Raiders doing everything to assure Russell’s failure

By Anthony Carroll  |   Wednesday, November 19, 2008  |  Comments( 28 )

Oakland Raiders
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Cleveland Browns second-year passer Brady Quinn fell 21 spots deeper than Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell in the 2007 NFL draft.

On Monday night, Quinn took his team down the field in 46 seconds to set up a game-winning, 56-yard field goal to top the Buffalo Bills on national television.

Raider fans had to feel a bit of envy. Maybe some regret.

The Browns quarterback, despite failing to put up big numbers, managed to help his team score 29 points in just his second NFL start. Russell’s Raiders, meanwhile, haven’t put up more than 20 points since Sept. 21. In fact, if you add up Russell’s last three starts, Oakland has just barely topped 29 points, putting up 31.

Well, here’s some defense for Russell (and any other future QB Oakland may draft in the Al Davis era) …

If the Raiders took Quinn first overall in that 2007 draft, he’d being having an awful season right now. Russell, wherever he landed, would be having a better one. In short, any QB drafted by Oakland is destined to fail.

The Raiders are currently brewing up the ideal recipe to make the 23-year-old Russell’s career one huge disaster.

Here are the six major ingredients:

• Three coaches in three years: Russell’s in his second season, and NFL pundits are currently in the process of projecting who’ll be his third head coach. Lane Kiffin didn’t work out; Tom Cable is no good; certainly, then, Jim Fassel is the savior. Get used to the coaching carousel, JaMarcus. This is just the beginning.

• Three play-callers in one season: Have to love the consistency. Russell is hearing all types of voices in his head this year. The Raiders have managed to pass the offensive headset three times in two regimes since the start of the season. Actually, there has been a bit of consistency: All three play-callers have been awful. Kiffin: 19 points per game, Greg Knapp: 7 points per game, Cable: 10.5 points per game.

• Wide receiver…less…ness: Not quite sure how to say it, but something about Chaz Schilens emerging as the midseason receiver savior on Oakland’s roster appears as a major problem. Javon Walker (now out for the season) was a $55 million investment who doesn’t like football anymore; Ronald Curry is currently being treated like he pick-pocketed Davis; and, not so surprisingly, Schilens, Johnnie Lee Higgins and Ashley Lelie don’t make for good starting NFL wideouts.

• No mentor zone: Ahhh! The old, wily quarterback every young NFL gunslinger looks up to … Marques Tuiasosopo. Yes, that’s the veteran presence on the Raider sideline this year when it comes to QBs. Can you imagine the conversations Russell, Tuiasosopo and Andrew Walter have on the sidelines? “Man, this franchise has screwed up my career.” “Me too.” “Yep, same here.” Is Kerry Collins a free agent next year?

• An unabashed commitment to O-line stupidity: “Kwame will remain the starter.” “He’s the left tackle of the Oakland Raiders.” Those are some of Cable’s (messenger boy to Davis) most recent comments regarding the team’s left tackle, Kwame Harris. The fifth-year lineman (another great offseason pickup), leads the league in false starts with nine and the team in sacks allowed with seven. In total, Harris has pushed back the Raider offense 117 yards this year. Really? There’s not a single better option for the team at this point?

• Al Davis: I’m attempting to end every article of blame with the dysfunctional owner’s name. So, Al Davis.
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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal ...
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