Morning Report: The Raiders are rotten
The Oakland Raiders once were an NFL power. Now they're a laughingstock on the way to being a disgrace.
The Oakland Raiders once were an NFL power. Now they're a laughingstock on the way to being a disgrace.
They've gained the fewest yards in the league and their 42 points all season are six fewer than Chicago scored yesterday afternoon.
The players who wear the once-fearsome silver and black are lucky to be 1-3 and have the Giants (4-0), the Eagles (2-1) and the Jets (3-1) up next.
Worse, they don't seem to have anyone who can take charge. It was Greg Ellis - a defensive end - who huddled up the struggling offense on the sideline in the first half of a 29-6 loss to Houston.
Why in the world would a defensive player in his first season with the team be rallying the offense?
Cam Inman of the Contra Costa Times offers the following answers:
"Because quarterback JaMarcus Russell hasn't shown the willingness to do so in between his erratic passes.
"Because running backs Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are too young and combined for just 7 yards rushing yesterday.
"Because the young wide receivers are too busy dropping passes - nine, by the head coach's count.
"Because the offensive line is a jumbled mess without veteran guard Robert Gallery (broken leg)."
And maybe because the head coach is too busy having fights with his assistants to rally the team.
Fast start. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, making his first NFL start, hit 14 of his 22 attempts for 115 yards, one touchdown and (significantly) no interceptions against the Bills.
But just as important as those very acceptable numbers, Henne provided a veteran presence that coach Tony Sparano said he felt throughout.
"I loved his look during the game," Sparano told the Miami Herald. "It was tremendous."
Henne, a second-year pro who starred for Michigan, began his football career at Wilson High in West Lawn, Berks County.
He's the second active NFL signal caller from Wilson. Kerry Collins of Penn State and the Tennessee Titans also went to the PIAA power.
Henne eschewed any credit for the victory.
"Everybody made plays," Henne said. "Everybody deserves credit for this win."
Awesome stat. Cleveland's Shaun Rogers blocked both an extra-point try and a 23-yard field-goal attempt in the Browns' 23-20 overtime loss to resurgent Cincinnati (3-1).
Rogers now has 13 career blocked field goals and two blocked PATs.
Noteworthy. San Francisco scored touchdowns via special teams, offense and defense in a 35-0 win over St. Louis, accomplishing the feat for the first time since Nov. 10, 1997, in a 24-12 win over the Eagles at Veterans Stadium. The Rams (0-4) lost their 14th straight, the longest skid in the NFL. . . . Indianapolis raised its regular-season winning streak to 13 with a 34-17 victory over Seattle. . . . New Orleans beat the Jets, 24-10, to go 4-0 for the first time since 1993. . . . Randy Moss' 14-yard TD grab in New England's 27-21 win over Baltimore was his 137th, breaking a tie with Marshall Faulk and moving into sixth place in NFL history.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.