NFL FanHouse

Cowboys Cruise Past Hapless Raiders

FanHouse Newswire — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) --Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys had their way with the Oakland Raiders, piling up their most yards of the season and getting another solid performance from the defense.

Now comes the big challenge for the NFC East leaders: Keeping it up.

Dallas beat Oakland 24-7 on Thursday for its sixth win in seven games, guaranteeing it will remain atop the division going into the final month. Because Decembers have been such disasters for the Cowboys over the past decade-plus, they can only hope this performance indicates things will be different this season.

"I think we have a lot to prove - just for this season, though,'' Romo said. "I don't think any other season has any bearing whatsoever. For us, it's strictly about right now and this next game. We'll go from there.''

Despite a back injury sustained four days before, Romo threw for 309 yards. He got more than 100 yards receiving from each of his two favorite targets, Miles Austin and Jason Witten, and threw a touchdown to his highest-paid receiver, Roy Williams.

MILES AHEAD: If you need proof of just how uncertain NFL scouting can be, look no further than Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin and his Raiders counterpart, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Austin, an undrafted rookie out of tiny Monmouth, continued his spectacular and surprising season Thursday, racking up seven catches for 145 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' 24-7 win over Oakland. His TD grab was his eighth of the season. On the losing side, Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 pick in last April's draft, hauled in his eighth catch -- matching Austin's season-TD total -- and his first professional TD in his 10th game. -- Read MoreDallas (8-3) also had nice balance with more than 60 yards each from running backs Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Marion Barber.

The defense kept Oakland (3-8) from crossing midfield in the first half, crushing whatever good vibes the Raiders generated by a victory over the division-leading Bengals on Sunday. They got within 17-7 early in the second half on the first career touchdown catch by top draft pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, then hardly threatened again.

"Trying to win two games for us has been like trying to climb Mount Everest,'' cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. "We haven't been able to get any momentum going.''

Coming off two lousy offensive performances, the Cowboys more than made up for it.

They gained 494 yards, sparked by lots of big plays - five of at least 40 yards, and eight of at least 25; no NFL team had done that since New Orleans in October 2006.

Witten had his two longest catches of the season and his first 100-yard outing since last Thanksgiving, and he'd been questionable to even play because of a sprained left foot. Choice had a 66-yard run that was the club's longest since 2006, Jones added a 46-yarder for a touchdown, and Romo was an efficient 18 of 29 with two touchdown passes and no turnovers.

Still, there were things to worry about, like turning all that into only 24 points because of penalties and converting only four of 12 third-down attempts.

"We still have a lot of work to do,'' said Choice, whose big run came out of Dallas' version of the wildcat formation. "A lot of things that we've messed up on we have to get better. We have to stay focused coming into December.''

The defense remains an overshadowed strong point. They went from giving up 68 yards rushing in the first quarter to just 56 the rest of the game, and linebacker Anthony Spencer had his first two sacks of the season. It was especially sweet for him because his predecessor, Greg Ellis, was watching from the Oakland sideline. Ellis made a few plays early but missed the second half because of swelling in his left knee.

Romo is 4-0 in Thanksgiving starts, but this is the time of year his golden touch turns to rust. He is 5-10 after Thanksgiving, counting two playoff losses. Last season, the Cowboys came out of the holiday at 8-4, then went 1-3 and missed the playoffs. The year before, when Dallas went 13-3, two of the losses came in December.

The Cowboys are going to have to earn their way into the playoffs as their final five games are against division leaders New Orleans and San Diego, plus division rivals New York, Philadelphia and Washington.

"I think you put yourself in position well before December,'' Romo said. "You have to maintain a level of consistency, then you raise it up going into January - if you're good enough to do that.''

Austin is one of Dallas' new wrinkles this time around. The Cowboys' 6-1 run coincides with the seven games he's started.

Defenses had done a better job of smothering him in recent weeks, which might've lulled the Raiders into going with single coverage. He responded with seven catches for 145 yards and a 9-yard touchdown.

"I don't think me having a great game means that we're going to have a great game,'' he said. "I would say it is all of us.''

Oakland quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was 18 of 35 for 200 yards and the 4-yard touchdown pass to Heyward-Bey. On that drive, Gradkowski was 5 of 5 for 69 yards, plus a 21-yard scramble, he just couldn't keep it up.

"There were plays out there to be made early on. We didn't make them,'' Gradkowski said. "I take the blame. I missed a couple early throws on that would have given our team energy.''

Oakland's powerful punter Shane Lechler failed in his bid to hit the overhead video board, in warmups or in his nine tries during the game.

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.

Cowboys Cruise Past Hapless Raiders originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heyward-Bey Scores, Austin Dominates

Chris Burke — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cowboys, Raiders

If you need proof of just how uncertain NFL scouting can be, look no further than Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin and his Raiders counterpart, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Austin, an undrafted player out of tiny Monmouth, continued his spectacular and surprising season Thursday, racking up seven catches for 145 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' 24-7 win over Oakland. His TD grab was his eighth of the season. On the losing side, Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 pick in last April's draft, hauled in his eighth catch -- matching Austin's season-TD total -- and his first professional TD in his 10th game.

More: Check Box Score | Game Recap

Heyward-Bey finally scored in the third quarter of Thursday's game, hauling in a 4-yard Bruce Gradkowski pass in the corner of the end zone -- the catch was Heyward-Bey's only one of the day. The rookie took the TD ball to the Oakland sideline with him, where he was congratulated by his teammates.

But DHB's breakthrough paled in comparison to Austin's effort. Austin, who has developed into Tony Romo's favorite target, topped the 150-yard receiving mark for the third time this year -- to put that in context, Austin had just 354 yards receiving in his first three seasons with the Cowboys.

"They were playing man to man and he beat them a lot man to man," coach Wade Phillips said of Austin. "He is hard to cover in bump and run. It was one of those games he was open a lot and we got him the ball."

Austin got his six Thursday when Romo hit him from nine yards out in the second quarter. Austin also had a 49-yard grab in the first quarter, then made two long catches to set up Felix Jones' touchdown run before halftime.

"I don't think me having a great game means that we're going to have a great game," Austin said. "I would say it is all of us."

Heyward-Bey Scores, Austin Dominates originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Bruce Is Loose

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Raiders, 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.

It was a revelation in Oakland Sunday -- the starting quarterback struggled a bit, but didn't make dumb decisions or do more to beat his team than beat the opponent. Instead, he led his team on a late touchdown drive to tie the score, then got a break to pick up the win.

Oakland Raiders: Bruce Gradkowski and JaMarcus Russell

Gradkowski didn't remind anyone of Brett Favre in his performance against Cincinnati Sunday, but he was good enough to win. He didn't destroy his team with countless inaccurate throws or misreads. Instead, he allowed the Raiders to hang in there against a better team (Cincinnati), and he led a game-tying drive in the final minute to draw the game even.

It was something that it is hard to believe Russell could do at this point. Gradkowski played with confidence and poise, while Russell doesn't inspire much of either trait in his teammates.

It's only one game, but the Raiders appear to at least have a nice stopgap in place until they use another high draft pick and $30 million more to solve their lack of a franchise quarterback.

Status update: Warm

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

Yes, this came against the Detroit defense. Quinn threw for over 300 yards, launched some nice deep passes, and led the Browns to five offensive touchdowns. It was something Anderson never came close to doing, and it was easily as good as the Browns have looked.

Of course, Detroit's defense can do that to people.

That said, Quinn threw with poise, he threw long (something he hasn't done much in the NFL), and he looked like an NFL quarterback.

He'll continue to start for the Browns, and maybe they'll win a game or two.

Status update: Warm

Buffalo Bills: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards

Fitzpatrick nearly led the Bills to a road win Sunday in Jacksonville. He found Terrell Owens nine times, including a 98-yard touchdown, and he used his skill position talent to make plays through the air.

Of course, the Bills scored 15 points and lost by a field goal. So there's that.

Fitzpatrick also threw two interceptions, and he blew three chances to get his team in the end zone from close range in the first half. That is a huge reason Buffalo lost the game late, and Fitzpatrick has to get better at executing his team's offense in the red zone.

It was, overall, a good start to the Perry Fewell era. His team played hard, and there is enough positive there to make one think the Bills can rebound and have a respectable finish. That will likely come with Fitzpatrick under center.

Status update: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Bruce Is Loose originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tenacious Raiders Stun Bengals Late

Matt Snyder — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Raiders, AFC North, AFC West

After a physical beatdown of the reigning Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals were riding high. "Just look at their next three opponents," observers proclaimed -- with good reason, as the Bengals were staring at the Raiders, Browns and Lions in succession on their schedule. The three teams had combined for four wins and 23 losses before Week 10, while the Bengals had won seven of eight since their fluky Week 1 loss.

Facing Bruce Gradkowski and the Raiders offense surely shouldn't be a problem for a team that held Ben Roethlisberger in check, right? Well, that's why they play the games.

Oakland scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation to upset Cincinnati, 20-17.

The Bengals jumped on top 14-0 behind two Carson Palmer rushing (that's not a typo) touchdowns.

This is where you have to give Oakland credit. Aside from the most devout of Raider Nation, no one thought Cincy would lose this game. After coughing up two touchdowns, the Raiders could have rolled over and taken the easy way out. Instead, they fought and they fought harder than they have all season.

Behind four takeaways -- seriously, Carson, there's a reason no one ever throws at Nnamdi Asomugha -- the Raiders rallied back. Gradkowski didn't light up the stat sheet, but he found a way to claw his team back in the game. He even shook off a mistake of his own to rebound with a game-tying drive.

With 6:08 left in the game and his Raiders trailing by a touchdown, Gradkowski had a chance to complete Oakland's rally after taking over possession in Cincinnati territory. Instead, he threw an interception on the first play of the drive. But his defense picked him up by forcing the Bengals to punt.

Gradkowski must have wanted more of a challenge. The second time around, he had just 2:12 to work with and the Raiders needed to move 80 yards. They did just that, 79 of those yards coming from Gradkowski's arm. He worked beautifully on the drive and found Louis Murphy in the end zone to tie the game with 33 seconds left.

The game appeared destined for overtime until Andre Caldwell fumbled the ball back to the Raiders on the ensuing kickoff. Already well within the strong-legged Sebastian Janikowski's range, the Raiders kneeled three times and let the Polish placekicker bring the win home. He connected on the 33-yard field goal and the Raiders had upset the Bengals, 20-17.

The Raiders got a nice game from tight end Zach Miller, who caught five passes for 65 yards and a touchdown, but the story was their ball-hawking defense and special teams giving the offense multiple opportunities to win the game.

The Bengals were without leading rusher Cedric Benson, but rookie Bernard Scott filled in admirably with 119 yards on 21 carries (recent addition Larry Johnson had two carries for a measly five yards). Again, though, the major theme here was Cincinnati's inability to hold on to the football -- you can't turn it over four times on the road and expect to beat anyone.

The Raiders will look to keep things going when they travel to Dallas for a Thanksgiving bout with the Cowboys.

The Bengals actually didn't lose any ground in the standings, as every single AFC North team lost on Sunday. So they received a gift. They'll count their blessings and look to take care of business against the Browns at home next Sunday.

Tenacious Raiders Stun Bengals Late originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eagles, Westbrook Wisely Play It Safe

Nancy Gay — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, Raiders, NFL Injuries, NFL Quarterbacks

The best NFL news on Wednesday was that Brian Westbrook will not play this week. He may be your starting running back in your fantasy league, but the Philadelphia Eagles' all-time leader from scrimmage with 9,711 yards also is a man who is recuperating from two concussions in 20 days.

Right now, Westbrook is not just an NFL star. He is a medical patient.

Thankfully, everyone realizes it's time to focus on Westbrook's health and future well-being, and not how he can help move the chains for the Eagles' offense.

The eight-year veteran and former All-Pro met with two doctors on Wednesday who specialize in head trauma, among them Dr. Mark Lovell, the founding director of the groundbreaking University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine concussion program. Westbrook, the athlete and patient, is hoping to get answers.

To his great credit, Westbrook has been admirably proactive in admitting publicly that he is frightened and concerned about the effects of these injuries.

Westbrook sustained his first concussion in an Oct. 26 game against the Washington Redskins. He then missed two games, returned last Sunday against the Chargers in San Diego and suffered another concussion after catching a third-quarter screen pass from quarterback Donovan McNabb and colliding helmet-to-helmet with safety Eric Weddle.

Again -- thankfully -- Westbrook immediately recognized his symptoms. He told coaches he felt "foggy" after the play, and that's why Westbrook did not return, Philadelphia coach Andy Reid confirmed.

This is more good news; Westbrook, Reid and the Eagles were educated enough on the dangers of head trauma to take every precaution for the player's safety. Only a few years ago, NFL players sustained concussions and would return a few plays later. The official diagnosis: "He had his bell rung." Programs like the one at Pittsburgh Medical Center have taught all of us that head trauma in sports often has serious short- and long-term effects on an athlete's health.

Unfortunately, NFL players also consider the occasional concussion an inevitable part of their profession, as The Associated Press learned recently in a survey conducted this month that questioned five players from each of the 32 NFL franchises. Of the 160 players surveyed, 30 told the AP that they had hidden or downplayed the effects of a concussion in order to remain on the field.

Is Westbrook more enlightened than most? Maybe his age (30) and experience are motivating him to think less about his statistics and more about how to avoid becoming permanently brain-damaged by the time he's 31.

The Eagles' team leader now is placing his season, and his career, in the hands and judgment of Lovell, who helped develop the important neuro-cognitive tests that NFL and NHL teams now use to diagnose degrees of head trauma. Perhaps other NFL players will take note -- one of the NFL's biggest stars is willing to walk away from the fame and riches if it means preserving his faculties.

Meanwhile, the Eagles (5-4) are moving forward and giving Westbrook their full support.

"We'll know more on him as the next day or two go on," Reid said. "I talked to him on Monday and he was in a good place. I think he's grateful to have the care that he's had. He seemed to just want to find out what went on with this next (concussion), but he didn't seem rattled."

Rookie running back LeSean McCoy, the former Pitt star, will start Sunday against the Chicago Bears (4-5). Teammates voiced their confidence in McCoy that he will rise to the task, and they expressed their support for Westbrook as he contemplates whether he should take the football field again.

"As a friend and teammate, the only thing we can do is pray for him right now," McNabb said, "and have in our minds that whatever decision Brian makes, it will be the best decision for him. We'll continue to support him."

Anyone who has enjoyed and admired Westbrook's talent and his career should be rooting for an outcome that ensures he will remain healthy and active for as long as possible -- off the football field, not on it.

Raiders Finally Bench Russell

Wednesday's news that Raiders coach Tom Cable had decided to bench struggling quarterback JaMarcus Russell and go with journeyman reserve Brad Gradkowski as the starter for now is remarkable for this reason: it showed Cable is doing what's best for the 2-7 franchise by getting hands-on owner Al Davis to agree with him about the move.

In fact, Cable said there wasn't even give-and-take with Davis on the decision to make Russell a No. 2.

"No, no. He left this up to me; this is my decision," Cable said of Davis. "We talked about it and he supported it."

Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, has been yanked by Cable in two of the Raiders' past three games as the quarterback's performances and decision-making ability steadily regressed. It's been painful to watch, and crippling to the Raiders' organization.

Russell's completion percentage this season is 46.8; he's thrown nine interceptions and lost five fumbles. And while the Raiders drafted Russell out of LSU hoping he would replicate his deep ball talent at the NFL level, that simply hasn't happened -- according to STATS LLC, in Russell's third pro season, he has completed only 2 of 34 passes of 20 yards or longer, for a total of 85 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.

Russell was not present when Raiders reporters had locker room access on Wednesday. His head coach said Russell was disappointed, as is to be expected. But Cable also said he firmly believes that Russell is the future of the Raiders' franchise, even though he will be a No. 2 on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"This is in no way giving up on the guy," Cable said. "This is just trying to jump-start this team and really break it down and make a decision based on what gives us the best chance to win."

Eagles, Westbrook Wisely Play It Safe originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Finally Bench JaMarcus Russell

Nancy Gay — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

Wednesday's news that Raiders coach Tom Cable had decided to bench struggling quarterback JaMarcus Russell and go with journeyman reserve Brad Gradkowski as the starter for now is remarkable for this reason: It showed Cable is doing what's best for the 2-7 franchise by getting hands-on owner Al Davis to agree with him about the move.

In fact, Cable said there wasn't even give-and-take with Davis on the decision to make Russell a No. 2.

"No, no. He left this up to me; this is my decision," Cable said of Davis. "We talked about it and he supported it."

Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, has been yanked by Cable in two of the Raiders' past three games as the quarterback's performances and decision-making ability steadily regressed. It's been painful to watch, and crippling to the Raiders' organization.

Russell's completion percentage this season is 46.8; he's thrown nine interceptions and lost five fumbles. And while the Raiders drafted Russell out of LSU hoping he would replicate his deep ball talent at the NFL level, that simply hasn't happened - according to STATS LLC, in Russell's third pro season, he has completed only 2 of 34 pass attempts of 20 yards or longer for a total of 85 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.

Russell was not present when Raiders reporters had locker room access on Wednesday. His head coach said Russell was disappointed, as is to be expected. But Cable also said he firmly believes that Russell is the future of the Raiders' franchise, even though he will be a No. 2 on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"This is in no way giving up on the guy," Cable said. "This is just trying to jump-start this team and really break it down and make a decision based on what gives us the best chance to win."

Raiders Finally Bench JaMarcus Russell originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raiders Extend Stadium Lease to 2013

Nancy Gay — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:46:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Raiders

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders have decided they like the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum enough to reach a tentative agreement to remain there through the 2013 season.

The Raiders' lease with the Oakland/Alameda County Coliseum Authority was set to expire at the end of the 2010 season. Considering the city of San Francisco and the South Bay city of Santa Clara have been offering stadium locations and are competing for the 49ers' services, the future home of Al Davis' franchise was very much in question.

While the lease agreement must still be formally approved by the Joint Powers Authority, the City of Oakland, the County of Alameda and the NFL, it's a foregone conclusion that the Raiders -- love 'em or hate 'em -- aren't going anywhere. At least for the time being.

More Coverage: Raiders Finally Bench JaMarcus Russell

This is good news for Raiders fans who may have been wondering whether the franchise might bolt again for Southern California by accepting the standing offer from billionaire developer Ed Roski to take up residence in his planned 75,000-seat, $800 million stadium that already has received Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval.

Raiders CEO Amy Trask negotiated the lease extension with supervisor Scott Haggerty, chair of the Joint Powers Authority, and Ignacio De La Fuente, Vice-Chair of the Authority and an Oakland city council member.

Trask also made it clear the groups are collaborating on some sort of project that may eventually replace the aging multi-purpose Coliseum, which opened in 1966 and also is home to the Oakland A's.

"We enjoy a productive working relationship with the city, the county and the Joint Powers Authority and we enjoy collaborating with them on many issues," Trask said in a prepared statement. "Both supervisor Haggerty and councilmember De La Fuente have discussed some exciting concepts with us - exciting for the Raiders, the Raider Nation, the community and the region - and we look forward to further pursuing these ideas."

Haggerty said the extension agreement is important to both the Raiders and the Bay Area during a time of economic uncertainty. Every Bay Area professional sports franchise, with the exception of the San Francisco Giants and their privately funded AT&T Park and the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion, is seeking new stadium facilities to replace archaic, aging facilities, and all have been targeted by other markets for relocation.

"This agreement is a milestone in our improved working relationship with the team," Haggerty said in a statement. "There are many uncertainties in Bay Area sports and during these tough economic times, we hope that this agreement will help us build on the great Raiders tradition in the East Bay."

Said De La Fuente, "Our agreement with the Raiders to extend the existing agreement will allow us to begin working on long-term plans to provide an East Bay home for the Raiders for many years to come."

Raiders Extend Stadium Lease to 2013 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: JaMarcus Russell May Keep Starting Job in Oakland

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, 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.

How would you feel if you were an ineffective starter who may only keep his job one more week because the backup is injured? Worse, what if you were so bad that you lost your job to a guy who was injured? Well, Oakland's JaMarcus Russell may be on the verge of finding out how that feels.

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Russell has been nothing short of miserable this season, completing just 46 percent of his throws over his first nine starts. The Raiders are 2-7, have no playoff hope, and they stand just a mathematical chance of finishing even close to .500.

Things are so bad in Oakland that they're considering giving the start Sunday to Gradkowski, who has a career passer rating of 58.7 and threw two picks in just nine passes last week against Kansas City. Oh, and he's injured, battling a hamstring strain.

It's entirely conceivable that Russell could actually keep his job only because his backup is dinged up. It would be the perfect way to continue this amazing string of futility by the former No. 1 overall pick.
Status update: White-hot

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

Quinn was awful Monday night, but let's face it: He didn't get any help. The Browns can't run the ball, they don't have any great playmakers on the perimeter, and they can't figure out ways to get their best player -- Joshua Cribbs -- the ball more often. Seven touches in 61 offensive plays doesn't seem like enough for Cribbs, especially when only one of those touches came on a reception.

The Browns have to solve that issue (assuming Cribbs is going to play after that nasty shot he took at the end of the game), and they have to convince Quinn that it's okay to throw a 40-yard bomb and give someone a chance to make a play -- even if the odds are against them. One thing should be clear by now, and that is that Anderson will only return if Quinn gets hurt. It would be a huge error for coach Eric Mangini to overreact and go back in that direction, though anything is possible.
Status update: Very warm

Buffalo Bills: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards

Perhaps a coaching change will turn the Bills around. On the other hand, the quarterback situation there seems to dictate that any coach will fail in Buffalo. Perry Fewell isn't going to magically make either of these guys any good, and he's not going to suddenly revamp a moribund offense into something passable. The Bills, despite their skill-position personnel, are a failure on that side of the ball. Fewell might rescue them from the abyss, but he's not going to get the offense averaging 25 points a game at the snap of a finger.

For now, it appears Fitzpatrick is the starter. That doesn't appear to be a bad call, given the situation and the competition he faces. However, Edwards could very easily end up playing again, as it's not like Fitzpatrick lit the world on fire while Edwards was out.
Status update: Very warm

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore
Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins
Tennessee Titans: Vince Young and Kerry Collins

These guys are listed together because the starters are all playing pretty well right now after having been listed here earlier in the season. It doesn't mean they won't show up in the crosshairs again, but it looks like there are at least some teams who have answered questions at the quarterback position, whether it was by making a change or avoiding the great temptation to do so.

Pocket Presence: JaMarcus Russell May Keep Starting Job in Oakland originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Discipline Unlikely for Tom Cable

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:35:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders, NFL Coaching

It's been a rough season for the Oakland Raiders. Not only is the team as bad as, well, usual, but head coach Tom Cable has found himself stuck in a controversy himself.

After he was cleared of any criminal charges after an assistant coach accused him of assault, an ex-wife and ex-girlfriend accused Cable of physical abuse. It appears Cable is going to catch another break on this latest issue.

Mariotti: Pull the Plug on Cable Guy, Commish

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that Cable is not likely to face discipline from the NFL over the abuse allegations.

However, the league has directed Cable into a clinical evaluation process to determine whether further action is necessary due to conditions such as anger management or substance abuse.

There have been no criminal charges filed by either accuser, so while the league reserves the right to investigate and punish independently of the authorities, it seems like they're going to stay away from Cable.

Of course, none of this could mean anything at the end of the season. Certainly, the team is bad enough to justify another coaching change, and owner Al Davis simply has to decide if he can drum up enough evidence to fire Cable and not pay the rest of his contract.

Report: Discipline Unlikely for Tom Cable originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Browns Complete Quarterback Cycle

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Browns, Raiders, Redskins, 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.

After weeks of embarrassing, historic, and somewhat hysterical futility under the guidance of Derek Anderson, the Cleveland Browns have finally completed their quarterback cycle.

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

Quinn gets the start Monday night, as the Browns host Baltimore. He has virtually no shot at contractual incentives now that Anderson has started so much of the season, so Quinn is just playing for the job now. Yes, the Browns are horrible, but there is still significance to these games. Cleveland is not a playoff team, but it needs to figure out what it have in Quinn, and whether or not he can be the Browns' guy moving forward.

Baltimore is probably not the best opponent for him to face in his first start back, but the Ravens aren't quite as dangerous on defense as they used to be. Quinn is likely to face a solid assortment of blitz and coverage packages, so we'll find out quickly if he has a chance to make things work.

He sure didn't play very well over his first three starts this season, but he didn't get a lot of help either, and he still managed to be far superior to Anderson.

Now that the Browns have gone full-circle this season, it's up to Quinn to show head coach Eric Mangini enough to retain the gig for the last eight games.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

As the Raiders come off their bye week, it will be interesting to see how much rope head coach Tom Cable gives Russell. At 2-6, there's no question the Raiders qualify as one of the truly bad teams in the NFL. They don't have anything to lose at this point, so why stick with Russell just because he makes a lot of money?

Gradkowski may not be anything special, but it's hard to imagine he leaves the team in a worse position than Russell has. When the Raiders host Kansas City this Sunday, it's one of the rare times they'll have a better record than their opponent. If Russell can't figure out a way to keep them in the game, look out.

Status update: Warm

San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith and Shaun Hill

Smith got his second start of the season against Tennessee Sunday, and he did a respectable job. He showed a willingness to throw downfield more, which was needed in an offense that had become somewhat stagnant in recent weeks.

Where Smith showed the most need for improvement was in ball security. He threw three picks in the loss, and spent a bit too much time locking down on receivers, a huge no-no in the NFL. Smith did enough in these last two losses, though, to keep himself secure. Of course, if he continues to struggle with turnovers, coach Mike Singletary may be forced to do something.

Status update: Warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

No, Campbell didn't come out of the game at Atlanta because he stunk -- even though he did stink. Again.

Instead, Campbell was banged up by the Falcons' pass rush, and Collins took over for a time, throwing five passes (completing four) for 12 yards.

Even though the Redskins are well on their way to the tank, it's hard to imagine they'd make this move. Were Collins a promising quarterback for the future, they'd do it almost immediately. Instead, he's on the downside of his career, and there's no point in benching Campbell, because it's not like Collins is good enough to lift this team back into contention.

Status update: Cool

Tennessee Titans: Vince Young and Kerry Collins

Young has been very good over his two starts. He's made pretty good decisions, thrown much more effectively than he did last year, and it seems the Titans have rallied around him.

Barring injury, the job has to be his from here on in.

Status update: Cool

Pocket Presence: Browns Complete Quarterback Cycle originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: Know Your Surroundings

Matt Snyder — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, Saints, Texans, 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.

This past week of NFL play was relatively quiet in terms of complaints about the officiating. Note I said "relatively," because there are always a bevy of complaints -- many warranted and many ridiculously unwarranted. We know that. Regardless, we're still here to sift through some of the more intriguing rules-type interpretations, so let's dive in.

- A loyal reader (Dave B.) submitted this question on a play that caused a bit of a scrap on the Falcons' sideline:

"I was hoping you might take a look at the late hit by LaRon Landry in the 'Skins-Falcons game. I've tried to look at it, and it seems that Matt Ryan hadn't stepped out of bounds yet (his body was over the line, but neither of his feet had touched) when Landry made contact with him. If that were true, isn't Ryan still technically in bounds? The hit did seem pretty unnecessary, but wasn't against the rules if Ryan's foot hadn't touched yet."

Watch the play in this highlight package, it starts at the 1:09 mark.

This is one of the tougher judgment calls officials have to make, especially in full-speed and in a split-second. Here is the portion of the rule (12-2-8, p. 82) which applies here.

"(Unnecessary roughness includes ... ) contacting a runner out of bounds. Defensive players must make an effort to avoid contact. Players on defense are responsible for knowing when a runner has crossed the boundary line, except in doubtful cases where he might step on a boundary line and continue parallel with it."

This is a part of the rules constantly taught to lower-level officials in clinics by the NFL guys. At every level, it is the responsibility of the defender to avoid contact on a player entering the end zone is clearly going out of bounds. In the case of Ryan, there was no danger of him cutting back into the field of play. When someone is slowing down and clearly looking straight out of bounds and heading that way, the defenders need to avoid contact. He's not cutting back and staying in bounds, so just let him run out. It harms no one.

This call becomes extremely tough when a player isn't necessarily showing signs of wanting to go out and may still make a cut up-field. It's all discretionary, but the rules of football are very clear in that the burden is on the defensive player to know his surroundings.

In this specific case, I don't even think there's a question that Ryan was clearly headed straight out of bounds -- and was already there -- by the time Landry hit him.

- In the Colts-Texans game, Ryan Moats is tackled just shy of the end zone and the ball comes loose. Upon further review the officials rule that it was a fumble and the ball was never out of bounds. You can watch the play by clicking here and watching at the 35-second mark and beyond. There are several elements here that must be reviewed.

First of all, was it a fumble? It does appear the ball is coming loose before a knee hits the ground. Was it conclusive? I think so, but others may have a different opinion.

Secondly, was any player out of bounds when touching the ball -- even if he doesn't have possession? If so, the ball is dead. You might think the ball was definitely touching Moats when he was out of bounds, but was he legally out of bounds? I point you to the definition of being out of bounds (rule 3-21, p. 11), where it says that someone -- or the ball -- is out of bounds when touching "anything other than a player, an official or a pylon on or outside the boundary line." That means that, since Moats was laying on top of Antoine Bethea, he was not out of bounds when he crossed the sideline.

From the Texans' point of view, they don't seem to be questioning the part about Moats being out (though that's the main complaint of fans). They have offered up that they believe Bethea -- who was definitely on the ground and out of bounds -- touched the ball. There are some still photos and an argument that Bethea touched the ball when he was out of bounds contained in this linked article. We've included a poll to let us know what you think, and feel free to drop comments. This was a very close one.

- As I've said before, you can't exactly trust announcers to know the rules. We can add former-Super-Bowl-champion-coaches-turned-announcers to that list. During the fourth quarter, the Saints punted the ball near their own end zone. A member of the Saints' coverage team accidentally ran into the end zone, but got himself back out before touching the ball. It was downed on the one. "He can't be the first one to touch that!" Brian Billick screamed. Um, Brian, yes he can. It's not the sideline. Here is the only stipulation involving coverage team contact with the goal line on a punt (rule 9-2-2, p. 63):

Item 2: If a player of the kicking team touches the goal line with any part of his body while touching the ball, the ball is dead, and the result of the play is a touchback.

He doesn't even have to get both feet established, as play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman tried to tell Billick. Just don't be touching the goal line with anything.

- Reader James G. submitted this question. In the Raiders-Chargers Week 8 game, there was a questionable play followed by a false start. After the five-yard penalty was marked off, there ended up being a challenge. The simple answer to the question, "how can you challenge the previous play after a false start" is precisely that a false start doesn't constitute an actual play. It's not a play. So there still hasn't been a play run since the questionable (and still reviewable) play. Of course, James didn't make it easy on me. He asked a legitimate question as a follow up. What if the play is reversed and the spot is changed? Would the false start still be assessed? I searched through the entire enforcement and instant replay sections of the rulebook and found absolutely nothing resembling direction on this question. I have no idea. I would guess that the penalty is not assessed and is simply ignored because they altered the previous result, but that's just an educated guess. Well, as educated as you consider me, at least.

- Vikings fans/Steelers haters, there was a tripping call on Arizona in the Bears-Cardinals game for the exact same action as was called on Minnesota in Pittsburgh a few weeks back. Seriously, it was like the lineman was trying to emulate Jeff Dugan by whipping both legs back up at the leaping defender. What happened there? Was this game fixed, too? Are the Bears "stealers," too?

- Finally, in that same game, Tommie Harris was ejected for punching a Cardinals lineman in the first quarter. This was an absolute no-brainer. Good decision by Ed Hochuli.

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: Know Your Surroundings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As Raider Nation Turns: Latest on Cable

Chris Burke — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Raiders

As the NFL continues its investigation into Tom Cable's past and his incident with former Oakland assistant Randy Hanson, the situation in Oakland has become tenuous at best.

It might get messier still. Yahoo's Jason Cole, citing a source familiar with the case, reported that the Raiders plan to cooperate with the NFL's investigation of Cable because "Oakland owner Al Davis is hoping to gather enough information to fire Cable with cause at the end of the season so that Davis doesn't have to pay Cable."

Cable, who went 4-8 as Oakland's interim head coach last season, was officially named head coach in the offseason and given a two-year contract with two additional option years.

Blackistone: Suspending Cable Good for Everyone, Including Him

Earlier Tuesday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that the NFL had begun evaluating whether Cable required mandatory counseling. According to Mortensen, the evaluation process, which falls under the umbrella of the NFL's strict personal conduct policy, was focusing on Cable's training-camp skirmish with Hanson.

Hanson alleged that Cable broke his jaw during a fight at the team's Napa, Calif., training camp headquarters. A police investigation into the matter ended on Oct. 22 when Napa district attorney Gary Lieberstein announced that no charges would be filed against Cable.

Less than a month later, a report on ESPN's Outside the Lines included allegations from both Cable's first wife and his recent girlfriend that Cable had physically abused them during their relationships. Shortly thereafter, Cable released a statement that admitted he had slapped his ex-wife, Sandy.

And while the NFL's main focus appears to be on the Cable-Hanson incident, NFL.com's Jason La Canfora points out that the personal conduct policy allows for further investigation of Hanson's past as well. The Raiders have already said that they will engage in a "serious evaluation" of the physical abuse claims against Cable. The National Organization for Women (NOW) called for Cable's immediate suspension following the Outside the Lines segment.

"This is the National Football League. Boys and girls around the country, as well as many women, look to the leaders of the NFL as our role models," NOW president Terry O'Neill said to the Associated Press. "Why would the NFL tolerate having a man who admits to having battered his wife."

On top of all of this, there is still the possibility that Cable could face disciplinary action -- a suspension or fine -- from the NFL, despite the lack of criminal charges.

As Raider Nation Turns: Latest on Cable originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

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)

Getty Images

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

Getty Images

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)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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

NFL on Twitter

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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