The problems of Lane Kiffin, 2007 edition

By Os Davis  |   Wednesday, January 02, 2008  |  Comments( 23 )

Oakland Raiders
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Last week, this space was filled with points of pride for head coach Lane Kiffin in his first year with the Oakland Raiders. At the risk of being labeled a "Hater," I'll take this week's column to consider the non-sources of pride for Kiffin - one of this writer's new favorite NFL coaches - and the 2007 Raiders.

The defense, in general. Wrote Anthony Carroll last Thursday: "For the third consecutive season, Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has his back to the wall. ... This time around, though, Ryan may not feel so uncomfortable. The 45-year-old coach is in jeopardy of losing his job for the third consecutive season."

Well, why not? While over in Green Bay, Mike McCarthy and Bob "The Coach Not the Player" Sanders have created one of the league's top-10 defenses in essentially two seasons, the Raiders 'D' again underwhelmed expectations to a soundtrack of spinning wheels.

Statistically speaking, Oakland ranked 22nd in yards allowed per game, in an area of the table nearby the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers; in most other categories, too, the Raiders occupy the nether regions. Worst of all was the team's performance against the big play, with the Raiders allowing the league's second-worst yards per play average of 5.7.

While young guys like Nnamdi Asomugha, Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison impressed, Warren Sapp was fairly disappointing after creating such buzz in the preseason with his faster, leaner look. Sapp may be brilliant in the locker room, but most of his best performances on the field came after Week 10 and the Raiders' virtual elimination.

Kiffin's "work" with JaMarcus Russell. I'm still conflicted about this one: Last week, I reckoned that Kiffin had won the battle and the war against the rumored insistence of Al Davis (no relation) to play Russell at all costs despite his lack of preparedness. Victory in the head game goes to Kiffin, to be sure, but next season the coach may still be paying for Russell's inexperience.

The reality is that, by sitting for about 89 percent of game time this year, 2008 will essentially serve as Russell's rookie season in the NFL. Anyone who saw some of his work in the season-concluding Chargers game observed tons of raw talent, but little awareness.

With lots of hard work this summer (and here's betting Kiffin will resemble a hungover drill sergeant going through a messy divorce in his treatment of Russell), however, this incredibly skilled QB could turn in a heck of a "rookie" season.

But he'll still be a rookie, and that will delay the Raiders' glorious future just that little bit longer.

The wide receivers. Can you say "nonexistent"? As an unnamed media member at Kiffin's final press conference of the season put it, Oakland has no "true vertical receiver." After turning in a dominating performance in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions with 10 catches, Ronald Curry faded from the radar until essentially an afterthought by season's end. And the Raiders' offensive MVP, Jerry Porter, has now opted out of his contract.

(Now what happened to that Randy Moss guy, again ...?)

Kiffin answered a question at the last media meet with optimism, blowing past Porter's contributions as though to indicate the free agent wouldn't be back and going on to promise that he had "a good plan of how [Curry] is going to improve and what he needs to do to get better because we expect him to have a big year next year."

And then there's Johnnie Lee Higgins, whom the Raiders "tried [...] a little bit but not as much as we would like and part of that is our fault, we didn't give him enough opportunities to show that so we have high expectations for him to fill that role for us and obviously we will go looking in other places as well."

Now that Oakland's 2007 season is in the books, it is this optimism and enthusiasm for the future currently demonstrated by Kiffin that will keep the Raider Nation likewise during the long offseason. Losing record or no, Kiffin's belief is infectious, making this writer at least believe that these negatives are erasable, that Oakland's improvement is inevitable. More power to him.

And by the way, coach, a bit of advice: Take heads. It always wins.

Always looking on the bright side of life at RealFootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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CommentsComments: 23  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
timbrown4ever		05:35 AM
01/02/2008
Well, lets be honest, the MVP of our offense this season, was not Jerry Porter. It was Justin Fargas. He did a great job in...
No.2
The Shape		05:45 AM
01/02/2008
Personally I'm happy that Ryan got the axe, J.Porter can leave also. Asomugha will be franchised, so don't think your going...
No.3
GT		10:15 AM
01/02/2008
If nnamdi wants top money I say go after asante samuel. One solid year (last year) in my opinion doesn't justify top status....
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