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Competition at QB position for Oakland
By Stefani Rebekah Black December 5, 2007 |
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Nothing else is like a little competition, and that is true with the quarterback situation in Oakland and that's why Josh McCown stepped up after Daunte Culpepper couldn't start last Sunday. Also on Tuesday at practice Culpepper challenged Stanford Routt to a race. Culpepper was spotted five yards and was easily beat by Routt who ran marathons in college. As a result of the race Culpepper further hurt his quads and maybe out now for another week or two. McCown is slated to start against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday as Culpepper is resting his thigh and further hurt in the wind sprints with Routt. The Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is not happy with Culpepper's decision to sprint against Routt and that might further complicate Culpepper's chances of a quick return at quarterback. In the game last Sunday against the Broncos McCown proved that he could step up but the other players looked at JaMarcus Russell who entered the ball game for some looks and Kiffin liked what he saw. Kiffin sees the future of the franchise being carried on by Russell and Russell didn't do anything wrong and completed 4-7 from the field for about 50 yards and the Raiders orchestrated plays for Russell in the second quarter bringing him slowly where Russell wouldn't have a bad effect on the ball game. Still everybody was happy and the happiest that you've ever seen Raiders fans for a long long time since they went to the Super Bowl. The Raiders feel that they can win with Russell and no ones going to argue with them. There were more good vibes at the Raiders game last Sunday that there have been since in the last three years. It's all physiological with men in their early twenties as in the case of McCown and that's it got to be. McCown sees himself at this moment not as a quarterback that has to win for the Raiders but the quarterback that has to not lose for the Raiders until Russell starts. This is a tremendous difference from what the club expects from McCown. Of course McCown is a great player, also notice the people who were calling the plays were more prone to call in plays that took just a little bit more of a chance because with Russell around they're going to have to start calling plays that are going to move the Raiders down the field. You can expect the Raiders to get a whole lot better quite quickly. Quarterback revolving door: Injuries will force a team to play a player that is having the most success and also given that situation the players don't squabble as much about whose going to start or whether they're going to be the starter or the guy off the bench or whatever. The Raiders are going to have to come to the realization that the person playing is the person that is going to go the team the most good and the psychology that helps everybody. The Raiders hook up with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field with a 10:00AM kickoff at the Frozen Tundra. Stefani Rebekah Black covers Raiders football and co-hosts Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. |
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