Raiders On Losing End Of Shutout
“We got out of sorts early in the ballgame on offense.”-- Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable

Article by Barbara Mason of Bay Area Sports Drive Magazine
October 26, 2009

It was another roller coaster ride for the Oakland Raiders as they took on the New York Jets Sunday afternoon. After a solid win over the very tough Philadelphia Eagles last week, the Raiders came out Sunday looking like a very different team.

Oakland struggled from the get go fumbling and bumbling their way to a 38-0 loss to the Jets. Oakland’s first possession was fumbled away by quarterback JaMarcus Russell and recovered on the Raider 4 yard line. It was easy pickings for New York as they romped into the end zone on fourth and goal for the early 7-0 lead. 

Russell was to throw an interception in the first quarter followed by a second in the same quarter and with 5:51 left in the 2^nd quarter; Coach Cable pulled Russell and put Bruce Gradkowski in at quarterback. It was a very very tough decision for Cable.  “It was very difficult.  I want him (Russell) to succeed and I know how bad he wants to succeed.”  At this point of the game Cable had to do what he felt was best for the team. 

It was a downhill game with a few exceptions.  There were some great plays here and there that just were not consistent enough. 

“We knew exactly what we had to do.  We got out of sorts early in the ballgame on offense,” said Coach Tom Cable after the game.  He felt that they never really got into any sort of rhythm and were unable to stop the run from beginning to end.  “Very disappointed, he said.  “I expected a lot more than what we got today so we’ll go back to work and continue to try to fix it.”

He summed up Russell’s performance which was awful.  “I thought he was really out of sorts early in the game.  The first play of the game he couldn’t get the formation lined up the right way,” said Cable.  “The first interception, no reason for that and the second one really just kind of threw it out so I did not feel at that point that he gave us the best chance to have the success that we needed offensively.”  Cable did however state that Russell will continue to be the starter for the Raiders and that there was no issue whatsoever regarding who would be starting in the future.

Cable felt that quarterback Gradkowski did a good job showing some really solid mobility.  He gained 25 yards rushing. He finished the game with 96 yards on 10 completions. 

The running game never really got off the ground.  There were a few bursts for good yardage but it was never consistent enough to mount any sort of threat.  Justin Fargas turned in 67 yards on 8 carries.

The Jets rushed for 316 yards showing a real inability to stop the run for the Silver and Black.  It was a very discouraging game for team and fans alike.  They face another tough opponent next Sunday as they travel south to take on the rival San Diego Chargers.