Who Will Get The Job?

 Posted by at 9:50 PM  No Responses »
Jan 052011
 

Al Davis decided not to pickup Tom Cable’s two-year guaranteed option.

Two years, fully guaranteed. Think about that for one second. It isn’t something to brush past in a rush to retain a coach that the players like.

Tom Cable brought the team from five wins to eight wins. He was given two years and the only improvement was the offense, for which you can give Hue Jackson a lot of the credit.

Tom Cable turned around a locker room. Tom Cable is a pretty good coach. He was well-liked as a blue collar ex-offensive line coach. A hard-working guy and respected by most his players.

This wasn’t your typical Al Davis firing. He didn’t use an overhead projector or try to recoup money paid to Cable. Davis didn’t even string out the process. The team thanked Tom Cable and gave him ample time to find a job.

The reality is that Tom Cable and Al Davis didn’t agree on things. The relationship was only likely to devolve further had Davis kept Cable around. At least Al Davis respected Cable enough to make the decision early.

Should Al Davis have fired Tom Cable? That all depends on perspective and what happens now.

If Al Davis and Tom Cable couldn’t agree on things, it wasn’t likely to be a productive pairing. Sure, the coach would provide stability, but a successful team means the coach and Davis have to get along.

No one is likely to get along with Davis for very long, but Davis is more likely to give a coach slack when they win. Playoffs and a winning record might have gotten Cable a little slack; instead he now has none, due in large part to the contract situation.

It was believed by many that Davis could have not renewed Cable’s contract only to later sign him to a new contract later. That possibility now seems impossible. The early divorce as well as the comments from Cable and the Raiders seems to indicate the Raiders will do as they always do and interview various willing participants.

It looks bad, maybe even feels bad to lose a coach. The players are emotionally attached to Cable, so their responses aren’t surprising.

Davis obviously expected more from his team than they expected from themselves. Davis is not happy with 8-8.

While it would have been nice to keep Cable for consistency and stability, the future depends more on the new coach than what happened in the past.

The Scenarios

Hue Jackson

As has been reported by some, but the Raiders will not confirm, Hue Jackson could be the next coach. It wasn’t hard to see this coming when he was hired last offseason and signed to a two-year deal.

He would provide some consistency to the offense and Al Davis might insist on certain defensive assistants remaining with the team. There would likely be new coaches on the offensive side of the ball. Hue would want to recommend changes to Davis. One big one could be along the offensive line.

Jim Harbaugh

Al Davis has links to Jim Harbaugh. He is the hot candidate and Davis might think if he doesn’t get him now, he never will. Harbaugh has coached for Davis before and knows how Davis operates. Harbaugh would certainly know failure in Oakland would still leave him smelling like roses should things go south. Davis will make a play, but there is serious doubt Davis would give him both the control and the money Harbaugh could get elsewhere.

Then again, there is something to be said for not having to move your family. Harbaugh wouldn’t have to move if he took the job in Oakland or San Francisco.

It would be a big splash and instantly restore some of the sentiment lost by releasing Cable. It could happen, even if the chances are remote.

Harbaugh wasn’t attracted to the job last year, but that was when JaMarcus Russell was still on the team and before a stellar 2010 draft class. It was also before Campbell was acquired and Darren McFadden proved to be an elite running back.

Jon Gruden

He’s not coming back while Davis is around. People in the organization love him. He loves the people in the organization. He would come back given the right set of circumstances, but Al Davis wouldn’t bring him back. If it happens, I’ll eat crow and be so shocked it will taste like Filet Mignon.

Others

Davis will likely interview many NFL assistants, college coaches, and NFL retreads. Doesn’t mean much now, if he can’t get Harbaugh, it’s likely Jackson getting the job.

Hot For Harbaugh

 Posted by at 6:05 PM  3 Responses »
Jan 042011
 

Why are so many teams hot for Jim Harbaugh? Why do I like him so much?

There is a pretty simple answer. Harbaugh is a good leader of men, he can develop quarterbacks, and he has instant credibility.

Those might be the most coveted qualities in any head coach.

He can lead, he is credible with players making millions of dollars and he can develop a quarterback to lead your organization.

Josh McDaniels was given the job in Denver largely because of his good work with Matt Cassel. Charlie Weis developed Tom Brady in New England and became the head guy at Notre Dame.

Mike Singletary got the job because he had instant credibility and was a good leader.

You could say Tom Cable got the job because of his leadership qualities.

None of those guys have all the qualities of Jim Harbaugh. It doesn’t mean Harbaugh will be a success, but it does increase the likelihood.

The biggest characteristic organizations are looker for is the ability to develop a good quarterback. It is only getting more important in the NFL. Passing records are falling every season and new rules are making the game increasingly pass heavy.

Just take a look at the quarterbacks in the playoffs. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, and Michael Vick, Matt Cassel, Mark Sanchez and Seattle’s QB.

At least 80% of these quarterbacks are elite.

So when it comes to hiring a new head coach, it is often a major selling point if the coach can develop a quarterback. Harbaugh has turned Andrew Luck into a consensus number one pick and was a pro quarterback himself.

Toby Gerhart became a Heisman contender under Harbaugh’s coaching, so Harbaugh can recognize his team’s strength. He is not just a quarterback coach.

John Harbaugh’s team has become a perennial Super Bowl contender. There is something to be said for genetics. While Eli will never be Peyton, it isn’t that Eli Manning is a bad quarterback. Who is to say Jim is Eli and John is Peyton? It could easily be the other way around.

Just when you think you have Al Davis figured out, he will surprise you. Davis has been trying to get Harbaugh for a couple years. Starting the first year Cable was hired and again last offseason.

Davis will likely try again, but without giving Harbaugh control of the roster and hiring his own coaches, there is serious doubt Harbaugh would consider it.

So it is a pipe dream, but with Davis you can never rule anything out.

For now, the best move for Davis to stick with Cable and take his chances with Hue Jackson getting a promotion elsewhere.

The worst that could happen is Cable stays and you have to look for a new offensive coordinator. Par for the course would be Cable and Jackson returning. The blockbuster would be bringing in Harbaugh.

No one knows what Davis will do, but hiring another head coach simply doesn’t work if it isn’t Harbaugh and he appears poised to go elsewhere.

Black Monday With Silver Lining

 Posted by at 6:18 PM  No Responses »
Jan 032011
 

Tom Cable made his case to remain the head coach of the Oakland Raiders by drubbing the Chiefs in Kansas City.

For whatever reason, the Raiders came to play against division foes, but struggled against good competition outside of the division.

With just two wins against the lowly NFC West’s top two seeds and 6-0 against the AFC West, Tom Cable made history for the wrong reasons.

As has been circulated, Al Davis has until January 18 to decide on whether to pick up Cable’s one-year extension.

That fact will not confine Davis. If he wants or needs more time, he will not hesitate to wait and ultimately sign Cable to a new contract should he decide to keep him around. In this case, expect Davis to deny he ever doubted Cable and that he even considered anyone else.

There are problems the Raiders will face beginning today. Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson will receive more than a few interviews for open head-coaching positions is among them.

Jim Harbaugh is hotly coveted by many teams, but Davis has been coveting him the longest. It remains very unlikely Davis will make the concessions he would have to make to get Harbaugh. Harbaugh would also have to be willing to put his relationship with Davis in jeopardy.

The 49ers are in hot pursuit of Harbaugh and it is likely a good situation for him. Elway would also like to lure Harbaugh to Denver, something that could make Al Davis jump into the fray.

It has been reported that front office stability is a vital part of Harbaugh’s decision making, and no one is more stable than the owner, right?

It may come down to Tom Cable versus the possibility of losing Hue Jackson.

The question is if the offensive turnaround was because of Hue Jackson or because the team didn’t have the handicap of JaMarcus Russell at quarterback and the team had Darren McFadden healthy.

If Davis believes in the former, he will bend over backwards to keep Jackson while sacrificing Cable. If he believes the latter, he will keep Cable and hope that Jackson doesn’t receive a head-coaching opportunity.

Al Davis will be called crazy if he lets Tom Cable go, but reality is he may be forced to make a choice between Jackson and Cable.

For those calling Davis crazy I ask this: Would you rather have Tom Cable or Hue Jackson as your head coach?

Not such an easy question to answer, is it?

Don’t expect any news today, Al Davis will likely wait, especially considering the labor limbo.

There is more to come including a podcast on the Cable situation.

Cable’s Last Stand

 Posted by at 8:02 AM  No Responses »
Jan 022011
 

The looming question headed into the off season is if Tom Cable will be retained as head coach. Cable’s contract expires January 18 unless owner Al Davis picks up a one-year, $2.5 million-dollar option.

That means Al Davis will have a couple weeks to evaluate his team and its performance this season. Davis convinces himself every year that his team is primed for a Super Bowl run. This is why there is a vast difference between 7-9 and 8-8 in the eyes of Davis.

At 7-9, the team had a losing record and wasn’t a real threat to challenge for the playoffs. At 8-8, you are close and just need to catch a break and win a couple close games to be in the playoffs. Going 8-8 also means 6-0 in the division and owning the division is a good springboard into the next season and something Cable can sell to Davis as reason to keep him around.

Players almost always say they want a coach to return when asked. It isn’t what players say, it is how they play. When players play hard and fight for a head coach, they really want him back. It shows what kind of character the players have and what kind of respect they have for the man that leads them.

With Hue Jackson likely to draw interest as a head coaching candidate around the league, Cable’s status is very much in limbo. Jackson is especially attractive since he would be a Rooney Rule candidate. Davis does not want to lose Jackson and that fear could drive a change as well.

Davis’ long-standing relationship with Jim Harbaugh isn’t likely to play a factor in a coaching change. It would be a departure for Davis to pay a coach what Harbaugh will command, and the only way Davis might be tempted would be if Harbaugh’s only serious offer is Denver.

Harbaugh will also want the ability to hire his coaches and control of the 53-man roster, something Davis has never and likely will never relinquish.

All the scenarios mean that Cable’s last stand as head coach could be today against Kansas City. Cable can emerge the victor and hold his head high knowing he coached his team to 8-8 and had a career coaching record of 10-11 in games without the handicap of JaMarcus Russell.

Cable started his last stand by smartly flying the team to Kansas City on Friday. He will benefit from a more controlled environment. It was New Year’s Eve and these are young men with money. Cable likely wanted to prevent any hard partying 34 hours prior to kickoff. Cable also continued the practice of moving up practices to replicate playing three hours earlier.

Sunday in Kansas City will be a test for the Raiders. The Chiefs are a playoff team and the Raiders narrowly defeated them at home. The Chiefs are 7-0 at home and Arrowhead is notoriously one of the toughest places to play on the road.

It isn’t often a game with such little significance has so much historic significance. Jamaal Charles is likely to become the first running back since Jim Brown to average over 6.0 yards per carry. The Raiders can become the first team to go 6-0 in their division and miss the playoffs.

When the Raiders and Chiefs get together their is no shortage of match-ups to watch. Watch them all, but most importantly, watch the ones below.

Jamaal Charles vs. John Henderson

Charles is key to the Chiefs offense. Stop Charles and the offense can never get into a rhythm. With Seymour a game-time decision again, it will be up to Tommy Kelly and Big John Henderson to keep Charles from gashing the Raiders.

Henderson is one of the best defensive tackles at stopping the run in the league and Charles is chasing history. If Henderson continues to be a force he will string Charles outside, where hopefully the Raiders ends and linebackers can make plays.

Dwayne Bowe vs. Nnamdi Asomugha

It isn’t that the Chiefs don’t have other threats through the air, it is that so few of them strike fear into a defense. Bowe has been particularly dangerous in the redzone and 15 of his 67 catches have been touchdowns.

The Raiders will counter with Nnamdi Asomugha. One of the best corners in the league by reputation. Cassell would be ill-advised to throw towards Asomugha, who is finally getting  healthy. Unless Charlie Weis wants to stick a hot knife into Todd Haley’s side during a meaningless game, don’t expect Asomugha to be challenged more than once or twice.

Jacoby Ford vs. Brandon Flowers

Ford got the best of Flowers in Oakland, snatching away a would-be interception late in the game to help the Raiders to victory. He had a season-high six receptions for 148 yards primarily against Flowers. Ford also returned a kick for a touchdown against Kansas City, one of his three on the season.

In many ways, Ford is exactly what the Chiefs hoped they drafted in Dexter McCluster. A versatile playmaker and deadly weapon in the return game.

McCluster still has time to turn things around and he is still can be a dangerous weapon, but Ford has proven that he can perform even when a team has game-planned for him.

Flowers wants payback and the Raiders might continue to test Flowers with Ford’s speed. One way or the other, there could be fireworks.

Darrius Heyward-Bey vs. The Bust Label

Tom Cable and Hue Jackson believe he is very close to a breakout. They consistently praise his blocking while talking up how much he is doing and how a big game is coming.

At the end of his second season, the time could be now for Heyward-Bey. While it is usually imperative to give a raw receiver three full seasons to mature, he hasn’t given the fans much to hope for. A big game this Sunday could go a long way into getting the monkey off his back. A little taste of success can also validate his work and propel his continued work this off season.

Chaz Schilens vs. His Body

If Schilens could ever stay healthy, he could be a good NFL receiver. Too bad his body has failed him time and time again. Since college Schilens has struggled to stay healthy.

If Schilens can get through this last game healthy he will enter the offseason healthy. Unless he injures himself on the bench press, like his body-double Bruce Gradkowski did during offseason workouts, he should enter camp healthy.

There are far too many “ifs” when it comes to Schilens, but he is cheap and because of that fact the Raiders are more than happy to hang onto him.

The question is if the Raiders will continue to wait on him or if they could bring in a veteran in the offseason.

Darren McFadden vs. The Toe

While McFadden’s turf toe injury is likely less severe than the previous version, the very fact that the injury has reoccured is cause for concern. McFadden hasn’t been very durable the past few seasons and an injury that comes and goes can really hurt his production.

Michael Bush is a free agent this off season and injuries like this to McFadden could be reason enough for Al Davis to pay Michael Bush to stay around.

McFadden is a game-time decision, but has a good chance to play.

Michael Mitchell vs. Tony Moeaki

Mitchell was a second-round pick at safety. Typically such a draft pick would be expected to be starting by the end of his second season.

While Mitchell has shown flashes of brilliance against Antonio Gates and others, he’s also proven to be a bit inconsistent in coverage. Mitchell is often called upon in nickel situations to cover the tight end. This could again be the case against Chiefs tight-end Tony Moeaki.

Moeaki has 46 receptions this season and had six against the Raiders in Oakland, a season high.

Mitchell is a useful weapon against teams like the Chiefs, because he can also come up in run support.

If Moeaki helps the Chiefs move the chains, it could be a long day for the Raiders defense. It will be up to Mitchell to keep that from happening.

Jared Veldheer vs. Tamba Hali

Dwight Freeney made Veldheer looks pretty poor last week. Freeney and Robert Mathis blew past the Raiders tackles and never really gave Campbell much of a chance against the Colts. The rookie was simply over-matched physically and mentally against the prolific pass rusher.

Hali was able to blow easily past Veldheer once in their first meeting, but Veldheer held his own against Hali for the most part and was a big reason Jason Campbell had time to pass late in the game.

Veldheer is likely to be given the reigns to the left tackle position going into next season. Veldheer has plenty of things to work on, but he is competitive and he is getting an opportunity to face some of the best pass rushers in the league to close out his rookie season. Playing against these types of players will help him in the long run.

Veldheer has always been a gym rat and his strength isn’t in question. He will need to fine tune his technique and try to improve his foot quickness if he is to stay at left tackle.

Just Hit the Snooze Baby!

 Posted by at 2:00 PM  No Responses »
Jan 232010
 

Lets see:

It is Saturday. So now that you have probably hit the snooze a few times, allow me to quickly catch you up on the Raiders quest to maybe, kinda, sorta, probably, maybe not make a head coaching change. It’s been a real snooze-fest in its own right.

The Raiders announced last night the hiring of Mike Waufle as the D-Line coach. Seems like a solid hire for a needed area.

The best nugget of the press-release was this gem,

He and Coach Cable spent six years together at the University of California where they enjoyed working together.

 So…as time goes on, it appears Cable is inching towards remaining as the Raiders head coach.

If Cable does stay on, don’t expect a formal announcement, the Raiders typically like to point the finger at the media for overreacting and “rumor-mongering.”

It could be that simply no high profile parties were interested in the job. Cable was and still is teetering ever so close to the edge of the head coaching carousel of horrors, but without a young buck, genius offensive mind, or glitzy name to bump him off, he may just hold on.

I firmly believe Al Davis would love to bring Jim Harbaugh in as Head Coach, but Jim may be reluctant to take the Raiders job, because on average there will be 12 head coaching vacancies next offseason along with a looming lockout. He will have more choice next season and a clearer picture of the labor talks.

With that said, it makes economic sense to keep Cable for the last year of his contract and make the decision next season.

Hue Jackson interviewing for the offensive coordinator position makes a lot of sense, in that Cable could and should be stripped of his play-calling duties so he can focus on being head coach and working with the offensive line, who was noticeably better when Cable took some of that responsibility on himself and away from Jim Michalczik.

Of course, you can never accurately predict what Al Davis is going to do, but he may have a crack at Jim Harbaugh again next season and Marc Trestman and Jim Fassel are only a phone call away.