Raiders rant: Six simple tasks to get done

By Anthony Carroll  |   Tuesday, July 03, 2007  |  Comments( 44 )

Oakland Raiders
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In exactly 10 weeks, the NFL's two worst franchises from 2006, the Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions, will suit up and compete to earn their first win of a new season.

For the Raiders, who generated an awful 246.2 yards per game last year, the first week of the regular season has become a recent nightmare. Oakland hasn't taken a first-week win home since 2002, the year it fell in the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-21.

With 70 days between now and Week 1 of the regular season, here's six quick chores for 32-year-old head coach Lane Kiffin and the Raiders to get done.

Find, and follow, an offensive captain

Who was the Raiders' offensive leader in 2006? Probably...um...Ronald Curry? In the midst of a 2-14 campaign, the Raider offense completely lost its identity last season, and it's just now starting to very slowly get it back. The 11-man crew needs nothing more than a dynamic leader to step to the fore and give some direction to a struggling, lackluster offense. Enter, JaMarcus Russell.

Tell Gallery where to go and stay, for good

Robert Gallery, 26, is entering his fourth season in the NFL. Still, nobody knows his true position. Gallery has seen action at right tackle, left tackle and guard over the past three seasons, and he has found a way to disappoint each time. Kiffin and offensive line coach Tom Cable need to put No. 76 in one slot -- right tackle or either of the guard positions -- and leave him there. If he fails again, then the experiment is over, at last.

Cut Alvis Whitted, finally

Oakland currently houses 14 wide receivers. Ten of them are taller, 12 are bigger and all are younger. Whitted, 32, is the player who just won't go away. Let's see Will Buchanon.

Show Nnamdi Asomugha the dotted line

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Asomugha is set to rake in $730,000 next season. If the soon-to-be-fifth-year cornerback repeats his '06 performance (50 tackles, eight interceptions and 11 passes defensed), that generous figure could very likely turn into $7.3 million. Team owner Al Davis knows the value of tall, proven cornerbacks in the NFL, and he should lock his best one up before another team does.

Build around the rookie

Oakland's new-look offense could use a reliable anchor, and it may have found one a few months ago in the draft. This time, though, we're not talking about JaMarcus Russell. Instead, second-round pick Zach Miller, a tight end from Arizona State, could very well serve as the team's top pass-catching target next season. The 6-5, 259-pounder hauled in 144 passes for 1,512 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Sun Devils and has earned the nickname "The Truth" over his football career. Kiffin can only hope his stat line indeed tells the truth.

Forget Randy Moss

Done.

Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for RealFootball365.com, can be contacted at acarroll@realfootball365.com.
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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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