was 14 for 22 for 109 yards and one interception. The guard swung the helmet into the camera of the photographer. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas breaks through the tackle of San Diego Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper during the third quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, left, breaks free from Oakland Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha, right, on a 10-yard touchdown run during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in San Diego. The Chargers won the game 24-16. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

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San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson celebrates his touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in San Diego. The Chargers won the game 24-16. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers fires a pass during the Chargers 24-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders in a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in San Diego. Rivers was 16 for 25 for 249 yards in the victory. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The hands-on approach can work, but so often it doesn't. Steinbrenner's Yankees teams sustained a crushing era of disappointment throughout the 1980s -- the only decade that the franchise did not win a World Series since claiming its first in 1923. Of course, The Boss was heavily involved in every aspect of the day-to-day operation during that drought. He managed every detail. So that is on his hands.

Just as the last seven losing seasons are stamped in Davis' legacy.

These days in Oakland, which are dark and show no signs of light, Davis remains the ultimate authority for all Raiders' matters.

The Boss is less authoritative. His health status is carefully guarded, but when Steinbrenner turned over the managing general partner title to his son Hal, 39, last November, no one had to ask. Succession can't be easy for the proud lions of sports. But it's the most unselfish thing a legendary owner can do.

You have to figure Davis watched that majestic Yankees' Game 6 victory Wednesday night, and is wondering what it will take to get back to that place. The hugs, the cheers, the happy tears. The satisfaction of a team-building job well done.

Perhaps Davis, like Steinbrenner, will one day relinquish his grip. Could he allow others in football, perhaps in collaboration with his son, Mark, to rebuild the Raiders and return them to glory? It seems far-fetched.

But Steinbrenner's World Series gratification wasn't diminished Wednesday night, nor was his contribution forgotten, even though he watched it unfold 1,000 miles away. Sometimes, the ultimate power comes from knowing when it is time to gracefully give in, while not giving up.

Yankees' Blueprint a Lesson for Al Davis originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Oddly Quiet About Larry Johnson, Tom Cable and Personal Conduct

Nancy Gay — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chiefs, Raiders, NFL Analysis

Running back Larry Johnson will not be in uniform Sunday at Jacksonville when the Kansas City Chiefs return from their bye and attempt to reverse the damage of a 1-6 start. That in itself is a small victory for a rebuilding Chiefs organization, which did its level best to severely punish a longtime problem player who crossed a line most agree constitutes conduct detrimental to the NFL.

And that disciplinary action -- a two-week suspension without pay imposed by Chiefs management, that was later arbitrated by the NFL Management Council, the NFL Players Association, Johnson and the Chiefs to return a week's salary to Johnson -- was neither endorsed nor encouraged by the league office, multiple NFL sources said.

Rather, the NFL told the Chiefs they should avoid issuing a suspension (and encountering the subsequent hearing, NFLPA involvement, settlement, etc.), and simply fine Johnson $10,000.

More Coverage: Chiefs Fans Petition Against Larry Johnson

That was the punishment doled out by the NFL to then-Steelers linebacker Joey Porter in December 2006, when he twice called Browns tight end Kellen Winslow a "f**" following a Pittsburgh victory over Cleveland.

At the time, an NFL spokesman said Porter was fined for "his vulgar and inexcusable statements." Porter apologized, saying he didn't mean to offend anyone "except Winslow." So we can see how effective that monetary punishment was as a teachable moment.

But Porter's $10,000 fine came before the NFL officially issued its now famous get-tough Personal Conduct Policy in 2008, a set of guidelines so strict and so broad in interpretation that it has given commissioner Roger Goodell great latitude to throw the book at numerous high-profile players.

Johnson, as the Chiefs and their fans know all too well, went above and beyond Porter's on-field slur. The running back used numerous homophobic slurs online in a Twitter page battle with fans, and then made another blatant homophobic reference to the media the following day. Johnson did craft a carefully worded apology afterward, which probably paved the way to the suspension settlement.

In Kansas City, sickened fans have had enough of LJ and his mouth, his temper and his attitude. Johnson, who has previously faced accusations of assaulting women in nightclubs and has undergone court-ordered domestic violence counseling for a 2003 battery complaint by an ex-girlfriend, may have twice rushed for over 1,700 yards in a single season, but he has shamed that community enough.

The one-time NFL rushing leader needs 75 yards to break Priest Holmes' all-time franchise rushing record, and an online petition in Kansas City is imploring Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli to either cut the trouble-seeking back or deactivate him on game days, so that he can't reach that sacred milestone.

But why hasn't the NFL office intervened in the case of Johnson, saying only after the incident, "We are in the process of getting the facts," and doing little else publicly?

And, on top of that, why hasn't Goodell and the NFL office taken action beyond the boilerplate "fact-gathering" process to address the case of Raiders coach Tom Cable?

As we know, Cable's alleged training camp assault of assistant coach Randy Hanson will not be prosecuted criminally in Napa County, Calif. But the head coach's interaction with a subordinate employee during a staff meeting clearly caused a serious injury (Hanson's fractured jaw) to occur -- the Napa district attorney's findings confirmed as much -- and that certainly runs afoul of the league's conduct statutes.

The NFL Personal Conduct Policy is all of four pages long, and includes this very sweeping admonition to all NFL players, coaches and employees of what it considers a violation: "Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players."

Both Johnson and Cable seem to have done just that.

And isn't it interesting that new NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has not pressured Goodell and the NFL office to impose punishment on Cable for the training camp incident? The alleged domestic violence accusations against Cable by various women in his past are a whole other matter and may not be applicable for fines or suspension, since Cable's admission that he struck his first wife stemmed from an incident two decades ago, before he was an employee of the NFL.

But Smith has failed to ask why the NFL appears reluctant to discipline an offending coach the same way it does its players.

Could it be that Goodell and Smith have a handshake détente in place, setting aside personal conduct battles for now, knowing they'll tackle other serious problems in the coming months -- such as potentially messy and costly negotiations that will either lead to a NFL-imposed lockout or a new Collective Bargaining Agreement?

Starting in 2006, Goodell made good on his promise to protect the integrity and reputation of the NFL and its brand by suspending Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, Tank Johnson and Michael Vick for various off-field legal entanglements. The commissioner's heavy-handed approach was praised, but also met with some criticism. Many speculated how far Goodell would go.

Now, it seems he's not going far enough.

Jailed wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who is serving a two-year prison sentence in New York under a plea deal to a weapons charge, is suspended while he's in the slammer. Once he's out, the NFL says Burress will be reinstated and may sign with any team.

In August, Goodell did the right thing by suspending receiver Donte Stallworth for one season for admittedly driving while legally impaired and striking a pedestrian in a fatal car accident.

Lately, the commissioner has been strangely silent when it comes to keeping the discipline fair and balanced -- against players with collectively-bargained rights, as well as team employees who signed contracts vowing to abide by the conduct standards.

That leaves it up to the individual teams, and their own brands of justice.

So while the Raiders now say they are contemplating what to do with an increasingly controversial Cable, the Chiefs are probably grateful they were able to get Johnson out of their building for two weeks -- he's eligible to return to the premises on Nov. 9 -- and take a one-week chunk of pay from him (about $315,000).

Kansas City, at least, is taking matters into its own hands. Because the NFL clearly won't.

NFL Oddly Quiet About Larry Johnson, Tom Cable and Personal Conduct originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Russell Still Struggling

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Browns, Buccaneers, Panthers, Raiders, Titans, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Stubbornness sometimes pays off. The Carolina Panthers found this out on Sunday.

One week after giving up on the run way too easily in a loss to Buffalo, the Panthers mercilessly pounded Arizona's run defense into the ground, and their reward was an easy win. Of course, it doesn't mean Jake Delhomme has magically turned his season around. It just means the Panthers have found a way to hide him, while keeping him on the field. Delhomme is off our magical list for now, but other shaky starters aren't so lucky.

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Surely, Russell is hampered by a complete lack of playmakers. Darrius Heyward-Bey has been a disaster so far, and outside of tight end Zach Miller, Russell simply doesn't have anyone to throw to.

However, he's earned every bit of that 48.3 quarterback rating, a rating that is barely above the 39.6 that you'd get by throwing every pass into the ground. Russell makes bad decisions, surpassed only by the simply awful throws he's capable of.

Whomever is coaching the Raiders next year is likely to have Russell around, only that coach will be facing the challenge of getting him off all the bad habits he's picked up, along with restoring what has to be a non-existent confidence.

Russell is only 24, so there's no point in giving up. However, there's also no point in leaving him out there to further destroy the mental part of his game.

Status update: Very warm

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Surely, the Browns weren't planning on firing a general manager before his first season was over. That's exactly what happened this week, though, as the team's embarrassing slide towards another high draft pick continued with a 30-6 whomping by the Bears in Chicago.

First-year coach Eric Mangini should be shown the door once this disastrous season ends. So far, the only thing he's done to try to inject life into his team was switch quarterbacks. To the coach's chagrin, Anderson looks to be a worse fit for this offense than Quinn was. That's not saying much, because no quarterback could do much of anything positive with this team.

Now what do you do? The season is a lost cause, and Quinn won't approach his contractual incentives if he takes over now. Anderson obviously isn't the answer, so now it's simply a question of whether Quinn can show enough to justify keeping him around for the next regime.

Status update: Very warm

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson
Tennessee Titans: Vince Young and Kerry Collins
Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore

Freeman gets his first start this weekend against Green Bay. It's not common for coaches to go back to a veteran once they start the rookie, so one has to assume this is Freeman's gig.

Young actually looked pretty good in helping the Titans get their first win. No way they go back to Collins now, even if the team starts losing again. Young's athleticism is perfect for this offense -- if he can stay healthy and throw with any kind of accuracy.

As for Delhomme, as mentioned above, the Panthers rode the running game, but Delhomme did throw for 90 yards in just seven completions, and Steve Smith got his first touchdown of the year. Odds are he sticks around.

Pocket Presence: Russell Still Struggling originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tom Cable, Brett Favre, Giants vs. Eagles: NFL Live Tweet

Michael David Smith — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:50:00 EST

Filed under: Packers, Raiders, Vikings

Tom Cable appears to have a history of physically abusing people he has power over, whether a woman he's in a relationship with or a coach who works for him.

I think about 80% of Green Bay fans will boo Brett Favre today. What do you think? Higher? Lower?

Those are among the observations I've made on Twitter today, and I'll be making plenty more as I follow the early games, highlighted by Giants vs. Eagles, and the late games, highlighted by Vikings vs. Packers. To stay updated on everything happening in the NFL Sunday, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on NFL Week 8

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Tom Cable, Brett Favre, Giants vs. Eagles: NFL Live Tweet originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tom Cable's Ex-Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Allege Physical Abuse

Michael David Smith — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:09:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

An ex-wife and an ex-girlfriend of Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable have claimed that he physically abused them during their relationships, an ESPN Outside the Lines report detailed Sunday.

The ESPN report features both Cable's first wife and his recent ex-girlfriend saying Cable exhibited a pattern of abusive behavior, including punching them.

ESPN also reports that Cable's second wife, Glenda Cable, said in their divorce proceedings that he was physically abusive. Glenda, however, declined to be interviewed by ESPN and recanted her claims of physical abuse in a statement issued through her attorney.

Cable's first wife, Sandy Cable, sought a temporary order of protection against him when they were married, and at the time she said, "On two occasions, one back in '86 and the other in '88, he hit me. The second time in the face, however on attempts to call law enforcement, my husband would rip the phone out of the wall."

Sandy Cable says she's speaking out now because she's concerned that her ex-husband will hurt someone even worse than he hurt her. Sandy Cable noted that Tom Cable was accused by ex-Raiders assistant Randy Hanson of breaking his jaw, and Sandy -- who is now a police officer -- said Cable will continue to physically assault the people he has power over.

"He's going to hurt somebody," Cable's ex-wife said. "More so than what he's done to Randy Hanson, more than what he's done to me, more than what he's done to anybody else."

UPDATE: Tom Cable released a statement to ESPN saying he has hit a woman "on only one occasion in my life" and adding, "More than 20 years ago, during my first marriage, I became aware that my wife Sandy had committed adultery. I became very angry and slapped her with an open hand. What I did was wrong and I have regretted and felt sorrow about that moment ever since."

To stay updated on this story and other NFL news, follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Tom Cable's Ex-Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Allege Physical Abuse originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Teams Putting Quarterbacks in Position to Fail

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Browns, Buccaneers, Panthers, Raiders, Titans, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Some teams are entirely too stubborn. Not only will they leave bad quarterbacks in to take mental and physical beatings, but they'll insist on running offensive plays that don't seem to take the team's strengths into account, oftentimes leaning way too much on a struggling quarterback to make plays. As the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns (among others) have now learned, this is a recipe for disaster.

More: Carolina Sticking With Delhomme | Freeman in for Tampa

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore

Delhomme has done a lot for the Carolina franchise, and loyalty is rarely a bad thing, even in a cutthroat industry like the NFL.

However, can anyone explain why Moore hasn't gotten a shot at saving the Panthers' season yet?

If Moore is so terrible that he can't be trusted to start, why is he serving as the primary backup to an aging veteran who melted down severely in the playoffs last year and has shown little life so far this season? It just doesn't make sense.

In Delhomme's defense, neither did Sunday's play-calling.

The Panthers ran for over 200 yards in a win over Tampa Bay. The response Sunday? Delhomme put the ball in the air 44 times, while star running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 23 carries. That makes sense, right?

Didn't think so.

Status update: White hot

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Anderson was simply awful again Sunday, this time in a 31-3 home loss to Green Bay. While he failed to hit half his passes, throw for 100 yards, or lead his team into the end zone, it wasn't all his fault. For some reason, the Browns decided to use the wildcat with Josh Cribbs exactly once against Green Bay.

Maybe the Packers showed a wonderful ability to stop the wildcat on that one play. Perhaps there is something about the Dom Capers' 3-4 defense that lends itself to stopping that gimmick, because the Vikings didn't use it in their matchup with the Packers on Oct. 5. However, Cribbs is the Browns' best offensive player right now. It's not even close.

Why isn't the ball in his hands more often?

As long as the team continues this failing strategy, it probably doesn't matter who the quarterback is, though it would likely behoove Cleveland to go back to Quinn. Anderson threw 11 passes at either Mohamed Massaquoi or Brian Robiskie on Sunday. They combined for one catch.

Status update: Very warm

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith and Shaun Hill

While head coach Mike Singletary might have made up his mind quickly, the smart money is on this not being the last change he has to make.

Yes, Smith played well in a second-half stint Sunday at Houston. However, it's typically harder on guys like him when they have to actually start the game. Smith was the backup to Hill for a reason, and now he has to prove that he can do things he failed to do in training camp or preseason games, or in any of his other starts for the 49ers.

Smith is getting thrown right into the fire, as San Francisco has a Sunday date with unbeaten Indianapolis.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Russell has flat-out stunk all season. He's been terrible. Finally, head coach Tom Cable had enough. While replacing Russell with Gradkowski didn't do the Raiders any good on the scoreboard, it may be a message to Russell that he has to put in the time and make the commitment to get better now, or he will run out of chances.

No, Oakland isn't a playoff contender. But they have to do something to put a jolt into Russell. Otherwise, they'll never know for sure what they have in him.

Status update: Very warm

Tennessee Titans: Kerry Collins and Vince Young

Titans owner Bud Adams has come out and said he wants Young to be the starter. Meanwhile, it appears that Collins is going to keep the job for at least another week (though head coach Jeff Fisher hasn't really said).

While it's hard to blame everything that has gone wrong on Collins, he hasn't played well. Not only that, but the Titans owe it to themselves to give Young a shot at some point. It's not much different than Russell, really. They have to find out what they have.

Plus, the owner wants it to happen, and he's the owner. It's likely that Young starts sooner rather than later.

Status update: Very warm

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson

It was made official Wednesday that Freeman will get the nod out of Tampa's bye week. The Johnson experiment was an unmitigated disaster, as Tampa Bay did virtually nothing with him leading the way.

Now, it's up to Freeman, the rookie first-rounder out of Kansas State. While it's hard to predict what the result of this experiment will be, it probably doesn't matter in the end. Once you put the rookie out there, you typically don't switch back unless he gets hurt.

Status update: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Teams Putting Quarterbacks in Position to Fail originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Coach Tom Cable: It Was Just a Matter of Getting All the Facts Cleared

FanHouse Newswire — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:13:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Police Blotter

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable made his first public comments Friday since learning he would not be charged for an alleged assault against a former assistant, saying he was thankful for the district attorney's decision.

Napa County district attorney Gary Lieberstein said Thursday he would not pursue charges against Cable for allegedly breaking Randy Hanson's jaw in August, citing inconsistencies in Hanson's story that were not corroborated by the three assistant coaches in the room at the time.

"I'm obviously very thankful that the authorities did the thoroughness that they did in terms of getting the facts and all that," Cable said. "I never let it become a distraction because as I mentioned many times, I just had a lot of faith. I knew what happened."

Cable had been accused of assaulting and threatening to kill Hanson at a meeting at the team's training camp hotel in Napa on Aug. 5. Hanson was treated for a broken jaw following the incident.

But Raiders assistant coaches John Marshall, Lionel Washington and Willie Brown did not back up Hanson's version of events, telling investigators that Cable did not punch Hanson or make any verbal threats.

"You always have to be happy when the truth comes out and it prevails," Marshall said. "Sometimes it's tough. I think it's always great when you win doing the right thing. I felt in my heart it was just a matter of getting all the facts cleared up by the DA or whoever does that stuff."

Lieberstein said the coaches told police that Cable became angry and rushed toward Hanson, but Washington stepped between the two. Cable ran into Washington, who bumped into Hanson and knocked him out of his chair. The witnesses also told authorities that Cable then grabbed Hanson by the shirt but never struck or threatened him.

Cable said little publicly in the more than two months between the first reports of the incident in August and Lieberstein's decision Thursday, other than a brief comment in August that "nothing happened." He declined to talk to police during the investigation because he did not want to make it a bigger issue and would not answer specific questions from the media.

He said it was tough to remain silent while all the allegations were being thrown at him and is pleased the district attorney spelled out what the witnesses said happened.

"I think that all the speculation and opinion and whatever that was said, I thought the DA did a tremendous job in really laying out exactly what went down," Cable said.

Cable still could face punishment from the NFL for the incident even though no charges were filed. The league released a statement Thursday saying it would review the district attorney's decision before taking "appropriate action, if any, under our policies."

Hanson's attorney, John McGuinn, has said his client still could file a civil suit in the case. Hanson is still being paid by the Raiders but has not been at the team's facility of late.

Cable said he has no plans to sue Hanson, saying his focus is entirely on football.

Cable has said that the hovering case was not a distraction to his coaching and that appeared to be the case for the players as well. The day the initial reports came out, the players broke into a chant of "Cable, bumaye, Cable, bumaye" -- translated as "Cable, kill him! Cable, kill him!" -- in reference to the crowd chants heard by former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali during his 1974 fight against George Foreman.

Players said the case was rarely a topic of conversation in the locker room and some players didn't even know it had been resolved Thursday.

"It was never a big deal or a never really a distraction so when they said what happened and he wasn't going to be charged, it was like, OK, personally, that's good, but it never was a distraction," offensive lineman Mario Henderson said. "In other words, he didn't have to come in here and say, 'Guys, I didn't get charged.' He didn't have to do that because it was never a distraction."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Raiders Coach Tom Cable: It Was Just a Matter of Getting All the Facts Cleared originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders' Justin Fargas: Pigeon on Field Was Spirit of Marquis Cooper

Michael David Smith — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

During Sunday's Eagles-Raiders game, a pigeon went onto the field, stopped briefly near where the Raiders were lining up for a kickoff, and then flew downfield in the same direction as the Raiders' coverage unit. It made for a funny viral video, but one Oakland player, Justin Fargas, thinks it was much more: he thinks the pigeon was the reincarnation of deceased ex-Raider Marquis Cooper.

Cooper and former Detroit Lions defensive end Corey Smith died in a boating accident in February, and Fargas said in a radio interview this week that he thinks Cooper may have come back to Oakland in the form of that pigeon.

"It seemed comfortable on the football field and comfortable flying down there literally on special teams," Cooper said on KHTK in Sacramento, as transcribed by Sports Radio Interviews. "It very well could have been Marquis."

Fargas's belief that Cooper came back to Oakland inside the body of a pigeon strikes me as more than a little odd, but if that belief helps him through the grief of losing a friend, well, more power to him. If Cooper is helping the Raiders in the body of a pigeon, the Raiders will take all the help they can get.

Raiders' Justin Fargas: Pigeon on Field Was Spirit of Marquis Cooper originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Charges Filed Against Tom Cable

Chris Burke — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Police Blotter

No criminal charges will be filed against Raiders head coach Tom Cable for his role in an altercation that fractured the jaw of Oakland assistant Randy Hanson, Napa, Calif., district attorney Gary Lieberstein announced Wednesday.

"We have concluded that the facts and evidence developed do not warrant criminal charges brought against Tom Cable in regards to an incident which occurred on August 5, 2009 in a hotel room at the Oakland Raiders' training camp in Napa," Lieberstein said in a press release.

Liberstein's announcement came after a more than two-month-long investigation.

"Our decision is based on a full review of the evidence," Lieberstein said during a press conference outside the DA's office on Thursday afternoon. "We had an outstanding and very complete investigation done by the Napa police department which, quite frankly was not done until late [Wednesday] afternoon, when the alleged victim, Randy Hanson was asked back to give a follow-up interview to explain many inconsistencies that had occurred during a number of statements he'd given over the course of this investigation.

"Our time table ... is whatever time we need to make a fair and just decision."

Hanson's attorney, John McGuinn, told FanHouse in response to the lack of charges, " As we have said all along, whether he [Lieberstein] files or not, it makes no difference to us. We have our civil case and we will proceed accordingly."

Later, on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, McGuinn said that the civil case is "on the horizon," and assured everyone would soon find out Cable is "not a nice guy."

McGuinn recently told FanHouse that the evidence before Lieberstein presented a "textbook felony assault case" against Cable. Hanson told police that Cable attacked him during a coaches' meeting at Oakland's training camp headquarters at the Marriott-Napa Valley. According to Hanson, Cable body slammed him into a small table, then smashed his face against a wall and finally grabbed his neck while shouting "I'm going to kill you!" before other Raiders coaches were able to break the scuffle up.

Hanson went to Queen of the Valley Hospital the next day for X-rays, which revealed an injured jaw. After initially declining to take part in an investigation, Hanson changed his mind, hired a lawyer and turned those X-rays over to police. The Napa police department announced on Aug. 21 that it would reopen the case, then handed their findings over to Lieberstein's office.

The DA's release questioned much of McGuinn's -- and Hanson's -- account: "Based on our review, it appears that during a discussion amongst coaches and Mr. Cable regarding Mr. Hanson's future with the Oakland Raiders, Mr. Cable became angry and rushed toward Mr. Hanson. At that juncture, one of the other coaches in the room stepped in between the two and Mr. Cable bumped into him, which in turn caused that coach to bump into Mr. Hanson's chair in which he was leaning back, with his feet upon the table. As a result of the force, Mr. Hanson fell over, at which time he most likely fractured his jaw. This conclusion is supported by the statements of independent witnesses present in the room, including and especially the coach who bumped into Mr. Hanson's chair. The same witnesses did state that after Mr. Hanson was on the ground, Mr. Cable grabbed him by the shirt . The witnesses also made it clear, however, that at no time during this incident did Mr. Cable strike Mr. Hanson."

In addition, according to the release, Hanson's initial reluctance to discuss the incident with police made it impossible for any physical evidence to be processed from the Marriott room where the disagreement occurred.

"It should be further noted that within the past week and a half, Mr. Hanson showed up unannounced at the police department and made a statement to the effect that since the Raiders had not given him what he asked for, he would now fully cooperate with the prosecution," Lieberstein said.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at the league's fall meetings that he was following the Cable investigation, but would wait for case to conclude. "What are the facts?" Goodell asked at the time. "There's a legal and criminal process going on to determine what are the facts."

Lieberstein's decision to not press charges lessens the chance that Cable will not face punishment from the NFL.

"We will review the decision announced earlier [Thursday] by the Napa District Attorney and the facts developed in the underlying investigation. Following that review, we will take appropriate action, if any, under our policies," the NFL said in a statement.

When asked Thursday if he'd been contacted by the league, Cable told reporters, "I don't have any comment."

No Charges Filed Against Tom Cable originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Seymour: Giants 'Got What They Deserved' in Blowout Loss to Saints

Chris Burke — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, Raiders

After the Giants rolled Oakland 44-7 in Week 5, New York linebacker Antonio Pierce spoke rather candidly about the easy victory, saying that the game felt like a "scrimmage" and that "there was no vibe of trying or effort from the Raiders at all from a defensive standpoint."

Not surprisingly, Pierce's comments didn't sit well with the Raiders -- particularly Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour, who enjoyed a little schadenfreude after New Orleans pummeled the Giants in Week 6.

"They got what they deserved this week," Seymour said to the Daily News about the Giants' 48-27 loss to the Saints. "I'm not sure how many points the Saints scored on them, but if I'm not mistaken, it was about half a hundred points. [Pierce]'s got enough to chew on with that."

Whether or not Pierce's bulletin-board fodder deserves any credit, the Raiders' defense -- which Pierce also said lacked emotion and guidance -- stuffed Philadelphia in Week 6, holding the potent Eagles offense to just three field goals in a 13-9 Oakland win.

Oakland's D was so impressive in that performance, in fact, that the Eagles were left scratching their heads after.

"They did some things that we weren't really expecting, some stuff that they didn't really show the first couple of games," Philadelphia right tackle Winston Justice told FanHouse's Nancy Gay. "And we were caught by surprise."

Seymour's comments probably won't land with the force that Pierce's rant did -- the Giants are, after all, still 5-1 and atop the NFC East. They host the Cardinals on Sunday.

Oakland, meanwhile, bumped its record up to 2-4 with the Philadelphia victory. And remarkably, that puts the Raiders within one game of playoff positioning in the AFC as they get ready to host the Jets in Week 7.

Richard Seymour: Giants 'Got What They Deserved' in Blowout Loss to Saints originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Derek Anderson Plays Better, Still Stinks

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Give Derek Anderson credit. He got better. He put that "15 incompletions in 17 attempts" disaster behind him with a much more quarterback-like effort against Pittsburgh Sunday. It wasn't enough to take the Browns off this list for the first time this season, but there are indications that Cleveland has settled on their guy, no matter how many of his passes bounce off the grass.

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Anderson hit nine of 24 passes against Pittsburgh, even topping 100 yards and managing a touchdown pass. However, the Browns scored one offensive touchdown, relied way too much on the wildcat, and lost convincingly to Pittsburgh. While it is starting to sound like this is Anderson's job to completely screw up, the Browns would be delusional to think he deserves that kind of consideration.

Quinn, it could be argued, hasn't gotten nearly a fair shake in this battle. He faced elite defenses in each of his three starts, two of them on the road. Anderson is hitting 44 percent of his throws, averaging less than five yards per attempt (despite his "big arm" reputation), and has thrown three picks for every touchdown he has so far.

At this point, however, it probably doesn't matter who the quarterback is. This team is a lost cause at 1-5.

Status update: Very warm

Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick

It wouldn't take much to outplay Mark Sanchez on this day, and Fitzpatrick got it done. Filling in for an injured Edwards, who had started the day by hitting his first five throws, Fitzpatrick was erratic but still a winner. The Terrell Owens failure continues, and the insertion of rookie Jamon Meredith at right tackle didn't solve much up front. But a win is a win, and now the Bills have a decision to make.

It's been said that you can't lose your job over an injury. However, Edwards seemed well on his way to losing the job before he was injured. Not only that, but while it wasn't at all pretty, Fitzpatrick at least found a way to win a game. Of course, they needed Sanchez to throw five picks to make it happen, but Fitzpatrick did have his good moments. At the very least, this should give Dick Jauron something to think about.

Status update: Very warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

Campbell got the hook in the Redskins' disastrous loss to Kansas City Sunday, but it is likely not the end of him. It's not like Collins lit up the Chiefs. Actually, he was statistically worse than Campbell. Collins pulled an Aaron Rodgers on a late snap deep in Redskin territory, as he held the ball entirely too long and took a sack for a safety that ended whatever minuscule chance the Redskins had to win the game.

Coach Jim Zorn has said Campbell is likely to start Monday night, and perhaps the offense will get a jump-start with consultant Sherm Lewis taking over as the play-caller for Zorn. Campbell has shown some real upside in his short career as a starter, but the reality is that he may not be best-suited as an every-down starting quarterback in the NFL.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore

Yes, their teams won Sunday. However, it's hard to feel good about how the starting quarterbacks played. Neither Delhomme nor Russell were effective, and both have to continue to be on thin ice with their respective teams.

The Panthers can't count on the running game to carry them to victory every week, and while the Raiders' defense put on a bit of an eye-opening performance, it's hard to imagine them repeating it given how inconsistent their effort and level of play have been in recent years.

Status updates: Warm

Pocket Presence: Derek Anderson Plays Better, Still Stinks originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JaMarcus Russell, Tom Cable Finally Produce an NFL-Worthy Game

Nancy Gay — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. -- JaMarcus Russell's Year 3 NFL resume has had him well on track to become the greatest NFL draft bust since Ryan Leaf almost singlehandedly destroyed the Chargers.

Through Week 5, his status as the NFL's worst starting quarterback was well-established: a completion percentage of 42.1; four interceptions; four lost fumbles; 15 sacks for a supposedly big, strong 6-foot-6 man pushing 275 pounds.

How could Russell simply crumple under even a modest pass rush? How could he possibly put up a passer rating of 46.0 in a Week 2 victory over the winless Chiefs? How could he emerge, unmoved, after horrible Raiders losses wearing cue-ball sized diamond earrings and fur coats?

Then the Philadelphia Eagles flew into Oakland on Sunday -- clearly preparing for a bye-week scrimmage rather than a regular-season NFL game -- and Russell did the unthinkable: He put on a professional-caliber performance, and helped the Raiders upset the heavily favored NFC East visitors, 13-9.

While the blitzing Raiders defense was dominant, sacking quarterback Donovan McNabb six times and holding running back Brian Westbrook to 50 yards rushing, one play seemed to spark Oakland's eye-popping turnaround from a 1-4 start.

Late in the first quarter, Russell spied favorite target Zach Miller on the fly and hit him in stride on a 10-yard pass that the tight end turned into a game-changing 86-yard touchdown reception. It was a thing of beauty, a catch-and-run score in which Miller received two lane-opening downfield blocks from wide receiver Louis Murphy.

And so the litany of ignominious nicknames that have come to define the lackadaisical Russell -- JaNormous; JaFumble; JaMumble; JaBustas; Off-The-Marcus; JaWalrus; JaWaffleHouse -- are shelved for a week while the Raiders and Russell enjoy a rare victory, one that ended a five-game span that saw them score only 49 points.

The derogatory Russell monikers may not go away anytime soon -- he did throw two interceptions against Philly -- but at least the maligned quarterback did more right than wrong for a change.

"That was pretty sweet," said Russell, who completed 17 of 28 passes for a season-best 224 yards. "We had guys flying around today. Whether it was a good or bad play, we found a way to keep fighting, and as an offense, that's what we need to get us going."

Justin Fargas and his head-first, hurdling running style helped spark the Raiders offense as well, gaining 87 yards on 23 carries. And the longtime Raiders back was solid blocking for Russell's many screens, flat routes and short-range balls that receivers such as fullback Gary Russell turned into positive yards-after-the-catch gainers.

The YAC factor was huge for Oakland on Sunday, if only because Russell finally began throwing the ball to his receivers rather than at them. This being the Raiders, though, first-round draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey (zero catches) wasn't one of those receivers.

Coach Tom Cable, who was more than a little preachy after the face-saving win, said Russell was overdue for this kind of game.

"I know, OK, we lost the last two weeks and you all wanted to write that we're this or we're that on offense and all that. That's OK. That's your job and I respect that," said Cable, who may hear this week from the Napa County district attorney about whether he'll face charges in the Randy Hanson altercation. Napa DA Gary Lieberstein has promised an update on the case Monday afternoon.

"If you look at the last two weeks, (Russell's) actually thrown the ball much, much better than prior to that," Cable continued. "So it was coming, it was actually coming. I know you don't want to believe that but it's true."

Apparently, wishing will make it so.

Cable's record as the latest struggling Raiders coach in a conga line of failed Al Davis hires is only 6-12. But if his career goes the way of Norv Turner, Art Shell and Lane Kiffin, at least Cable will depart knowing he got a legitimate game out of Russell -- regardless of the distractions that come with posting franchise-worst marks on offense this season and a two-month long legal battle that soon may come to a head.

"Ha, I'm happy we won. But, you've got to know, I love this team and I'm not going to change what I believe in," Cable said. "You know, you live in America for a reason; the process will take care of itself with that other stuff. Enough said."

JaMarcus Russell, Tom Cable Finally Produce an NFL-Worthy Game originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eagles Lay Egg in Defeat to Raiders

Nancy Gay — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Maybe it was all a mirage, that 3-1 record the Philadelphia Eagles built through Week 5 that saw them take down struggling teams such as the Panthers, Chiefs and Buccaneers. Teams with a combined record of 1-14.

You could explain the undefeated New Orleans Saints routing Donovan McNabb and his Eagles by 26 points. But how can coach Andy Reid justify a 13-9 loss to the suddenly empowered Oakland Raiders, a team that came into Sunday's game at a blacked-out Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with the NFL's last-place offense (192 yards per game) and 31st-ranked defense (382 yards allowed per game)?

He didn't.

More: Russell Finally Comes Through | Vick Protesters Flock to Coliseum

"All in all, the Raiders outcoached us and outplayed us, in every phase of the game," said Reid, whose team surrendered 325 yards to a 2-4 Raiders team that had just dropped three consecutive games by at least 20 points for the first time in franchise history. "My hat's off to them; they did a heck of a job and we didn't. It's that simple."

Said right guard Max Jean-Gilles: "We just weren't prepared."

The Raiders had the game's only touchdown when quarterback JaMarcus Russell threw a 10-yard screen to tight end Zach Miller that turned into an 86-yard scoring pass late in the first quarter. Miller ran behind wide receiver Louis Murphy's blocks for the touchdown.

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Philly's terrible showing in Oakland capped a bad day all around for NFC East teams - the Giants were destroyed in New Orleans, while Jim Zorn's flailing Redskins were trounced by previously winless Kansas City.

"All the way around, I thought they did a nice job," Reid repeated when pressed to explain why his supposedly elite team - second in the NFL in points per game (31.8) -- was manhandled so thoroughly by a Raiders' team that played most of the game without All Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (right eye injury).

"I thought they blocked better. I thought they tackled better. I thought they blitzed better. They did it all," Reid said. "They coached better -- No. 1, they coached better."

While it's easy to surmise Philadelphia's pass protection was lacking once massive left tackle Jason Peters limped off the field in the first quarter with a sprained left knee injury -- he did not return and underwent an MRI -- the Raiders seemed to have a blitz package ready that neutralized everything McNabb tried to do.

Pressured by the Raiders' unbalanced pass rush and defensive coordinator John Marshall's blitzes, McNabb completed only 22-of-46 passes for 268 yards and was sacked six times. In four previous games, Philly had surrendered six sacks total.

"It's hard to get the ball out when you've got guys on you," said McNabb, who conceded he had trouble getting the ball to running back Brian Westbrook (six carries, 50 yards) because of the Raiders' attacking defense. But the quarterback tried to shoulder the blame for a loss that no doubt leaves Eagles' fans stunned and Raiders' fans -- some of whom turned out to boo Michael Vick, who was listed as the No. 3 quarterback on Sunday -- elated.

"It's just communication," McNabb explained of his offense's myriad breakdowns. "Obviously, being the quarterback of the offense, making sure the guys understand what they're seeing and being able to block -- I put all the pressure on my shoulders."

"All in all, the Raiders outcoached us and outplayed us, in every phase of the game."
- Eagles coach Andy Reid Besides the indignation of losing to one of the NFL's worst teams, the Eagles also left Oakland with several key players nursing injuries: Peters was joined in the MRI room by linebacker Omar Gaither, who sustained a sprained foot. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri also left with a sprained knee. All three will be further evaluated on Monday, Reid said.

Vick -- who never saw the animal rights activists protesting his appearance in Oakland, where many of his dogfighting pit bulls were sent for rehabilitation -- was in for only two plays and had zero impact on the contest. He lost four yards on a reverse, lined up wide as a receiver. On a play with 35 seconds left before halftime, Vick's last-second entry into the lineup cost the Eagles a 5-yard delay of game penalty.

Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour, who had two sacks, said his team expected to see much more of Vick.

"We were prepared for Vick in the game. And I think he came in and did a little reverse or something like that. We were prepared for the Wildcat, for anything they could do," Seymour said. "Hats off to the coaches this week. I think my head was spinning anyway with all of the things we had in. If you're playing Philly, you've gotta be prepared for everything that they do offensively."

Vick didn't complain about how little he was used, and he said he understood why his presence caused Bay Area animal rights groups to denounce him.

"I'm trying to do the best I can, to help more animals than I hurt," Vick said of the protesters outside the stadium. "I really am trying to move on with my life. But I understand that people want to do that, and I'm still going to try to do the best I can to be the best ambassador in the community I can be."

Oakland's embattled head coach Tom Cable, who is facing the possibility of criminal charges from the Napa County, Calif., district attorney for his role in an alleged altercation with an assistant coach, finally got a laudable effort from a maligned team that the Giants' Antonio Pierce said was little more than a scrimmage opponent.

"Sure, you use it for that reason [for the victory] but as I said to you guys time and time again -- stop looking to write negative things or worry about all the BS," Cable said. "Let's develop a team and an organization that has struggled to win the last few years. You don't just flip a switch and do that overnight. You don't wake up the next day and everything is rosy. There's a process to get there.

"Someone saying we didn't have great leadership offensively last week or whatever that is. So be it. It's still about what goes on between the lines in our locker room and our practice field. It's about us."

And the Eagles were forced to admit they were caught unaware by a Raiders team that overcame a record-setting season of mediocrity with four quarters of playmaking.

"I don't think Jason [Peters] really factored in to the blitzes that they brought," Eagles right tackle Winston Justice said. "They did some things that we weren't really expecting, some stuff that they didn't really show the first couple of games. And we were caught by surprise. But that's what practice is for, and we'll go back to the drawing board and get better from this."

Eagles Lay Egg in Defeat to Raiders originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Vick Protesters Flock to Oakland Coliseum for Eagles-Raiders Game

Nancy Gay — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. -- About 30 animal rights protesters gathered outside the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday, waving signs decrying dogfighting in response to Michael Vick's arrival with the Philadelphia Eagles and drawing mostly praise from Raiders fans entering the stadium.

Oakland has been the happy ending for many of the animals rescued from Vick's dogfighting and gambling operation in Virginia. Ten of the dogs in Vick's pit bull collection -- the ones that could be saved and rehabilitated -- found new lives in San Francisco's East Bay, fostered and treated by the group BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls).

On Sunday, a plane circled the Coliseum, trailing a banner that read "Dog Fighter Go Home! BAD RAP.org" and sign-carrying activists from groups such as In Defense of Animals carried signs that read, "NFL ADD DOGFIGHTING TO YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT."

California animal rights groups had pinpointed this game between the Eagles (3-1) and Raiders (1-4). Last week, representatives from BAD RAP offered Vick an opportunity to visit his former dogs in a setting that would not violate terms of his probation agreement. Vick declined.

The Eagles' controversial quarterback/receiver remained in the visiting locker room throughout the pregame warm-ups, and Philadelphia officials said he did not see or hear the commotion around him, or in the sky above.

Pit bull owner and rescuer Megan Collison, 38, drove four hours south from Albion, Calif. to denounce Vick. "I feel very strongly. I have a pit bull at home and she was abused," Collison said.

She and other protesters withstood some heckling and arguments. Gary Marshall of Turlock angrily debated the seriousness of Vick's crimes with Collison. "What Vick did was mild compared to child molestation," Marshall told her.

Jeff Blagg, 42, from the East Bay city of Martinez, stood in support of the Vick protestors and barked over and over to gain attention outside the stadium. "I am a dog owner!" he said loudly, adding that he is angry to see Vick in Oakland wearing an NFL uniform, even after serving time in federal prison.

"No. He got back too soon," Blagg said. "It bothers me that he's in the NFL, period. That's what bothers me. It doesn't matter where he plays. He's playing too soon."

In the always boisterous Raiders' pregame parking lot, a lone Vick supporter wore an Atlanta Falcons jersey for his guy.

"It's been a little hostile, but it's not too bad," said Charles Wright, 44, a burly tow truck operator from Oakland. "Maybe if the Raiders win a few more games, it wouldn't matter, you know?"

Wright chose a Falcons' Vick jersey, "because I wanted to get the original jersey; this is like a throwback now. So I'm wearing my throwback today."

Why did Wright feel compelled to show his support for an athlete so many people despise? "It's like this: sooner or later you're going to have to forgive the guy anyway," he said. "So you might as well get it out of your system and let him play ball."

On the field, Vick's first action came midway through the first quarter, when he lined up wide as a receiver but lost four yards on a reverse. Kirk Morrison's tackle led to a smattering of dog-barking sounds from fans at the Coliseum, which did not sell out in time to avoid a local television blackout.

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Michael Vick

OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 18: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles hugs head coach Tom Cable of the Oakland Raiders at the end of an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick;Tom Cable

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 18: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders at the end of an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick;JaMarcus Russell

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 18: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on from the bench against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Vick

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Protesters demonstrate an appearance by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Megan Collins, center, joins other protesters demonstrating against an appearance by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 18: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with teammate Michael Vick #7 and JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders at the end of an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 18, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Donovan McNabb;Michael Vick;JaMarcus Russell

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Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick stands on the sidelines during the Eagles game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California, on Sunday, October 18, 2009. (Dan Honda/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

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Megan Collins protests an appearance by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Michael Vick Protesters Flock to Oakland Coliseum for Eagles-Raiders Game originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Beyond Bad

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Redskins, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Yes, he won the game. However, there's no stopping Derek Anderson from showing up high on the list of quarterback controversies every week. Right there with him is the guy Anderson inexplicably beat Sunday despite only completing two of 17 passes -- Trent Edwards. After all, if you can't beat a quarterback who couldn't even complete 12 percent of his throws, who can you beat?

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

We'd all love to believe that a win solves everything. Just get something positive on the left-hand side of that won-loss record, and it's looking up from there.

But when you throw 17 passes and only find your teammates successfully with two of them, it masks nothing, except how hopelessly inept your competition must be. Anderson is no safer or more secure in this job now than he was last week, nor should he be.

Anderson had a performance that fits a 35-0 loss perfectly, but instead gave his team a 6-3 win, Anderson knows that his position is likely not stable. In order to show that he deserves to quarterback this team for the rest of the season, Anderson should consider completing at least a higher percentage of throws than JaMarcus Russell. That would be a good start.

Status update: Hot

Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick

Yeah, remember that 6-3 game Sunday? Edwards was on the other end of that one. Turns out Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was right when he said Edwards was no Carson Palmer. Ryan could have said Edwards was no Jordan Palmer and probably been correct.

Edwards gets to throw footballs to Lee Evans and Terrell Owens, and he has Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch available to run. Seriously, how is this offense so bad? You can blame the line all you want, but when you watch this team, you see plenty of instances where Edwards has time to step up and throw, only to see that he takes a checkdown or holds the ball too long.

Fitzpatrick might not be Carson Palmer, either, but on a team with expectations much higher than 1-4, it's time to start looking for immediate help wherever possible. Including the bench.

Status update: Hot

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

The Raiders need to do something. Yes, they have plenty of other problems besides Russell. However, the organization has to believe that they can put Gradkowski out there and not get as embarrassed as they do by Russell.

At least Russell's quarterback rating is higher than Anderson's. He has that going for him.

Gradkowski is not a star in the making for Oakland. However, every time Russell bounces a pass off the grass, it becomes more and more obvious that he isn't, either.

Unless there is a stunning turnaround on the way, Russell will go down as one of the biggest busts in draft history, despite his enormous physical stature and ability.

Status update: Very Warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

Campbell isn't the problem, but the 2-3 Redskins have played far too easy a schedule to only be 2-3. They can't play winless teams forever.

The times that Collins has played, the team has usually responded well. He's a veteran who knows both this offense and his Redskin teammates very well. If Campbell underperforms against Kansas City Sunday, there could be a push to make the switch. After all, Washington hosts Philadelphia in Week 7, and even if they beat Kansas City, there will be tremendous pressure to take care of business at home and get above .500.

Status update: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Beyond Bad originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Giants' Antonio Pierce: Playing Raiders Felt Like a 'Scrimmage'

Chris Burke — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, Raiders

Week 5's Raiders-Giants game may go down as the biggest mismatch of the entire NFL season. New York led 28-0 without breaking a sweat and cruised to a 44-7 victory against an absolutely pitiful Oakland squad.

And if it looked easy for the Giants -- well, that's because it was. Linebacker Antonio Pierce told Fox Sports' Alex Marvez that last Sunday's game felt like a "scrimmage".

"I do not like knocking teams. But right now, they're struggling. We're playing that game the other day and, honestly, it felt like a scrimmage, like a practice," Pierce said. "It felt like we were going against our offense [in a controlled setting] as far as the tempo."

Pierce, who admitted to growing up a Raiders fan, continued:

"There was no vibe of trying or effort from the Raiders at all from a defensive standpoint against their offense. We're getting three-and-outs. You don't hear nobody [saying], 'Hey, let's go!' trying to pick the guys up, rallying them, getting guys fired up. There was nothing. It was quiet. A guy gets sacked or somebody gets beat, they just get up. It's not like there's yelling or no kind of [emotion] about the way they were playing.

"It was shocking to be out there in that game and get that kind of feeling."

Exactly none of this should come as a surprise. The Raiders are an absolute disaster right now -- from the possible Tom Cable felony assault charges, to the baffling Darrius Heyward-Bey draft pick, to JaMarcus Russell being a bum, there just isn't much for Oakland to cling to at the moment.

Only a Week 2 win over fellow AFC West bottom-scraper Kansas City has kept the Raiders from total meltdown this season (not to mention eliminated the otherwise-real possibility that Oakland would go 0-16).

The Cable situation, for the record, is not going away anytime soon. Despite Cable's insistence that his legal situation is not impacting the team, the results on the field speak otherwise -- Cable faces potential jail time if he's found guilty of assaulting assistant Randy Hanson, and Roger Goodell said Wednesday that Cable could face NFL discipline.

The Russell mess isn't clearing up, either. His $61 million contract runs through 2012, meaning Oakland will continue to force him into the starting lineup, and his backups, Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski, wouldn't offer much relief anyway.

Times are bad in Oakland, and they aren't showing any signs of getting better.

"That organization right now, they need some guidance," Pierce told Fox Sports. "They need somebody to pick them up."

(h/t: GridironFans.com)

Giants' Antonio Pierce: Playing Raiders Felt Like a 'Scrimmage' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: Refs Made Correct No-Call On Redskins' Costly Muffed Punt

Matt Snyder — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Giants, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, Redskins, NFL Referees

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

One week later and we know now that the league is mandating the roughing the passer calls we discussed last week. This past week, we also learned that the league admitted error on the Mike Sims-Walker touchdown we discussed, which should help to relieve some of the tension fans are carrying about a perceived lack of accountability. I was pleased to see the league's admission. Let's get to the reviews for this week.

Antwaan Randle El is contacted by his own teammate while trying to catch a punt -- the Panthers recovered the retained the football in the aftermath. As you can see in the youtube video below, Randle El's teammate was clearly blocked into him by a member of the Panthers coverage unit. Watch and see -- the play begins at the 3:22 mark.

After the game, referee Walt Coleman explained:

"What happened was, the two guys were blocking each other. The Washington guy got blocked into his own man, so there was no interference. All we had to figure out who touched it first. If the Washington player is stationary and just standing there and not trying to block, then he can't do that. If they are both trying to block, then he can knock him into him. Because they were both engaged, then that's why there wasn't a foul or anything wrong with that play. If the Washington player is stationary and just standing there and the Carolina player had come down there and knocked him, then it would have been totally different."

Coleman is referring to a very specific and important part of Rule 10-1-1-Item 1 (it's bolded):

It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to his touching the ball.

From watching the highlight, it is very clear the Redskins player was actively attempting (attempting being the operative word because he was being physically dominated) to block the Panthers' coverage man, so he was not passive in the least. Thus, there is no penalty for kick-catching interference and the officials made the correct call.

For what it's worth, Redskins head coach Jim Zorn now understands the call but stopped short of expressing regret in wasting a challenge on the play.

"It was very difficult at that particular time, he said. "I talked to NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira about that this morning about the rule. I read the paragraph in the rule book which talks about getting the opportunity to have a fair catch. It was explained within that paragraph what the problem was. I could have saved a timeout, but it was worth it for me to challenge. That was a key play in the game. I wasn't going to save a timeout for that. It was my duty, in my mind, to challenge that."

Reader Scott submitted this play for examination:

"On an extra point try (in the Bengals-Ravens game), the ball was snapped wide of the holder and a scramble ensued. Once the ball was recovered by a Ravens player, the play was whistled dead. However, this was all rendered moot because a flag was thrown for illegal procedure, lining up over center. What exactly does that mean and what is the rule? Second, is there ever a time that a defensive team can recover a ball during a point after or two-point conversion and attempt to score?"

First of all, thanks for the submission, Scott. Both parts of the question are cut-and-dry rules, though possibly not known to many fans.

Rule 7-2-2 - During a field-goal attempt or a Kick Try, a Team B player, who is within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap, must have his helmet outside the snapper's shoulder pads.

There could be some confusion here because in high school and all lower levels, you can line up directly over the center, you just have to give him the opportunity to raise his head after the snap before contacting him. The NFL probably just didn't want to deal with judging what a reasonable amount of time was for the snapper to raise his head. Trust me, there are plenty of high school teams who tell their snapper to never raise his head -- then complain he was roughed when someone waits two seconds before trying to break through.

As for the second part of the question ...

Rule 11-3-2c: If the defense gains possession, the ball is dead immediately. The defensive team cannot score during a Try.

The confusion here likely stems from college football, where the defense can return an extra point attempt for two points.

Justin Fargas fumbles as his forward progress is stopped ... or is it? You can check out the video in MDS' post about Darrius Heyward-Bey's blazing speed. Fortunately this play had no bearing on the outcome of the game, as the Giants stomped a mud-hole in the Raiders. The reason I say "fortunately" is because I believe the decision on when to blow the whistle on plays like this is the most difficult thing any official has to do during any given game. Blowing the whistle a millisecond too early or too late could gravely cost either team. If a team believes their ball-carrier was about to break free, it's the fault of the official. If the defense believes they caused a fumble before the progress was stopped, but a whistle was blown, it's the fault of the official.

I actually wrote more in depth about the difficulty of when to blow the whistle last season. I firmly believe this is one of those things where you truly don't know what it's like until you've experienced it (and if you have, you know what I'm talking about).

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: Refs Made Correct No-Call On Redskins' Costly Muffed Punt originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darrius Heyward-Bey Can't Catch, but At Least He's Fast

Michael David Smith — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Draft

The Oakland Raiders shocked everyone this off-season when they made Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey the seventh-overall pick in the NFL draft, and gave him a contract guaranteeing him at least $23.5 million. If you're still not sure why Raiders owner Al Davis fell in love with Heyward-Bey, the explanation is contained in the above video.

We all know that Raiders owner Al Davis loves speed, and in Sunday's game against the Giants, Heyward-Bey showed just how fast he is. After Raiders running back Justin Fargas fumbled, Giants safety C.C. Brown scooped it up, and Heyward-Bey gave chase.

Brown is not a slow man, but Heyward-Bey ran him down easily: Not only did Heyward-Bey catch Brown from behind, but he actually over-ran him and ended up missing him completely. Heyward-Bey ran about 70 yards in the time it took Brown to run about 50 yards.

The play was called back because the officials ruled that Fargas's forward progress had been stopped before he dropped the ball, but the video still wonderfully illustrates what Davis loves about Heyward-Bey: He's really, really fast.

And the fact that this is the first opportunity I've had to write about Heyward-Bey this season wonderfully illustrates what a ridiculous draft choice he was: Heyward-Bey has all of two catches this season, and he's one more example of what a mess the Raiders are. But at least he's fast.

Darrius Heyward-Bey Can't Catch, but At Least He's Fast originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Redefine Awful in 44-7 Loss

Dan Graziano — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, Raiders, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It's easy to believe Tom Cable when he says he's not worried about the possible criminal assault charges that could be coming his way. Honestly, even if he gets arrested, how bad could it be compared to coaching the Raiders?

Unless he's going to be sentenced to watch an endless loop of his team's 44-7 loss to the Giants (or worse, one single replay of Sunday's Bills-Browns game), Cable has to be thinking about heading up to Napa County first thing Monday morning and turning himself in. Because as embarrassing as the Raiders can be off the field in the middle of the week, they show up on Sundays and take humiliation to new, ever-darker levels.

More: Check Box Score | Manning Stellar in Short Appearance

This crime against football the Raiders committed Sunday at Giants Stadium was over before they parked their team bus. The Giants have practices that don't go this well. Seriously, pick the stat you think makes the Raiders look the worst:

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o. How about the 116 total yards and two touchdowns racked up by Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw ... in the first quarter? The one thing the Raiders actually did well in this game was stop Brandon Jacobs from forcing his way through the middle, but when the Giants put in Bradshaw, it was as if he were wearing some sort of magical jersey that made him impossible to see. Or, at least, to tackle.

o. Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell didn't throw any interceptions, but that's mainly because he so rarely got a pass off. He was sacked six times by five different Giants players (Justin Tuck got him twice) and lost three fumbles. All told, he completed eight of his 13 pass attempts for an even 100 yards -- the kind of performance only Derek Anderson could admire.

o. Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who basically didn't practice all week because of a foot injury, wanted desperately to play in this game, and it didn't take long to see why. Manning was 8-for-10 for 173 yards and two touchdowns and didn't even play the entire first half. In a bizarre quirk, this game actually featured three quarterbacks who were once selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and two of them actually played like it. Manning's backup, David Carr, was 9-for-14 for 90 yards in relief and mixed in a 12-yard rushing touchdown while the Raider defense was checking its Twitter feed in the second half.

"Other than our effort on special teams, we just got outplayed on both sides of the ball," Cable said. "I expected more out of us, and we just did not deliver today."

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Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, left, is sacked by New York Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson during the third quarter during of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009 in East Rutherford, N.J. The Giants won 44-7. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 11: James Laurinaitis #55 of the St. Louis Rams returns an interception against the Minnesota Vikings at the Edward Jones Dome on October 11, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** James Laurinaitis

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 11: Tyrell Johnson #25 of the Minnesota Vikings intercepts a pass intended for Keenan Burton #14 of the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 11, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Vikings beat the Rams 38-10. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyrell Johnson;Keenan Burton

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 11: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings rushes against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 11, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Vikings beat the Rams 38-10. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Adrian Peterson

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ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 11: Samkon Gado #35 of the St. Louis Rams rushes against the Minnesota Vikings at the Edward Jones Dome on October 11, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Samkon Gado

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Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed sits on the bench in the closing seconds of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Baltimore. Cincinnati won 17-14. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) scores in the fourth period during the NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Baltimore. Cincinnati won 17 - 14.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb looks skyward after throwing a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during first-quarter action at Lincoln Financial Field, Sunday, October 11, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, left, celebrates with Jason Avant during the second quarter after the Eagles third touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lincoln Financial Field, Sunday, October 11, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Steven M. Falk/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Philadelphia Eagles Jeremy Maclin, right, catches a pass for a touchdown against Tampa Bay Buccaneers Will Allen during first-half action at Lincoln Financial Field, Sunday, October 11, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (David Maialetti/Philadelphia Daily News/MCT)

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Macklin catches a touchdown pass against Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Elbert Mack during first-half action, Sunday, October 11, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Clem Murray/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT)

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These are the words of a man in denial. Effort on special teams? That's the definition of a reach. When that's the only good thing you can say about your team's performance ... well, you're saying everything about your team's performance. And as for the expectations, on what does he base those? This was a complete slaughter from the national anthem on, and it didn't feel all that unusual. More than one Giants player made reference, in the postgame locker room, to the fact that the Raiders are among the NFL's winless teams this year. What's amazing about that is that they're not. They're "only" 1-4. But when you watch them (and, apparently, when you play against them) you can't imagine how it's possible that this team could play an entire 60-minute NFL game and finish with more points than the other team.

"We have to get better from top to bottom," said poor Richard Seymour, who found himself traded to this NFL sinkhole from the Patriots right before the start of the season. And while you've got to admire the sentiment, it's hard to imagine how they can even see the top from the bottom to which they have sunk.

There's simply nothing to like. Russell is a total wreck. He throws the ball into the ground for no good reason, imagining pressure in the rare cases in which he faces none. Their starting running back (Darren McFadden) is out for a month. They don't have a receiver for which you'd trade a backup guard. But even if they were at full strength, it's very difficult to think of Russell as the kind of quarterback who's going to bring stability and turn this thing around.

Asked if he considered taking Russell out of the game, Cable said no.

"I thought the issues were much greater than that today," he said.

On that we can agree. The problem for the Raiders is that this level of brutality isn't new, nor is there any evidence that it's temporary. There are now at least two current generations of NFL fans who can't even remember when "Commitment to Excellence" wasn't a joke. Raiders running back Justin Fargas is the son of Antonio Fargas, the actor who played Huggy Bear in the 1970s TV show "Starsky and Hutch." Other than its kooky owner, that's about the only connection the current Raiders have to a time when the Raiders rated among the league's elite teams.

Asked if he fears his team will start to believe it's just perpetuating more of the same old futility that has defined teams of recent Raider vintage, Cable said, "No, because it's not, and we're not them. It just really takes a few plays here or there to get yourself right again."

Again, though -- denial. There's nothing going on here that "a few plays" are going to fix. These Raiders are a dysfunctional mess whose quarterback is an all-time bust and whose coach could honestly, conceivably, all-joking-aside be arrested for assault any day now. Cable was also asked about that, of course, and he said he wouldn't talk about it.

"I respect the fact that you've got to ask the question, but the process will take care of it," Cable said. "There's 53 guys in that locker room that need me to be strong for them. I will not respond to any of it, I haven't, and when it's all settled and done, you'll see why."

And yet again, this really sounds like denial. Which would fit right in with everything else Cable said about his team and its prospects. That's the nice thing about the Raiders, though. You don't have to listen to what they say. Just watch what they do. Everything they do, on and off the field, is awful. And there's no denying that.

Raiders Redefine Awful in 44-7 Loss originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eli Manning Plays More Than Enough

Dan Graziano — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, Raiders, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The question swirling around the Giants all week was whether Eli Manning would play in Sunday's game against the Raiders. The answer, it turns out, was yes -- even though he really didn't have to, as New York routed Oakland 44-7.

Manning played most of the first half of the "game," completing 8 of 10 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns against a Raiders team that looked as if it would rather have been getting a group root canal, or giving depositions for the Napa Valley district attorney's office. Manning showed no ill effects from the foot injury he suffered a week ago, and with a little more than two minutes left in the first half and the Raiders clearly not trying to win, he came out in favor of backup David Carr.

More: Check Box Score

The Giants got the opening kickoff and ate up the first 8:03 with a methodical drive that saw Manning go 4-for-6 and Ahmad Bradshaw pick up the first touchdown on the ground. They got the ball back with 4:52 left in the first quarter and went 79 yards in a minute and a half, with Manning hitting Steve Smith for a 43-yard pass on the first play and Bradshaw taking it from there.

With 10 seconds left in the first quarter, Manning hit Bradshaw for a 55-yard pass to the Oakland 30-yard line, and he opened the second quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham. Less than a minute later, Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was sacked and fumbled at his own 13, and Manning ended up firing a 9-yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks to make it 28-0.

It was as swift and bloodless as it sounds, and it likely made Giants fans feel a lot more comfortable about the health of their franchise quarterback's foot. And with the game 31-7 in the Giants' favor at halftime, it was more than enough for Manning for one day.

Eli Manning Plays More Than Enough originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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