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Kiffin to study who has what on Friday
By Jeremy Harness August 19, 2007 |
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This coming Friday night the Raiders will host the St. Louis Rams at the McAfee Coliseum for the third installment of the four game NFL pre-season schedule. As each passing week goes by Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin is able to evaluate each player and see how his roster takes shape for the upcoming season. The pressing issue has been the quarterback situation, and after watching, Andrew Walter who started on Saturday night at Candlestick it looks more and more like the Raiders will be going with Daunte Culpepper. Kiffin has said that Culpepper is his guy, who not only has the experience but can get out of the pocket quicker than Walter. Walter struggled all night on Saturday and couldn't get on track in the first quarter, fumbling a few snaps. The worst case was not Walter's fault when LaMont Jordan dropped a three-yard pass, center Jake Grove was flagged for a false start after moving before the snap count, and Grove also left the ball game after the first six plays in one series with a knee injury. "I thought we had a couple bad breaks, we had a (17 play) drive after some adversity and you can't do any better than that," said Walter who connected 9-16 with an interception for 78 yards. In the second quarter, however Daunte Culpepper got his chance to show what he had with 8:37 left in the quarter and he fumbled the first snap to him but later recovered on a hand off to LaMont Jordan who ran for 32 yards after the fumble and finished the night with eight carries for 67 yards. Culpepper faired better at the controls with six passes for 8 completions and 75 yards. Kiffin has indicated by all looks so far Culpepper will be the starting quarterback on opening day on September 9th. Kiffin is very relieved that right after the JaMarcus Russell cluster that Culpepper was picked up from Miami just in time when the Raiders needed someone experienced most at the position. Kiffin also said that after watching what Culpepper did in the second and third quarters in helping the Raiders to get back in the ball game with two touchdowns to take a brief one point lead at 14-13 he was convinced for now that Culpepper will be the guy he'll lean on the throw the ball this season. The coaching has been an improvement for the Raiders this season. Greg Knapp who is the quarterbacks coach with experience running the West Coast offense and someone who’s after making quarterbacks, Culpepper, Walter, and Josh McCown make it work the results are showing in flashes like last Saturday night. Walter has much more work to do as stated before, Culpepper is rated ready, McCown who went 8-17 for 97 yards could move up to second string. Right now Knapp would like to see McCown improve his pass completion margin just a bit he was under half on Saturday night. Knapp was concerned a little bit about the pass rush, the Niners gave it to him, and he had to run out of the pocket stance enough times where he had to rush the pass. Knapp said he would want McCown to keep his incompletions down and read the defense quicker for the blitz. As far as Walter is concerned, Knapp has asked the offense to give Walter a little for more support. Jordan and the backs are expected to hang onto the football and the fumbles in the first quarter. Saturday night under Walter's watch was atrocious and Knapp will go back to films, chalkboards, and drills to tweak that with Walter. Jeremy Newberry's appearance in his return to Candlestick was rather warm from the faithful and he kind of looked out of place in a Raiders white jersey but is the Raiders offensive captain and when Grove went down in the first quarter with the knee Newberry finished up the ball game from that first quarter and on. Newberry is trying to work the bugs out as Culpepper fumbled twice on some snaps from Newberry but Newberry said they could get this going. Was it nervousness maybe, but it was a whole lot of listening for audible which the two are picking up and pacing the snap count and calls and getting the snap over to the quarterback. Newberry who is working with his surgically repaired knees felt fine and that was one worry Kiffin had during the game after Grove went out with a knee. Newberry stayed up front to protect Culpepper for much of the game and followed the play calls and charts. The Raiders are a work in progress but from all indications it looks, as if they will be on track come September 9th when they host Detroit. But for now the Raiders are focusing their efforts on getting their second pre season win when they host the Rams for the third pre season game on Friday August 24th at 7PM. Jeremy Harness covers Raiders football and co-hosts Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. quote source: sfgate.com |
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