The one glaring problem was my Mountain Mike's Pizza friend Robert Gallery getting beat on the Raiders' second series for a sack. Offensive Coordinator Tom Walsh can help him by installing three-step drop passes. But if the Raiders insist on force-feeding the deeper drops, it's going to be a long season for Gallery and The Oakland Raiders.
Game video:
NFL.com wire reports
CANTON, Ohio (Aug. 6, 2006) -- All Art Shell asked to see in his first game back as coach of the Oakland Raiders was some progress.
He got that, and strong placekicking by Sebastian Janikowski in a 16-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles as the NFL preseason began with the Hall of Fame Game.
Oakland forced five turnovers and Janikowski made field goals of 50, 51 and 24 yards.
"Coming up with turnovers was huge tonight," Shell said. "They are reacting to the ball."
Shell was rehired a dozen years after being fired as Oakland's coach. His mission: bringing back the glory of the franchise for which he was a Hall of Fame tackle.
In front of former Raiders coach John Madden, who was enshrined Aug. 5, Shell got off to a winning start.
"It feels really good to be back," Shell said. "And getting a win is huge, because no matter if it is preseason, everybody wants to win. Playing in this game, with Coach Madden inducted, it was very much a good thing."
Philadelphia's David Akers set a game record with a 55-yarder in the second quarter. And the Eagles' first-stringers were solid on both sides of the ball.
"It was good that the offense got a chance to get out there and get things rolling," Donovan McNabb said. "I felt healthy, so it's an exciting time right now."
Eagles RB Bruce Perry was carried off on a stretcher with 1:14 remaining, his head immobilized. He was tackled by rookie Timi Wusu on a running play. Players from both sides stood silently or kneeled in prayer before Perry was removed. Perry gave a thumbs-up as he was wheeled to an ambulance and taken to a hospital.
Eagles coach Andy Reid said Perry had a concussion and a team spokesman added X-rays of Perry's neck were negative. A CT scan also was normal and the team expected Perry to accompany it back to Pennsylvania.
"He had some loss of feeling in his arms and legs initially and the feeling started to come back," Reid said. "I don't know how far along he is now."
Brian Westbrook carried the Eagles into the end zone early, but the Raiders laughed last.
In his one-series series, Donovan McNabb hit all three passes for 29 yards on a 61-yard drive that ended with Brian Westbrook's 1-yard touchdown run. McNabb is returning from sports hernia surgery that cut short his 2005 season, a major reason the Eagles finished 6-10.
"We came with a different attitude," McNabb said. "This is something that's serious for us. We were prepared to come out and have a good showing."
Westbrook, coming back from a foot sprain that cost him the final four games of 2005, had 32 yards rushing and a 14-yard reception in his short night.
"I think as an offensive unit, we're out there trying to prove we can run the ball," Westbrook said. "We've certainly committed a lot of time to the running game and we did it out there in the first preseason game."
The Eagles made Oakland's starting defense look leaky in taking the 7-0 edge, and the Raiders did little on offense with their first-stringers until getting a break.
Three plays after Aaron Brooks ' wobbly pass was picked off by Roderick Hood, Jeff Garcia returned the favor. The veteran QB, brought in as McNabb's backup this year, made a poor pass toward another Philly addition, Jabar Gaffney. Fabian Washington intercepted and sped 40 yards down the left sideline to the Philadelphia 23.
"I was excited at the time," Washington said. "But then I realized I can't take this into the regular season."
LaMont Jordan gained 14 yards on the final play of the opening period, then Brooks hit Courtney Anderson in the front of the end zone to tie it.
"I actually thought I wouldn't get it, but you never know unless you try," Anderson said. "I threw my hands up there and caught it."
Akers untied it with his record kick.
Oakland's defense provided another superb chance in the third quarter when Grant Irons sacked Koy Detmer, who fumbled at his 13. The Raiders got nothing out of it when holder Shane Lechler bobbled the snap on an attempted field goal and Janikowski never got off a kick.
He did get off the 51-yarder in the third quarter to tie it, though. His 50-yarder early in the fourth period made it 13-10, and his 24-yarder finished the scoring.
No comments:
Post a Comment