It is two weeks into the NFL season and everyone is jumping to conclusions.
While I didn't start the "Fire Art Shell" bandwagon, I'm hopping on it.
Maybe that is jumping the gun a little bit. They won't ditch him this early in the season and in all likelihood, will let him play out this season.
But even so, his long-awaited return to the sidelines has been a disaster.
The Raiders are batting 0-2 while being outscored 55-6 in their two effortless defeats.
In their opening matchup against division rival San Diego, a game which the Raiders had about five months or so to prepare for, Shell's boys looked as cohesive as a cast of "The Surreal Life."
The Chargers, whom the Raiders should be very familiar with, since they face each other twice a season, stymied Oakland as if that pirate on their logo had a patch over both eyes.
While several fire alarms and sirens have gone off in the Raiders locker room, the biggest red flag has been the coaching staff's inability to make proper adjustment and assessments.
In training camp, Art Shell was asked how Aaron Brooks is taking to the new offense:
"Aaron is taking big strides," Shell said, "the light bulb is going off so he understands now what we are trying to do."
That was then, this is now. In just over one game's worth of action, Brooks is 6-of-14 for 68 yards with two costly fumbles.
In the preseason, the play of starting left tackle and second-overall selection in the 2004 NFL draft Robert Gallery was riddled with penalties and gaffes, but Shell was not disconcerted. He said he'll be fine.
After being used as a turnstile in Week 1, Gallery has taken refuge from all the criticism on the sideline while nursing a calf injury.
Randy Moss has already ripped into the coaching staff twice in this young season on both FOX and ESPN radio. After the team's second loss of the season to the Baltimore Ravens, LaMont Jordan was also less than subtle with his shots, stating there is no reason to be optimistic from an offensive standpoint.
He wasn't the only one taking aim as safety Jarrod Cooper also reamed into the coaching staff for benching Jerry Porter, who has also disrupted team chemistry by demanding a trade and cheering (or not paying attention) while his teammates were getting worked over in Week 1.
The Raiders, as a whole, seem completely lost.
Much of the blame must be directed at a porous offensive line that is on pace to allow 120 sacks this season, but more of the criticism should be shouldered by the coaches.
Facing two pressure defenses, the Raiders have used several five- and seven-step quarterback drops on passing plays that they simply know they will not have the time to develop.
Moss, the team's best wide receiving threat, only has six receptions and has been far from an integral part of the offensive game plans in either games. One would think he would see even more passes thrown his way this season, especially now that Doug Gabriel is playing for the New England Patriots and that Jerry Porter isn't even in uniform on Sundays.
Another factoring issue is that the Raiders offensive coordinator, Tom Walsh, has either been the mayor of Swan Valley, Idaho or managing a bed and breakfast over the last 11 seasons. His plan for a vertical passing game and his blueprint for a downhill running game has, quite clearly, blown up in his face. More importantly, since he's been away for so long, he may be able to diagnose the problem, but it doesn't look like he can fix them.
The Raiders are two weeks into the season, but they have a locker room that is about to explode, a coaching staff who is dazed and confused, and they are outputting the effort of a team who doesn't believe they can win.
They lack leadership, heart, and discipline. Three characteristics that Shell vowed he would infuse. So much for restoring the Silver and Black to the glory days.
For most new head coaches, there is a honeymoon stage which has minor flashes of optimism. For Shell, it has been pitch black and his Raiders are abandoning ship.
So am I.
Art Shell and the Oakland Raiders mix like Mondays and me.
"I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick. Not wounded. Dead." — Woody Allen
September 19, 2006
James:
Okay fire Art Shell..What about Jon Gruden too, his team has scored the same amount of points against the same level of competition. THe Raiders just played arguably the top two defenses in the league, while teams like the 49ers and Saints started off playing weaker teams. How about holding off until at least the middle of the season when a more representative opinon can be made of the team. Why is evryone freaking out..is this how you sell papers??
September 19, 2006
Carlos Alanis:
Fire Shell!! He was bad before and is terrible now. He seems bored with the game, no enthusiasm. Get rid of Tom Walsh ASAP. The short term solution would be to make Ryan the HC and let Shoop run the Offense.
September 19, 2006
mark:
Lets put the blame where it belongs. We wll knew when Tom Walsh was hired this season was going to go like this. The blame falls on a senial owner who allowed a loyal, yet not very bright Art Shell to pick his own co-ordinator.
September 19, 2006
Jacob King Jr:
The article is very accurate the major point being how come there no adjustments? It was clear that the protection scheme was not working so use the TE or the RB to help. A 7 seven step drop and a sack seem to be the norm for the raiders.
September 19, 2006
rdrsfan1:
While I agree the play calling has been horrific, people are a bit too anxious to call the Raiders the worst team in the league. Sure they had two tough games, both of which against perhaps the two of the best defenses in the NFL. The simple fact is the scores in both games weren’t really as bad as they look. The Raiders Defense is playing as well as anyone right now, but they are wearing out at the end of the halves because they are on the field 3/4’s of the time. As for other struggling offenses… uh.. Gruden’s boys have only scored 1 field goal, and the darling pick for the Superbowl Panthers have only scored 19 points, 12 by the offense. I’m not saying the Raiders are going to become a playoff team overnight, but the media’s bashing of the Raiders is expected. The funny thing is, if they are this bad, it was expected by everyone. If Tampa and Carolina are really this bad, well then the experts really have to admit they don’t know what the hell they are talking about. Oh… and don’t forget, the defending Superbowl champs had a goose egg laid on them by a pretty good defense themselves last night. Let’s wait and see when the Raiders play someone more on their level and then see if they are as lousy as everyone is quick to point out they are. I don’t think they are a contender, but I don’t think they are the worst team in the NFL either. We will see in a couple weeks against Cleveland and San Fran…. The Raiders may very well be 2-2 after that stretch.
September 19, 2006
Kirk mangum:
Our offensive line sucks!!! No doubt we are starting off the season worst then expected but we can’t jump to conclusions and say its because of art, that’s bull. Our morale is low, players are injured and the fans are jumping ship, but anything of great value ( Superbowl) takes greater sacrifice especially when you have a team that has had 3 different coaches and ways of learnig in the past 4 0r 5 seasons. We will get out of this slump. Win lose or tie Raiders till I die!!!!!!!
September 19, 2006
J-roc:
Our 0-line is in twilight-zone! It seems like the past 2 games both defenses are happy because our 0-line is stuffed w/ tempur-pedic cushion and has no desire to pass protect. A team should be acquired of football mentality not highclass sprinters who think they’re going to be on-top coz of speed, the raiders need a true athlete who absorbs their position and is second nature to their role. AFC teams nowadays are passed-competition and are making good progression but AL davis is putting the team in the wrong path,…i say new coach, new 0-line & trade porter for a reasonable pick!..more anticipation, observation and watching past games coz DAMN its soooo soooo sad to see raiders fall like this in the beginning of the season!!!
October 4, 2006
CGV:
Maybe if the decrepit and brain dead owner were to expire some time soon and the entire team and staff were to be replaced with six year old girl scouts then maybe the pathetic faiders would have a chance to win a game. In the meantime it might be best to have these stupid punks play against high school teams, at least they would have a slight chance to achieve a tie.