Williams steps up; Texans hold off Rams
NFL.com wire reports
ST. LOUIS (Aug. 19, 2006) -- A calmer Mario Williams was a lot more disruptive in his second pro game than the amped-up one was in his first.
Williams, who made a negligible impact last week, showed signs of justifying Houston's decision to take him at No. 1 over Reggie Bush in a 27-20 Texans victory against St. Louis.
He drew the Rams into a pair of penalties, batted down a pass to force a punt and tackled running back Tony Fisher for a 3-yard loss.
Last week, Williams said he was too excited.
"I just came out and was really thinking about taking my time and not being too caught up in just being on the field," Williams said. "I just took my time and let it happen, just had fun.
"I had a lot more fun today than I did last week."
Coach Gary Kubiak said Williams "played like a rookie" in the preseason opener.
He saw a different player against the Rams.
"Without looking at the film, I could feel his pressure out there," Kubiak said. "That's what you have to have. You have to take steps each week."
Vernand Morency, who did not play in the preseason opener due to a hip injury and coach Gary Kubiak's decision to look at other backs, had touchdown runs of 4 and 43 yards and totaled 95 yards on 11 carries. Phillip Buchanon also had a big game for the Texans (2-0), with punt returns of 32 and 33 yards and a fumble recovery on the first play of the second half that gave Houston the ball at the St. Louis 17, which led to Kris Brown's field goal and a 13-3 lead.
A pass-interference call in the end zone on Buchanon, however, led to a 1-yard run by Fred Russell late in the third quarter that cut the Texans' lead to 20-17.
The Texans, who completed a preseason sweep of Missouri's NFL teams after beating the Chiefs 24-14 last week, also got a 44-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels to Derrick Lewis in the fourth quarter.
The Rams (1-1) scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter -- a 4-yard touchdown pass from Gus Frerotte to Shaun McDonald and a 1-yard run by Fred Russell. St. Louis had first-and-goal at the 2 at the 2-minute warning but the Texans' defense held.
Vernand Morency's two touchdown runs paced the Texans to victory.
Coach Scott Linehan said he would have gone for a 2-point conversion and the victory had the Rams scored.
"The bottom line is the keys to winning weren't there," Linehan said. "I don't think we played as smart and as tuned-in as we did a week ago."
Last week, Williams was on the field for only 11 plays and was credited with one assist. This time he lined up at both end positions and saw some action at tackle.
Williams was part of a defensive-line rotation that played the first half, along with quarterback David Carr and the rest of the Texans' first-stringers. Most Rams starters were out of the game by early in the second, with the starters producing three points in three possessions.
"We've got some things we've still got to iron out with our offense," Carr said. "It was good to see that, so I don't mind playing the whole half."
The Rams' No. 1 offense has not scored a touchdown in five preseason possessions.
The Texans' first touchdown, Morency's 4-yard run midway through the second quarter, came against the Rams' second-stringers. So did Kris Brown's 48-yard field goal with one second left in the half, four plays after Dexter McCleon blocked Remy Hamilton's 51-yard attempt.
Carr was 10-for-17 for 99 yards, while Rams starter Marc Bulger was 7-for-13 for 86 yards.
The Rams' special teams, last in the NFL last season, struggled for the second successive game. Matt Turk had two 50-yard punts and a 59-yarder, but Buchanon returned one of the 50-yarders 33 yards to help set up Houston's first touchdown.
Buchanon's 32-yard return came one play after an ineligible-downfield call on Brandon Green negated a Turk punt that would have pinned the Texans at the 3.
"That's huge field position, and this is a field-position game," Linehan said. "That's as bad as a turnover."
Last week, the Rams were victimized by an Indianapolis onside kick on the opening play, and also gave up a 63-yard kickoff return to set up the Colts' first 10 points in St. Louis' opening 19-17 victory.
The Rams held out offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who sprained his right knee and ankle Aug. 14. Defensive end Leonard Little (quad) also was held out. The Texans held out guard Steve McKinney (knee).
St. Louis was held to 61 yards on 27 carries after totaling 202 yards rushing last week against the Colts. The Texans took away the run with lots of eight-man fronts.
"I believe we're coming along," center Andy McCollum said. "We've got the guys who are going to take it upon themselves to fix the mistakes they've made."
Monday, August 21, 2006
Vikings 17 Steelers 10
Vikings knock off Steelers 17-10
NFL.com wire reports
PITTSBURGH (Aug. 19, 2006) -- So far this preseason, it's been one and done for Ben Roethlisberger. One series and he's done and, for the most part, so is the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense.
Brad Johnson and rookie Tarvaris Jackson each threw for a touchdown and the Minnesota Vikings got production from starters and backups alike in beating the Steelers 17-10.
Roethlisberger, a surprise starter because of his right thumb injury, threw for a touchdown on the Steelers' opening drive while running a version of the no-huddle. After that, the offense basically shut down for the rest of the game.
Just as in a 21-13 loss to Arizona last weekend, the Steelers' execution was spotty, with mistakes, incorrect pass routes and turnovers. They had a fumble and an interception in their final two possessions of the first half.
Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a touchdown on the team's opening drive.
"It was their first game back after winning the Super Bowl and, after that first drive, we just said we had to weather the storm," said cornerback Ronyell Whitaker, who had a sack and a forced fumble. "We knew it would be a hostile crowd, but we wanted to go out and see how we stand against the Super Bowl champions."
So far, the Steelers are playing much like they were a year ago, when their starters didn't score a touchdown on offense in the preseason before going on to win the franchise's first Super Bowl in 26 years. So much for the importance of exhibition play; Roethlisberger had thrown only one other preseason TD pass in three years before doing so Saturday.
"I think we got in a fast tempo while we were out there, but we didn't run the ball much," Steelers fullback Dan Kreider said. "We didn't mix the run and the pass like we usually do most games because we weren't out there that long."
Roethlisberger was listed as questionable after spraining a right thumb ligament in practice Wednesday. But he got the offense into the end zone so quickly, throwing a 16-yard scoring pass to Cedrick Wilson with less than 5 minutes gone, he was pulled after only six plays.
"The thumb feels pretty good," Roethlisberger said. "It was one of those things where we said let's go out there and warm up and see how we feel. It felt good out there."
In two games, Roethlisberger is 6-of-8 for 59 yards and has shown no effects of the June 12 motorcycle accident that left him with a broken jaw, nose and a concussion, among other injuries.
"They came out with a sort of a no-huddle trying to get us rattled," Vikings linebacker Napoleon Harris said. "We came out kind of flat defensively, but once we settled down and got into the speed of the game, we got pressure on the quarterback."
Both starting quarterbacks had no problems moving their offenses, with Johnson going 9-of-11 for 71 yards while throwing a 12-yard scoring pass to tight end Jermaine Wiggins on Minnesota's first possession after the Steelers' touchdown.
But it was Jackson, the second-round draft pick from Alabama State, who got the Vikings offense moving again in limited playing time -- just as he did during a relatively brief but effective appearance during a 16-13 loss Monday to Oakland.
He didn't have to scramble for yardage as he did while running for 36 yards against the Raiders, but was more accurate as a thrower by completing 9 of 11 passes for 80 yards. His 6-yard touchdown pass to Jason Carter early in the third quarter put the Vikings up 17-7 and finished off a 56-yard drive in which the rookie was 5-of-5 for 54 yards. He was 7-of-13 overall for 60 yards against the Raiders.
"This is what have to do as a team every week," wide receiver Troy Williamson said. "We've got two good quarterbacks and one who's still learning what to do."
The big play on the Jackson-led drive was a 26-yard completion over the middle to Ryan Hoag on a second-and-17 play after Jackson was sacked on first down. Jackson played much better than Mike McMahon, who was expected to be Johnson's backup but was pulled after completing only 1 of 7 passes for 42 yards and throwing an interception.
Steelers first-round draft pick Santonio Holmes also stood out, though mostly for the wrong reasons. After Holmes apparently ran the wrong pass route on a Batch-thrown interception after the Steelers had driven to the Vikings' 27 in the second quarter, players and coaches alike -- led by Roethlisberger -- gathered around to show him what he did wrong.
"We weren't on the same page and you saw the end result," Batch said. "We played in spurts on offense and defense and we've got to put it all together."
Later, Holmes was certain he made a catch along the Steelers sideline, but was ruled to be juggling the ball. Holmes seemed surprised at the call, and coach Bill Cowher challenged it, but it was upheld.
Losing their first two preseason games is nothing new for the Steelers, who also did it in 2002 and 2003.
NFL.com wire reports
PITTSBURGH (Aug. 19, 2006) -- So far this preseason, it's been one and done for Ben Roethlisberger. One series and he's done and, for the most part, so is the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense.
Brad Johnson and rookie Tarvaris Jackson each threw for a touchdown and the Minnesota Vikings got production from starters and backups alike in beating the Steelers 17-10.
Roethlisberger, a surprise starter because of his right thumb injury, threw for a touchdown on the Steelers' opening drive while running a version of the no-huddle. After that, the offense basically shut down for the rest of the game.
Just as in a 21-13 loss to Arizona last weekend, the Steelers' execution was spotty, with mistakes, incorrect pass routes and turnovers. They had a fumble and an interception in their final two possessions of the first half.
Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a touchdown on the team's opening drive.
"It was their first game back after winning the Super Bowl and, after that first drive, we just said we had to weather the storm," said cornerback Ronyell Whitaker, who had a sack and a forced fumble. "We knew it would be a hostile crowd, but we wanted to go out and see how we stand against the Super Bowl champions."
So far, the Steelers are playing much like they were a year ago, when their starters didn't score a touchdown on offense in the preseason before going on to win the franchise's first Super Bowl in 26 years. So much for the importance of exhibition play; Roethlisberger had thrown only one other preseason TD pass in three years before doing so Saturday.
"I think we got in a fast tempo while we were out there, but we didn't run the ball much," Steelers fullback Dan Kreider said. "We didn't mix the run and the pass like we usually do most games because we weren't out there that long."
Roethlisberger was listed as questionable after spraining a right thumb ligament in practice Wednesday. But he got the offense into the end zone so quickly, throwing a 16-yard scoring pass to Cedrick Wilson with less than 5 minutes gone, he was pulled after only six plays.
"The thumb feels pretty good," Roethlisberger said. "It was one of those things where we said let's go out there and warm up and see how we feel. It felt good out there."
In two games, Roethlisberger is 6-of-8 for 59 yards and has shown no effects of the June 12 motorcycle accident that left him with a broken jaw, nose and a concussion, among other injuries.
"They came out with a sort of a no-huddle trying to get us rattled," Vikings linebacker Napoleon Harris said. "We came out kind of flat defensively, but once we settled down and got into the speed of the game, we got pressure on the quarterback."
Both starting quarterbacks had no problems moving their offenses, with Johnson going 9-of-11 for 71 yards while throwing a 12-yard scoring pass to tight end Jermaine Wiggins on Minnesota's first possession after the Steelers' touchdown.
But it was Jackson, the second-round draft pick from Alabama State, who got the Vikings offense moving again in limited playing time -- just as he did during a relatively brief but effective appearance during a 16-13 loss Monday to Oakland.
He didn't have to scramble for yardage as he did while running for 36 yards against the Raiders, but was more accurate as a thrower by completing 9 of 11 passes for 80 yards. His 6-yard touchdown pass to Jason Carter early in the third quarter put the Vikings up 17-7 and finished off a 56-yard drive in which the rookie was 5-of-5 for 54 yards. He was 7-of-13 overall for 60 yards against the Raiders.
"This is what have to do as a team every week," wide receiver Troy Williamson said. "We've got two good quarterbacks and one who's still learning what to do."
The big play on the Jackson-led drive was a 26-yard completion over the middle to Ryan Hoag on a second-and-17 play after Jackson was sacked on first down. Jackson played much better than Mike McMahon, who was expected to be Johnson's backup but was pulled after completing only 1 of 7 passes for 42 yards and throwing an interception.
Steelers first-round draft pick Santonio Holmes also stood out, though mostly for the wrong reasons. After Holmes apparently ran the wrong pass route on a Batch-thrown interception after the Steelers had driven to the Vikings' 27 in the second quarter, players and coaches alike -- led by Roethlisberger -- gathered around to show him what he did wrong.
"We weren't on the same page and you saw the end result," Batch said. "We played in spurts on offense and defense and we've got to put it all together."
Later, Holmes was certain he made a catch along the Steelers sideline, but was ruled to be juggling the ball. Holmes seemed surprised at the call, and coach Bill Cowher challenged it, but it was upheld.
Losing their first two preseason games is nothing new for the Steelers, who also did it in 2002 and 2003.
Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Carolina Panthers 10
Panthers frustrate Garrard, defeat Jaguars
NFL.com wire reports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2006) -- David Garrard's worst game came at an inopportune time. It also ended whatever outside shot he had at supplanting starter Byron Leftwich.
Jacksonville's backup quarterback mostly struggled with -- and against -- the starters, fumbling three times, throwing an interception and getting sacked once in a 17-10 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers. He was intercepted again in the third quarter against Carolina's second-team defense.
It was hardly the outing Garrard wanted when he was given a chance to showcase his skills with the first-team offense. It also solidified his spot behind Leftwich, essentially ending a mild quarterback controversy that began last season when Garrard went 4-1 in place of an injured Leftwich.
"A real tough night," Garrard said. "I haven't one of those in quite a while. I guess it happens to the best of us. It does hurt a little bit more when you're trying to get these valuable reps because you don't get many of them, and when you do, you've got to seize the moment."
Coach Jack Del Rio decided to let Garrard play extensively with the first-team offense to better evaluate the fifth-year quarterback. But Carolina's defense, which was dominant in its preseason opener against Buffalo last week, proved to be more than he could handle.
Leftwich started the game and played two series. He was 4-for-4 for 52 yards and was sacked twice. Garrard fared much worse in four series of relief.
He fumbled his second snap of the game and was intercepted three plays later when his pass sailed over Ernest Wilford's head and into Colin Branch's hands. Garrard fumbled another snap on Jacksonville's next possession but completed three passes to put the Jaguars (1-1) in position for Seth Marler's 50-yard field goal that tied the score at 3.
David Garrard had some bright moments, but Carolina's defense stung him in crucial moments.
Carolina (2-0) made it 10-3 after Nick Goings scored from a yard out with 26 seconds to play in the first half. The short TD run followed a pass interception penalty against Scott Starks, who was draped all over Keyshawn Johnson in the end zone.
Instead of taking a knee and ending the first half, the Jaguars tried to move the ball downfield with about 20 seconds remaining. But Julius Peppers, who also had a sack against the Bills, beat right tackle Maurice Williams and sacked Garrard deep in the backfield. Garrard fumbled for a third time, and defensive lineman Mike Rucker picked up the loose ball and ran 31 yards for a score and a 17-3 lead.
"For us to come out here and do a couple of good things was a positive move in the right direction," Rucker said.
Del Rio stuck with his first-team offense to open the third quarter, which gave Garrard a chance to redeem himself against Carolina's backups. Garrard led the Jags to the 19-yard line, but Richard Marshall intercepted his pass to Wilford in the end zone.
"Everything was great besides those three plays," Garrard said, referring to the two interceptions and the sack. "You take those three plays away and we're moving the ball and we're doing everything that's asked of us. It was just some poor throws and not holding onto the ball good enough on the sack. But those are all things I can correct."
Garrard finished 7-for-11 for 86 yards.
"It wasn't as sharp as I know he can be," Del Rio said.
Jake Delhomme was much better for the Panthers, who played again without Steve Smith. The All-Pro receiver sat out for precautionary reasons after missing 17 days of training camp because of a strained left hamstring.
Delhomme led the Panthers to a score on their opening possession for the second time in as many games. He completed a 40-yard pass to Keary Colbert on third-and-7, and John Kasey kicked a 22-yard field goal.
Delhomme played the entire first half and was 10-for-18 for 129 yards, but he also saw two passes nearly intercepted.
"Certainly there's a lot more work to be done. That was evident," Delhomme said. "It wasn't our crispest game. But it's going against that defense. That's a pretty impressive defense. They did some good things and we were a little sloppy in some areas."
NFL.com wire reports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2006) -- David Garrard's worst game came at an inopportune time. It also ended whatever outside shot he had at supplanting starter Byron Leftwich.
Jacksonville's backup quarterback mostly struggled with -- and against -- the starters, fumbling three times, throwing an interception and getting sacked once in a 17-10 preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers. He was intercepted again in the third quarter against Carolina's second-team defense.
It was hardly the outing Garrard wanted when he was given a chance to showcase his skills with the first-team offense. It also solidified his spot behind Leftwich, essentially ending a mild quarterback controversy that began last season when Garrard went 4-1 in place of an injured Leftwich.
"A real tough night," Garrard said. "I haven't one of those in quite a while. I guess it happens to the best of us. It does hurt a little bit more when you're trying to get these valuable reps because you don't get many of them, and when you do, you've got to seize the moment."
Coach Jack Del Rio decided to let Garrard play extensively with the first-team offense to better evaluate the fifth-year quarterback. But Carolina's defense, which was dominant in its preseason opener against Buffalo last week, proved to be more than he could handle.
Leftwich started the game and played two series. He was 4-for-4 for 52 yards and was sacked twice. Garrard fared much worse in four series of relief.
He fumbled his second snap of the game and was intercepted three plays later when his pass sailed over Ernest Wilford's head and into Colin Branch's hands. Garrard fumbled another snap on Jacksonville's next possession but completed three passes to put the Jaguars (1-1) in position for Seth Marler's 50-yard field goal that tied the score at 3.
David Garrard had some bright moments, but Carolina's defense stung him in crucial moments.
Carolina (2-0) made it 10-3 after Nick Goings scored from a yard out with 26 seconds to play in the first half. The short TD run followed a pass interception penalty against Scott Starks, who was draped all over Keyshawn Johnson in the end zone.
Instead of taking a knee and ending the first half, the Jaguars tried to move the ball downfield with about 20 seconds remaining. But Julius Peppers, who also had a sack against the Bills, beat right tackle Maurice Williams and sacked Garrard deep in the backfield. Garrard fumbled for a third time, and defensive lineman Mike Rucker picked up the loose ball and ran 31 yards for a score and a 17-3 lead.
"For us to come out here and do a couple of good things was a positive move in the right direction," Rucker said.
Del Rio stuck with his first-team offense to open the third quarter, which gave Garrard a chance to redeem himself against Carolina's backups. Garrard led the Jags to the 19-yard line, but Richard Marshall intercepted his pass to Wilford in the end zone.
"Everything was great besides those three plays," Garrard said, referring to the two interceptions and the sack. "You take those three plays away and we're moving the ball and we're doing everything that's asked of us. It was just some poor throws and not holding onto the ball good enough on the sack. But those are all things I can correct."
Garrard finished 7-for-11 for 86 yards.
"It wasn't as sharp as I know he can be," Del Rio said.
Jake Delhomme was much better for the Panthers, who played again without Steve Smith. The All-Pro receiver sat out for precautionary reasons after missing 17 days of training camp because of a strained left hamstring.
Delhomme led the Panthers to a score on their opening possession for the second time in as many games. He completed a 40-yard pass to Keary Colbert on third-and-7, and John Kasey kicked a 22-yard field goal.
Delhomme played the entire first half and was 10-for-18 for 129 yards, but he also saw two passes nearly intercepted.
"Certainly there's a lot more work to be done. That was evident," Delhomme said. "It wasn't our crispest game. But it's going against that defense. That's a pretty impressive defense. They did some good things and we were a little sloppy in some areas."
Miami Dolphins Beat Tampa Bay Bucs 13-10
Dolphins hold off Bucs to win 13-10
NFL.com wire reports
TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2006) -- Daunte Culpepper was more than ready for the next logical step on his comeback trail.
The Miami quarterback took the first real hit since undergoing knee surgery, then absorbed a second and a third while helping the Dolphins to a 13-10 preseason victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"It was beautiful to finally get a hit because everybody was kind of waiting to see what would happen, what would be my reaction," Culpepper said. "I think I handled it pretty well."
The eighth-year pro played into the second quarter, completing 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards and leading a nine-minute touchdown drive after producing little offense on his team's first three possessions.
Culpepper played one series in Miami's preseason opener against Jacksonville, completing one pass for 2 yards. This appearance lasted 23 plays, 14 of them on the 70-yard march that Sammy Morris finished with a 2-yard TD run.
Equally encouraging for the Dolphins (1-1) was the way Culpepper got through the first true contact work he's had since tearing three ligaments in his right knee while playing for the Minnesota Vikings last season.
"I wasn't even worried about it. I'm worried about the next play and what we've got to do to be successful," Culpepper said.
"I told myself that I was going to push myself as hard as I possibly could before training camp even started so at the time when I do start taking some hits I'd be ready for them physically."
Daunte Culpepper absorbed some punishment, but the Dolphins starting QB took it in stride.
Tampa Bay's Barrett Ruud and Anthony McFarland sacked Culpepper on consecutive plays in the first quarter, with the first hit causing a fumble that Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown recovered at the Miami 18.
Ruud later tested the quarterback's mobility, chasing him out of the pocket and forcing Culpepper to throw a pass that was ruled intentional grounding when the ball failed to get back to the line of scrimmage.
"I play the game a certain way -- to make plays, some with my legs. Sometimes you get hit. That's football," Culpepper said. "My knee's fine. I just thank God that everything's holding up. I'm continuing to get stronger every day."
Chris Simms started at quarterback for Tampa Bay (1-1) and led a field goal drive, followed by two three-and-outs. He completed 2 of 7 passes for 27 yards and was sacked twice, once by Dan Wilkinson, the much-traveled defensive tackle who signed with Miami last Monday.
Wilkinson wasn't surprised that he was able to contribute despite being in training camp for less than a week.
"I've been healthy, and I have been in good shape pretty much my entire career," Wilkinson said. "I knew coming out here I was ready to roll."
Joey Harrington, another of the Dolphins' newcomers, followed Culpepper and was 8-of-15 for 81 yards. He led a pair of field goal drives before being replaced by Cleo Lemon at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Bucs made it close in the fourth when rookie Bruce Gradkowski threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Edell Shepherd, who slipped behind Dolphins first-round draft pick Jason Allen to trim Miami's lead to 13-10.
Gradkowski had the Bucs on the move again, but a poorly thrown pass glanced off Shepherd's hand and was intercepted by safety Jack Hunt with just under 2 minutes to go.
"It went pretty well, but we didn't get the 'W,' and that's the most important thing," Gradkowski said. "It's hard to swallow not winning. We have to learn from it, build for next time and see what happens."
Several Tampa Bay starters, including running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and receiver Joey Galloway on offense and linebackers Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles and end Simeon Rice on defense, sat out.
Defensive end Jason Taylor started for Miami after sitting out last week's game with a back injury.
NFL.com wire reports
TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2006) -- Daunte Culpepper was more than ready for the next logical step on his comeback trail.
The Miami quarterback took the first real hit since undergoing knee surgery, then absorbed a second and a third while helping the Dolphins to a 13-10 preseason victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"It was beautiful to finally get a hit because everybody was kind of waiting to see what would happen, what would be my reaction," Culpepper said. "I think I handled it pretty well."
The eighth-year pro played into the second quarter, completing 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards and leading a nine-minute touchdown drive after producing little offense on his team's first three possessions.
Culpepper played one series in Miami's preseason opener against Jacksonville, completing one pass for 2 yards. This appearance lasted 23 plays, 14 of them on the 70-yard march that Sammy Morris finished with a 2-yard TD run.
Equally encouraging for the Dolphins (1-1) was the way Culpepper got through the first true contact work he's had since tearing three ligaments in his right knee while playing for the Minnesota Vikings last season.
"I wasn't even worried about it. I'm worried about the next play and what we've got to do to be successful," Culpepper said.
"I told myself that I was going to push myself as hard as I possibly could before training camp even started so at the time when I do start taking some hits I'd be ready for them physically."
Daunte Culpepper absorbed some punishment, but the Dolphins starting QB took it in stride.
Tampa Bay's Barrett Ruud and Anthony McFarland sacked Culpepper on consecutive plays in the first quarter, with the first hit causing a fumble that Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown recovered at the Miami 18.
Ruud later tested the quarterback's mobility, chasing him out of the pocket and forcing Culpepper to throw a pass that was ruled intentional grounding when the ball failed to get back to the line of scrimmage.
"I play the game a certain way -- to make plays, some with my legs. Sometimes you get hit. That's football," Culpepper said. "My knee's fine. I just thank God that everything's holding up. I'm continuing to get stronger every day."
Chris Simms started at quarterback for Tampa Bay (1-1) and led a field goal drive, followed by two three-and-outs. He completed 2 of 7 passes for 27 yards and was sacked twice, once by Dan Wilkinson, the much-traveled defensive tackle who signed with Miami last Monday.
Wilkinson wasn't surprised that he was able to contribute despite being in training camp for less than a week.
"I've been healthy, and I have been in good shape pretty much my entire career," Wilkinson said. "I knew coming out here I was ready to roll."
Joey Harrington, another of the Dolphins' newcomers, followed Culpepper and was 8-of-15 for 81 yards. He led a pair of field goal drives before being replaced by Cleo Lemon at the start of the fourth quarter.
The Bucs made it close in the fourth when rookie Bruce Gradkowski threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Edell Shepherd, who slipped behind Dolphins first-round draft pick Jason Allen to trim Miami's lead to 13-10.
Gradkowski had the Bucs on the move again, but a poorly thrown pass glanced off Shepherd's hand and was intercepted by safety Jack Hunt with just under 2 minutes to go.
"It went pretty well, but we didn't get the 'W,' and that's the most important thing," Gradkowski said. "It's hard to swallow not winning. We have to learn from it, build for next time and see what happens."
Several Tampa Bay starters, including running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and receiver Joey Galloway on offense and linebackers Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles and end Simeon Rice on defense, sat out.
Defensive end Jason Taylor started for Miami after sitting out last week's game with a back injury.
Seattle Seahawks 30, Colts 17
Seahawks get the better of Indy, 30-17
NFL.com wire reports
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 20, 2006) -- All Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander had to do was keep pace with Indianapolis' starters. Done.
Leonard Weaver and the Seattle backups overwhelmed the rest of the Colts.
Weaver rushed for one touchdown, Mike Green returned an interception for another and Josh Brown kicked three field goals to give the defending NFC champions a 30-17 victory at Indianapolis.
"As bad as we were last week, that's how well we played today," Hasselbeck said. "What a difference it makes when you win a game, just the attitude, the energy in the locker room."
The game, which featured the NFL's last two MVPs -- Peyton Manning and Alexander -- for a little more than one quarter, had a distinctly preseason look to it.
Indianapolis, which has now lost eight straight preseason games and nine of 10 dating to 2004, tried an onside kick and a fake punt, and during one short span in the fourth quarter, the two teams traded possessions twice in three plays. By the end, only a smattering of fans remained in their seats.
The starters for both teams, however, looked sharp.
Alexander ran five times for 20 yards and set up the Seahawks first scoring drive. Hasselbeck completed 8 of 9 passes for 88 yards although he was sacked twice. It was enough to give Seattle a chance.
The Colts offense, as usual, looked good.
Timely stops and turnovers proved Seattle's defense is ready for the season.
Manning completed six of his first seven passes and had a perfect rating of 158.3 in the first quarter before finishing 6 of 9 for 140 yards with one touchdown and a 146.8 rating. And Marvin Harrison turned a spectacular one-handed grab on the run into a 35-yard gain on the Colts' second series. It was his only catch of the night.
The Colts also finished with 93 yards rushing, nearly triple their total from the preseason opener at St. Louis.
"It's always good to go out and get a drive on that first series," Manning said. "The second drive was going good, too, until an unfortunate fumble."
Tony Dungy was more upset with the litany of miscues that followed the starters' departure.
"It's disappointing because we made some of the same errors we made last week," he said. "You can't fumble the ball and drop the ball against a team like Seattle. They were good enough to take advantage of it."
Manning opened the game with a crisp 78-yard scoring drive that ended with a nifty 30-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne.
Seattle answered with Brown's 30-yard field goal, and then Manning went back to work.
After Harrison's circus catch, Manning had the Colts in scoring position again when he connected with tight end Ben Utecht on a 27-yard pass to the Seahawks 11. One problem: Julian Peterson stripped the ball and Michael Boulware recovered to end the threat.
It was all Seattle the rest of the way.
Peter Warrick's 25-yard punt return put the Seahawks at the Colts 40 midway through the second quarter, and Weaver scored on a 1-yard run five plays later to give Seattle a 10-7 lead. Weaver carried 14 times for 51 yards.
Manning's backup, Jim Sorgi, entered the game on the ensuing series, but was hit hard on each of his first two passes. The second fluttered toward the sideline where Green picked it off and ran it back 18 yards to make it 17-7.
The second hit knocked Sorgi out with an injury apparently to his throwing shoulder. Dungy said the Colts would re-evaluate the injury Aug. 21.
Brown's 39-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half made it 20-7, and the teams traded field goals in the third quarter to make it 23-10.
Then came another preseason caper -- when Weaver fumbled near the goal line and center Chris Spencer fell on it for a touchdown to make it 30-10.
"Our second guys knew they were going to play a lot," Alexander said. "Coach Holmgren just really stressed to them that their lives are on the line. Sometimes when your backs are against the wall, you can't help but throw punches."
The Colts got a 1-yard run from Tony Hollings with 7:33 left, but could get no closer.
Both teams were missing a handful of starters.
The Colts played without defensive tackle Montae Reagor, cornerback Jason David, safeties Mike Doss and Bob Sanders, and guard Ryan Lilja. Also sitting out was receiver Brandon Stokley.
The Seahawks held out defensive tackle Rocky Bernard, defensive end Grant Wistrom, Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu, tight end Jerramy Stevens and receiver Darrell Jackson.
Notes: The Colts distributed 56,596 tickets, their highest total for a preseason game in 20 years. Indy had 57,969 on Aug. 30, 1986, a 23-20 loss to Minnesota. ... Ken Hamlin, who had one tackle last week against Dallas, made two tackles against the Colts in his second game back after he fractured his skull in a street fight last October. ... Colts backup running back James Mungro left in the third quarter with a knee injury, and defensive end Johnathan Goddard left with a foot injury. Neither returned.
NFL.com wire reports
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 20, 2006) -- All Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander had to do was keep pace with Indianapolis' starters. Done.
Leonard Weaver and the Seattle backups overwhelmed the rest of the Colts.
Weaver rushed for one touchdown, Mike Green returned an interception for another and Josh Brown kicked three field goals to give the defending NFC champions a 30-17 victory at Indianapolis.
"As bad as we were last week, that's how well we played today," Hasselbeck said. "What a difference it makes when you win a game, just the attitude, the energy in the locker room."
The game, which featured the NFL's last two MVPs -- Peyton Manning and Alexander -- for a little more than one quarter, had a distinctly preseason look to it.
Indianapolis, which has now lost eight straight preseason games and nine of 10 dating to 2004, tried an onside kick and a fake punt, and during one short span in the fourth quarter, the two teams traded possessions twice in three plays. By the end, only a smattering of fans remained in their seats.
The starters for both teams, however, looked sharp.
Alexander ran five times for 20 yards and set up the Seahawks first scoring drive. Hasselbeck completed 8 of 9 passes for 88 yards although he was sacked twice. It was enough to give Seattle a chance.
The Colts offense, as usual, looked good.
Timely stops and turnovers proved Seattle's defense is ready for the season.
Manning completed six of his first seven passes and had a perfect rating of 158.3 in the first quarter before finishing 6 of 9 for 140 yards with one touchdown and a 146.8 rating. And Marvin Harrison turned a spectacular one-handed grab on the run into a 35-yard gain on the Colts' second series. It was his only catch of the night.
The Colts also finished with 93 yards rushing, nearly triple their total from the preseason opener at St. Louis.
"It's always good to go out and get a drive on that first series," Manning said. "The second drive was going good, too, until an unfortunate fumble."
Tony Dungy was more upset with the litany of miscues that followed the starters' departure.
"It's disappointing because we made some of the same errors we made last week," he said. "You can't fumble the ball and drop the ball against a team like Seattle. They were good enough to take advantage of it."
Manning opened the game with a crisp 78-yard scoring drive that ended with a nifty 30-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne.
Seattle answered with Brown's 30-yard field goal, and then Manning went back to work.
After Harrison's circus catch, Manning had the Colts in scoring position again when he connected with tight end Ben Utecht on a 27-yard pass to the Seahawks 11. One problem: Julian Peterson stripped the ball and Michael Boulware recovered to end the threat.
It was all Seattle the rest of the way.
Peter Warrick's 25-yard punt return put the Seahawks at the Colts 40 midway through the second quarter, and Weaver scored on a 1-yard run five plays later to give Seattle a 10-7 lead. Weaver carried 14 times for 51 yards.
Manning's backup, Jim Sorgi, entered the game on the ensuing series, but was hit hard on each of his first two passes. The second fluttered toward the sideline where Green picked it off and ran it back 18 yards to make it 17-7.
The second hit knocked Sorgi out with an injury apparently to his throwing shoulder. Dungy said the Colts would re-evaluate the injury Aug. 21.
Brown's 39-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half made it 20-7, and the teams traded field goals in the third quarter to make it 23-10.
Then came another preseason caper -- when Weaver fumbled near the goal line and center Chris Spencer fell on it for a touchdown to make it 30-10.
"Our second guys knew they were going to play a lot," Alexander said. "Coach Holmgren just really stressed to them that their lives are on the line. Sometimes when your backs are against the wall, you can't help but throw punches."
The Colts got a 1-yard run from Tony Hollings with 7:33 left, but could get no closer.
Both teams were missing a handful of starters.
The Colts played without defensive tackle Montae Reagor, cornerback Jason David, safeties Mike Doss and Bob Sanders, and guard Ryan Lilja. Also sitting out was receiver Brandon Stokley.
The Seahawks held out defensive tackle Rocky Bernard, defensive end Grant Wistrom, Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu, tight end Jerramy Stevens and receiver Darrell Jackson.
Notes: The Colts distributed 56,596 tickets, their highest total for a preseason game in 20 years. Indy had 57,969 on Aug. 30, 1986, a 23-20 loss to Minnesota. ... Ken Hamlin, who had one tackle last week against Dallas, made two tackles against the Colts in his second game back after he fractured his skull in a street fight last October. ... Colts backup running back James Mungro left in the third quarter with a knee injury, and defensive end Johnathan Goddard left with a foot injury. Neither returned.
Oakland Raiders Offense Looks Better; Raiders Top 49ers 23-7
Raiders continue upswing, win 23-7
NFL.com wire reports
OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 20, 2006) -- (Aug. 20, 2006) -- The passing game clicked, the defense created turnovers and the special teams was strong once again.
The Oakland Raiders put together their most complete performance of the preseason, yet coach Art Shell is far from satisfied.
Aaron Brooks threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Doug Gabriel on Oakland's opening drive, and Andrew Walter led the Raiders to two second-half scores in a 23-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
"We're not where we need to be," Shell said. "We're not where I want to be. We're not there. I expect a more efficient football team throughout. But I thought they performed better as a team today than the last two weeks."
Doug Gabriel started the game off right with a TD catch on the opening drive.
Oakland improved to 3-0 in preseason under Shell, who coached the Raiders for the first time in the Coliseum. Shell, who played most of his Hall of Fame career in Oakland, coached the team for 4½ seasons when it played in Los Angeles.
"It was really nice to walk back in the stadium on this side and be a part of it again," Shell said.
The Raiders ran for 156 yards, completed 67 percent of their passes, committed no procedural penalties and scored on five of their first eight drives. They also held the Niners to 209 yards.
"We're taking strides," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "We took a really good step today. The offense moved the ball. We played nice, tight defense and created turnovers. ... This is the NFL, my friend. Whenever you can do that, you're playing good football."
Niners coach Mike Nolan was disappointed with his team's performance, calling it a step back from last week's 28-14 win over Chicago.
San Francisco avoided a shutout when Trent Dilfer threw a 6-yard TD pass to Michael Robinson with 3:35 remaining.
"A very flat performance from our football team," Nolan said. "It started that way in our warmups, and I thought we were flat the entire game. We missed tackles, we missed opportunities for turnovers, and much the same offensively. I was not pleased with the tempo."
After completing only one pass in each of Oakland's first two exhibition games, Brooks came out looking sharp, completing an 11-yard pass to Gabriel on his first play.
He was 4 of 5 for 42 yards on the 75-yard drive and also had a 25-yard scramble. He was helped out when Mike Adams dropped a potential interception at the goal line three plays before the TD pass to Gabriel.
Brooks, who finished 10 of 17 for 125 yards, connected with Randal Williams on a 39-yard pass late in the second half to set up Sebastian Janikowski's 23-yard field goal.
Brooks also had problems at times. He missed a wide-open Alvis Whitted on a deep pass, threw an interception in the end zone and botched a handoff to LaMont Jordan that nearly led to another turnover.
"It was a slow start for us offensively the first two games," Brooks said. "I know we made some strides this game, but it's a process. Every time we get out on the football field, whether it's practice or a game, we just want to get better. I felt we did that tonight."
Walter went 8 of 9 for 99 yards, leading scoring drives on both of his possessions. Justin Fargas scored on a 3-yard run to cap the first drive, and David Kimball kicked a 23-yard field goal to end the second drive.
San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith, who had a strong preseason opener, struggled against the Raiders. He began the game by throwing an off-target lateral to Bryan Gilmore that ended up as a 12-yard loss and ended his half by throwing a pass that was intercepted by Tyrone Poole.
Smith was intercepted earlier in the half by Raiders first-round pick Michael Huff, who left the game with a slightly sprained left ankle. Smith went 6 of 12 for 81 yards.
"I can probably count on just one hand the number of plays I'd like to redo, but that'll be good to sit down and go over," Smith said. "It's something we can learn from."
Before the game, the 49ers traded running back Kevan Barlow to the New York Jets for an undisclosed 2007 draft pick. The trade officially makes Frank Gore the starter. Gore, San Francisco's leading rusher as a rookie last year with 608 yards, gained 42 yards on seven carries.
Notes: Dilfer got two personal fouls in the game for taunting. The second came after his TD pass when he ran over to the Raiders' sideline to yell at Sapp, his former Tampa Bay teammate. "The apocalypse is definitely on us when Trent Dilfer gets two personal fouls," Sapp said. ... The Raiders have five interceptions through three preseason games, matching their total from the 2005 regular season.
NFL.com wire reports
OAKLAND, Calif. (Aug. 20, 2006) -- (Aug. 20, 2006) -- The passing game clicked, the defense created turnovers and the special teams was strong once again.
The Oakland Raiders put together their most complete performance of the preseason, yet coach Art Shell is far from satisfied.
Aaron Brooks threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Doug Gabriel on Oakland's opening drive, and Andrew Walter led the Raiders to two second-half scores in a 23-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
"We're not where we need to be," Shell said. "We're not where I want to be. We're not there. I expect a more efficient football team throughout. But I thought they performed better as a team today than the last two weeks."
Doug Gabriel started the game off right with a TD catch on the opening drive.
Oakland improved to 3-0 in preseason under Shell, who coached the Raiders for the first time in the Coliseum. Shell, who played most of his Hall of Fame career in Oakland, coached the team for 4½ seasons when it played in Los Angeles.
"It was really nice to walk back in the stadium on this side and be a part of it again," Shell said.
The Raiders ran for 156 yards, completed 67 percent of their passes, committed no procedural penalties and scored on five of their first eight drives. They also held the Niners to 209 yards.
"We're taking strides," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "We took a really good step today. The offense moved the ball. We played nice, tight defense and created turnovers. ... This is the NFL, my friend. Whenever you can do that, you're playing good football."
Niners coach Mike Nolan was disappointed with his team's performance, calling it a step back from last week's 28-14 win over Chicago.
San Francisco avoided a shutout when Trent Dilfer threw a 6-yard TD pass to Michael Robinson with 3:35 remaining.
"A very flat performance from our football team," Nolan said. "It started that way in our warmups, and I thought we were flat the entire game. We missed tackles, we missed opportunities for turnovers, and much the same offensively. I was not pleased with the tempo."
After completing only one pass in each of Oakland's first two exhibition games, Brooks came out looking sharp, completing an 11-yard pass to Gabriel on his first play.
He was 4 of 5 for 42 yards on the 75-yard drive and also had a 25-yard scramble. He was helped out when Mike Adams dropped a potential interception at the goal line three plays before the TD pass to Gabriel.
Brooks, who finished 10 of 17 for 125 yards, connected with Randal Williams on a 39-yard pass late in the second half to set up Sebastian Janikowski's 23-yard field goal.
Brooks also had problems at times. He missed a wide-open Alvis Whitted on a deep pass, threw an interception in the end zone and botched a handoff to LaMont Jordan that nearly led to another turnover.
"It was a slow start for us offensively the first two games," Brooks said. "I know we made some strides this game, but it's a process. Every time we get out on the football field, whether it's practice or a game, we just want to get better. I felt we did that tonight."
Walter went 8 of 9 for 99 yards, leading scoring drives on both of his possessions. Justin Fargas scored on a 3-yard run to cap the first drive, and David Kimball kicked a 23-yard field goal to end the second drive.
San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith, who had a strong preseason opener, struggled against the Raiders. He began the game by throwing an off-target lateral to Bryan Gilmore that ended up as a 12-yard loss and ended his half by throwing a pass that was intercepted by Tyrone Poole.
Smith was intercepted earlier in the half by Raiders first-round pick Michael Huff, who left the game with a slightly sprained left ankle. Smith went 6 of 12 for 81 yards.
"I can probably count on just one hand the number of plays I'd like to redo, but that'll be good to sit down and go over," Smith said. "It's something we can learn from."
Before the game, the 49ers traded running back Kevan Barlow to the New York Jets for an undisclosed 2007 draft pick. The trade officially makes Frank Gore the starter. Gore, San Francisco's leading rusher as a rookie last year with 608 yards, gained 42 yards on seven carries.
Notes: Dilfer got two personal fouls in the game for taunting. The second came after his TD pass when he ran over to the Raiders' sideline to yell at Sapp, his former Tampa Bay teammate. "The apocalypse is definitely on us when Trent Dilfer gets two personal fouls," Sapp said. ... The Raiders have five interceptions through three preseason games, matching their total from the 2005 regular season.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Raiders Tom Walsh Not Out Of The Woods Yet
I just returned from the East Side Club, and a bit of traffic out of the BART parking lot. Not much.
As the one who called for Raiders Offensive Coordinator Tom Walsh's head, I'm here to report that he's still not out of the woods -- yet.
First, let's acknoweldge that the offense's performance was much better this game than last. And it was better on some very basic levels, but two seem to disturb me just a bit.
1) It seems as if they "game planned" this one -- in other words Tom went in with a plan based on a cursory analysis of the 49ers defense.
2) They responded to pressure from the fans -- it's obvious that the national sports news contained no shortage of critics of the Raiders offense; I'm not the only one to point at Tom, just the most aggressive person to do so.
Now let's deal in detail with point 1. The play-by-play's telling:
This is the 10-play 75 yard drive:
1-10-OAK25 (12:56) A.Brooks pass to D.Gabriel to OAK 36 for 11 yards (W.Harris).
1-10-OAK36 (12:14) A.Brooks pass to C.Anderson to OAK 45 for 9 yards (T.Parrish).
2-1-OAK37 (11:37) A.Brooks FUMBLES (Aborted) at OAK 40, and recovers at OAK 37. A.Brooks to OAK 37 for no gain (J.Ulbrich).
3-9-OAK37 (10:56) A.Brooks scrambles up the middle ran ob at SF 38 for 25 yards (D.Johnson).
1-10-SF38 (10:19) L.Jordan right guard to SF 33 for 5 yards (J.Ulbrich).
2-5-SF33 (9:34) L.Jordan right tackle to SF 25 for 8 yards (S.Davis, M.Adams).
1-10-SF25 (8:48) A.Brooks pass incomplete deep right to R.Moss (M.Adams).
2-10-SF25 (8:42) A.Brooks pass short left to R.Moss pushed ob at SF 11 for 14 yards (S.Davis).
1-10-SF11 (8:05) L.Jordan up the middle to SF 8 for 3 yards (J.Ulbrich).
2-7-SF8 (7:20) A.Brooks pass short middle to D.Gabriel for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
S.Janikowski extra point is GOOD, Center-A.Treu, Holder-S.Lechler.
A nice job over all. But there were two passes, the first to Gabriel and the second to the TE Anderson that were both short -- Gabriel's was a hook, Anderson's a unique kind of "jet" pattern rarely seen, where the TE releases and just aims for a diagonal point at 45 degrees and to the sideline.
It's a hard pattern to defend and one that's not called unless the OC knows to expect a roll-up zone away from the TE or man-to-man, and thus: completion.
As a momentary aside, I LOVE that pattern -- it's a child of the Run and Shoot Offense -- way to go, Tom Walsh.
But the other had me real concerned, even as the crowd around me was going nuts (accept for this Niners bro who seemed bent on being annoying, but whatever). My focus was this: as Brooks took a deep drop, the o-line used a different technique -- the troublesome one I wrote about -- where they retreat. And so I see the pattern, they use a retreat and react technique for their 8 to 10 yard OB drops -- (UGH! I hate that...steps are what's better) --- and a more push and stay home style for their 5 yard drops. And therein lay the problem.
On that play the pocket collapsed fast, and Brooks got out of there like -- well, like Matt Leinart being blitzed in his first NFL game. He ran and picked up 25 yards.
So everyone thinks that's great, except me. I'm fuming that he had to run at all. The problem of the way the line's schooled to block is still troubling to me. But I do like the fact that more short passes were called and used, taking pressure off the o-line and letting them use the more in-your-face style of blocking that Tom Walsh seems to favor for the 5-yard passes.
My point is that style of blocking should be used for the deeper drops too, as well as rollouts and sprints.
Now let's look back at that drive and another first: the pattern used on the pass to Randy Moss for 14 yards. IT WAS A DRIVE PATTERN
YIPPEE!!!
Maybe the dude was listening to this? Who knows.
But the point is that they ran the drive -- the crossing -- pattern. And it was a smart call against...a zone defense. But Randy should watch how he runs that because he's supposed to "sit" down in a zone space rather than run --- that may be Tom's fault here.
Why? Because in a zone the defenders are waiting for him to run shallow and IF they're paying attention they zero in (specifically the defender in the hook zone) -- so Moss gets creamed after he catches the ball.
....They weren't paying attention because their zone drops were SO DEEP. Guess why?
They were looking for those deep patterns, and didn't get them. Ha! Tricked 'em he did. Nice.
So let's stick to fundamental matters:
1) The Raiders used short and medium range passes, taking pressure off the O-line. AWESOME
2) They obviously game planned this one, but what the heck.
3) The problem of blocking on the deep drop passes is still an issue.
4) The patterns ran by backs and receivers were more varied.
5) The QB's are still using yards and not steps in their drops.
6) The 49ers didn't game plan for this contest. (Amoung other things, they seemed to be experimenting with different ways to line up their new toy Vernon Davis, TE, slot, and WR, and perhaps more to come. And on defense, they played a lot of base 3-4 -- why? Well they've got to face the Raiders again in October. Hello!)
So that's why I write that the Raiders and Walsh are still not out of the offensive woods in terms of the passing game.
But the running game's working. I noticed two patterns -- one existing and the other new. The first one is the runs off-tackle are consistently successful. And JUST those plays off tackle. Whenever the runner is forced outside, it doesn't work. That tells me the blocking at the point of attack is good, but the defenders are "pushed" away from the POA off-tackle and toward the outside where they await the runner -- this happens alot.
I also noticed -- and here's a weird nod to the person claiming that the Raiders were using the Pats' offense: not at all, just one kind of technique.
It comes from the one - back, two TE, Ace formation, which the Raiders used a lot of. The halfback is behind the QB. At the snap, the QB turns around in a "reverse pivot" fashion and hands off to the halfback, who takes the ball and runs directly and quickly to the guard / tackle gap. This is done without any juke steps and comes off quickly, almost in a smooth motion.
This simple play is one the Pats and Indy Colts perfected and it has spread like wildfire around the NFL. Why? Well, it's not that the play alone is successful, but it is the "mother" play in a cool series where the QB runs a "quick play fake" from the same hand-off motion, and often with devistating results for the defense. Peyton Manning does this better than Tom Brady.
(No. I'm not referring to the zone stretch run fake -- that's unique to the Colts. No one else does it well at all.)
But I've seen -- let's see -- the Raiders, Niners, Pats, Eagles, Falcons, and Cardinals run this play set. I'll hand it to the Raiders and Tom Walsh: this was the first game where they ran it extensively and they did it well. I hope it's a part of their basic approach.
So in closing, my hope is that Tom Walsh and the Raiders...
1) Use agressive blocking for all passing depths, not just the 5 yard ones.
2) Concentrate on developing an even more varied short and medium range passing game.
3) Continue the quick-count running "blast" plays I discussed.
4) Have the QB's drop with feet and not yards. That's going to be a major problem in the regular season. This is the root of the timing problem, and must be adressed.
5) Install rollout and sprint passes. (Indeed, I like the package Norv Turner's got with the Niners -- very varied.)
As the one who called for Raiders Offensive Coordinator Tom Walsh's head, I'm here to report that he's still not out of the woods -- yet.
First, let's acknoweldge that the offense's performance was much better this game than last. And it was better on some very basic levels, but two seem to disturb me just a bit.
1) It seems as if they "game planned" this one -- in other words Tom went in with a plan based on a cursory analysis of the 49ers defense.
2) They responded to pressure from the fans -- it's obvious that the national sports news contained no shortage of critics of the Raiders offense; I'm not the only one to point at Tom, just the most aggressive person to do so.
Now let's deal in detail with point 1. The play-by-play's telling:
This is the 10-play 75 yard drive:
1-10-OAK25 (12:56) A.Brooks pass to D.Gabriel to OAK 36 for 11 yards (W.Harris).
1-10-OAK36 (12:14) A.Brooks pass to C.Anderson to OAK 45 for 9 yards (T.Parrish).
2-1-OAK37 (11:37) A.Brooks FUMBLES (Aborted) at OAK 40, and recovers at OAK 37. A.Brooks to OAK 37 for no gain (J.Ulbrich).
3-9-OAK37 (10:56) A.Brooks scrambles up the middle ran ob at SF 38 for 25 yards (D.Johnson).
1-10-SF38 (10:19) L.Jordan right guard to SF 33 for 5 yards (J.Ulbrich).
2-5-SF33 (9:34) L.Jordan right tackle to SF 25 for 8 yards (S.Davis, M.Adams).
1-10-SF25 (8:48) A.Brooks pass incomplete deep right to R.Moss (M.Adams).
2-10-SF25 (8:42) A.Brooks pass short left to R.Moss pushed ob at SF 11 for 14 yards (S.Davis).
1-10-SF11 (8:05) L.Jordan up the middle to SF 8 for 3 yards (J.Ulbrich).
2-7-SF8 (7:20) A.Brooks pass short middle to D.Gabriel for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
S.Janikowski extra point is GOOD, Center-A.Treu, Holder-S.Lechler.
A nice job over all. But there were two passes, the first to Gabriel and the second to the TE Anderson that were both short -- Gabriel's was a hook, Anderson's a unique kind of "jet" pattern rarely seen, where the TE releases and just aims for a diagonal point at 45 degrees and to the sideline.
It's a hard pattern to defend and one that's not called unless the OC knows to expect a roll-up zone away from the TE or man-to-man, and thus: completion.
As a momentary aside, I LOVE that pattern -- it's a child of the Run and Shoot Offense -- way to go, Tom Walsh.
But the other had me real concerned, even as the crowd around me was going nuts (accept for this Niners bro who seemed bent on being annoying, but whatever). My focus was this: as Brooks took a deep drop, the o-line used a different technique -- the troublesome one I wrote about -- where they retreat. And so I see the pattern, they use a retreat and react technique for their 8 to 10 yard OB drops -- (UGH! I hate that...steps are what's better) --- and a more push and stay home style for their 5 yard drops. And therein lay the problem.
On that play the pocket collapsed fast, and Brooks got out of there like -- well, like Matt Leinart being blitzed in his first NFL game. He ran and picked up 25 yards.
So everyone thinks that's great, except me. I'm fuming that he had to run at all. The problem of the way the line's schooled to block is still troubling to me. But I do like the fact that more short passes were called and used, taking pressure off the o-line and letting them use the more in-your-face style of blocking that Tom Walsh seems to favor for the 5-yard passes.
My point is that style of blocking should be used for the deeper drops too, as well as rollouts and sprints.
Now let's look back at that drive and another first: the pattern used on the pass to Randy Moss for 14 yards. IT WAS A DRIVE PATTERN
YIPPEE!!!
Maybe the dude was listening to this? Who knows.
But the point is that they ran the drive -- the crossing -- pattern. And it was a smart call against...a zone defense. But Randy should watch how he runs that because he's supposed to "sit" down in a zone space rather than run --- that may be Tom's fault here.
Why? Because in a zone the defenders are waiting for him to run shallow and IF they're paying attention they zero in (specifically the defender in the hook zone) -- so Moss gets creamed after he catches the ball.
....They weren't paying attention because their zone drops were SO DEEP. Guess why?
They were looking for those deep patterns, and didn't get them. Ha! Tricked 'em he did. Nice.
So let's stick to fundamental matters:
1) The Raiders used short and medium range passes, taking pressure off the O-line. AWESOME
2) They obviously game planned this one, but what the heck.
3) The problem of blocking on the deep drop passes is still an issue.
4) The patterns ran by backs and receivers were more varied.
5) The QB's are still using yards and not steps in their drops.
6) The 49ers didn't game plan for this contest. (Amoung other things, they seemed to be experimenting with different ways to line up their new toy Vernon Davis, TE, slot, and WR, and perhaps more to come. And on defense, they played a lot of base 3-4 -- why? Well they've got to face the Raiders again in October. Hello!)
So that's why I write that the Raiders and Walsh are still not out of the offensive woods in terms of the passing game.
But the running game's working. I noticed two patterns -- one existing and the other new. The first one is the runs off-tackle are consistently successful. And JUST those plays off tackle. Whenever the runner is forced outside, it doesn't work. That tells me the blocking at the point of attack is good, but the defenders are "pushed" away from the POA off-tackle and toward the outside where they await the runner -- this happens alot.
I also noticed -- and here's a weird nod to the person claiming that the Raiders were using the Pats' offense: not at all, just one kind of technique.
It comes from the one - back, two TE, Ace formation, which the Raiders used a lot of. The halfback is behind the QB. At the snap, the QB turns around in a "reverse pivot" fashion and hands off to the halfback, who takes the ball and runs directly and quickly to the guard / tackle gap. This is done without any juke steps and comes off quickly, almost in a smooth motion.
This simple play is one the Pats and Indy Colts perfected and it has spread like wildfire around the NFL. Why? Well, it's not that the play alone is successful, but it is the "mother" play in a cool series where the QB runs a "quick play fake" from the same hand-off motion, and often with devistating results for the defense. Peyton Manning does this better than Tom Brady.
(No. I'm not referring to the zone stretch run fake -- that's unique to the Colts. No one else does it well at all.)
But I've seen -- let's see -- the Raiders, Niners, Pats, Eagles, Falcons, and Cardinals run this play set. I'll hand it to the Raiders and Tom Walsh: this was the first game where they ran it extensively and they did it well. I hope it's a part of their basic approach.
So in closing, my hope is that Tom Walsh and the Raiders...
1) Use agressive blocking for all passing depths, not just the 5 yard ones.
2) Concentrate on developing an even more varied short and medium range passing game.
3) Continue the quick-count running "blast" plays I discussed.
4) Have the QB's drop with feet and not yards. That's going to be a major problem in the regular season. This is the root of the timing problem, and must be adressed.
5) Install rollout and sprint passes. (Indeed, I like the package Norv Turner's got with the Niners -- very varied.)
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