That was the first word from Raiders coach Art Shell following a 20-9
loss to the Chiefs, and he didn't really need to use any others.
The Raiders failed to score touchdowns -- again. Oakland has not scored
a touchdown on offense in seven of 15 games.
The Raiders turned the ball over -- again. There were five more
giveaways against the Chiefs, three lost fumbles and two interceptions.
The Raiders gave up sacks -- again. Quarterback Andrew Walter was
dropped four times, bringing the team's NFL-high tally to 70.
The Raiders lost -- again. It was the eighth loss in a row and marked
the second consecutive season they were winless against the AFC West.
"All I can say is we're just as disappointed as the fans are," Shell
said. "We really are. We don't go out and try to lose games. We work
very hard to try and give the fans what they want. The majority of the
fans here, they're faithful fans. They'll keep the faith."
That remains to be seen as the Raiders fell for the 13th time, the most
losses in a season since 1962, when Oakland was 1-13 the year before Al
Davis arrived.
The Raiders are at a low point in franchise history, and the offense
gets a disproportionate share of the blame. Oakland's defense gave up
two touchdowns, one on a short-field drive, but has discovered that in
order to win, it has to be perfect.
Perfect the Raiders aren't, as evidenced by Larry Johnson's 145 yards
rushing on 31 carries.
But the Oakland defense is at the very least above average, unfairly
saddled with an offense that is going out as meekly as it came in.
Oakland, which opened the season with a 27-0 loss against San Diego and
a 28-6 loss to Baltimore, has not scored a touchdown in its last 23
possessions and 132 offensive snaps.
At home, it's even worse. The Raiders have gone 31 possessions on their
own turf without a touchdown, a span of 184 snaps.
"We moved the ball," Shell said. "We just couldn't get into the end
zone. It hurts."
Raiders offensive players can do little more than shrug their shoulders
and recount their errors. Defensive players have done their best to keep
their thoughts to themselves regarding the offense, but as the year
nears an end, the frustration is beginning to seep out.
"A team goes up on us by six points, and they go into their four-minute
offense, trying to run the clock out," safety Stuart Schweigert said.
"They run screens, draws. You give Larry Johnson the ball that many
times, he's going to break a couple."
Notes, quotes
--QB Aaron Brooks was sidelined by a neck injury that got progressively
worse from Wednesday through Friday, so QB Andrew Walter got his first
start since Nov. 12 and failed to lead the Raiders to a touchdown.
Walter was 27-for-37 for 226 yards. He was intercepted twice by Kansas
City S Jarrad Page and lost two fumbles.
"Andrew is still a young kid," coach Art Shell said. "He's learning on
the run. He's going to be a better quarterback down the road."
--The Raiders refuted an NFL Network report that Art Shell would be
fired at the end of the season with a terse press release challenging
the credibility of reporter Adam Schefter and saying that no decision
had been made regarding the 2007 season.
"Adam Schefter has always been a false rumor monger with respect to the
Raiders and anti-Raider based on his relationship with Denver and Mike
Shanahan ... Adam Schefter could not have gotten his information from a
reliable source because there's only one reliable source, and he doesn't
trust Adam," the release said.
The source the release refers to, of course, is owner Al Davis.
Schefter stuck by his story, although it should be noted there is
substantial wiggle room considering the report included the language,
"Now Al has been known to change his mind and could again."
--WR Ronald Curry became the sixth Raiders receiver to catch 11 or more
passes in a game with 11 receptions for 106 yards against Kansas City.
The last Raider to do it was Jerry Rice (11 receptions, 94 yards vs.
Pittsburgh on Sept. 15, 2002). Tim Brown caught 11 passes a game four
times, TE Todd Christensen did it twice and WR Art Powell once.
TE Dave Casper and Brown had games with 12 receptions, with Brown
setting the franchise record with 14 on Dec. 22, 1997, against Jacksonville.
--The Raiders have played 15 games without a quarterback throwing for
more than 300 yards. Kerry Collins threw for 331 yards in last year's
season finale against the Giants.
The Raiders have nine individual 300-yard passing games since the start
of the 2003 season, one year after Rich Gannon set the NFL record with
10 300-yard games in his MVP season of 2002.
Strategy and personnel
PLAYER NOTES
--WR Ronald Curry has 28 receptions for 292 yards in the 11 quarters
since Randy Moss was injured against Cincinnati.
--RB Justin Fargas, with 580 yards rushing this season, is 63 yards shy
of 1,000 yards for his four-year career.
--TE Courtney Anderson has eight receptions in his last two games after
catching six passes in his previous seven games.
--DE Kevin Huntley has been active for five games and has 2.5 sacks,
more than any Raiders end other than Derrick Burgess.
--KR Chris Carr has returned 136 kickoffs over the past two seasons for
24.9 average with five over 40 yards, but he has yet to score a touchdown.
REPORT CARD VS. CHIEFS
PASSING OFFENSE
D-minus -- QB Andrew Walter completed 27 passes but for only 226 yards.
Both interceptions went into the end zone, although one was a Hail Mary.
WR Johnnie Morant, in his first game as a starter, negated one big play
by stepping out of bounds and returning to make the catch, and he
fumbled after a substantial gain. WR Ronald Curry caught 11 passes for
106 yards.
RUSHING OFFENSE
B-minus -- One of Oakland's better efforts until game circumstances
forced them to abandon the run in the fourth quarter. RB Justin Fargas
had a career-high 90 yards on 19 carries and was matching Larry Johnson
yard for yard until getting only two carries and a single yard in the
fourth quarter. The Raiders finished with 112 yards on 24 carries.
PASS DEFENSE
B-minus -- CB Nnamdi Asomugha had his eighth interception on one of the
only times the Chiefs threw his way. CB Fabian Washington suffered
through his third consecutive difficult game, surrendering a
third-and-goal, 6-yard TD pass to Eddie Kennison on the Chiefs' opening
drive and struggling throughout. The Chiefs had a net gain of only 142
yards passing, but much of that is because they didn't try.
RUSH DEFENSE
C-minus -- The Raiders held Johnson reasonably in check for a while, but
they eventually gave way as the Chiefs simply kept handing him the ball
as they sat on a 17-6 halftime lead. Johnson had 97 yards on 17 carries
after halftime and 51 yards on nine carries in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City averaged just 3.9 yards per carry but had 38 rushing
attempts as Oakland presented no offensive threat.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C -- Sebastian Janikowski was 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts, including
his final kick from 53 yards out. Shane Lechler punted only twice for a
39.5 average and 29.0 net. He was decisively outkicked by Kansas City's
Dustin Colquitt (53.7 average, 51.3 net). Dante Hall got loose for
Kansas City on a 45-yard kickoff return, and the Chiefs opened drives
following kickoffs on average at the 36. The Raiders also returned
kickoffs well, opening at the 39.
COACHING
C -- No real complaints with the defense. Coaching wasn't the reason the
Raiders couldn't stop Johnson. Offensively, coordinator John Shoop's
game plan picked up yardage, some first downs and kept the Raiders even
in terms of time of possession, but Oakland couldn't score. Coach Art
Shell chose to let Walter throw a hopeless pass into the end zone just
before halftime instead of letting Janikowski attempt a 61-yard field
goal. Janikowski later cleared a 53-yard kick in the same direction.
