What an off-the-charts, completely fabulous day Sunday was in Raider
Nation! JaMarcus Russell finally played! The Raiders won their second
consecutive game!
Of course, one thing had absolutely nothing to do with the other.
Russell, who came in with 13:48 to play in the second quarter, took only
16 snaps and neither of his two possessions ended in a score. The true
hero of the day was beleaguered quarterback Josh McCown, who led the
Raiders on three touchdown drives. McCown's heroics gave the Raiders a
34-20 victory over the loathed Denver Broncos and the team's second
consecutive division win.
The Debut. The Win. Nope, one thing had absolutely nothing to do with
the other. Or did it?
In truth, Russell's much-anticipated debut and the Raiders' much-needed
victory over Denver were both part of the same feel-good
silver-and-black package. There is suddenly a very cool vibe happening
with the Raiders. A positive feeling. In fact, you could argue that
there was more palpable hope and honest-to-Al optimism in Oakland on
Sunday than there had been since the Super Bowl season of 2002. Five
very long, very miserable years of wandering in the wilderness.
But under the direction of young Lane Kiffin, the Raiders are heading in
the right direction. Into a future that has actual promise.
"The change came the day they hired the man," defensive tackle Warren
Sapp said. "Players are buying in. The sky is the limit for this ballclub."
Sunday was the Raiders' best overall game of the season. Perhaps - if
you want to get overly hyperbolic - their best outing since the AFC
Championship game in January 2003.
The fact that Russell was part of the day just made it all the more
special and memorable.
Sunday, the Raiders scored a touchdown on their opening drive - for the
first time in 36 games - to get the Coliseum rocking. But the noise
level was nothing compared with the volume reached in the second quarter
when No. 2 - after a word on the sideline with Kiffin - ran out on the
field for the first time.
"It was really loud," wide receiver Jerry Porter said. "I had to ask him
to speak up."
The ovation for Russell was so loud, so long, so sincere that the other
Raiders in the huddle had to wave their arms for quiet. Russell, the No.
1 overall draft pick and the Raiders' overall future, rolled out and
completed his first pass, a 16-yard bullet to Porter.
"I caught the first," Porter said. "It was hot. That ball had a lot
behind it."
Russell displayed the strong arm, the athleticism and the star presence
that were promised. But he also showed that he's a rookie. In his first
series, there was also a bumbled handoff to LaMont Jordan and a fumbled
snap that Russell fell on.
"He had some classic rookie mistakes," Kiffin said. "You expect those
things to happen."
Russell, who signed his contract in the second week of the season,
missed all of preseason. He hadn't played in a game since Louisiana
State played Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3.
But he said he wasn't nervous.
"I tried to tell myself to just relax and do the same thing I do at
practice," Russell said. "I think I did good."
On his second drive, he scrambled for 4 yards and took a hit.
"I could slide, but I wanted to see what an NFL hit feels like," the
6-foot-6, 255-pound quarterback said.
That possession ended with Kiffin going for it on fourth-and-one. Justin
Fargas was stopped, the Raiders' offense came off the field and that was
it for Russell.
But that wasn't it for the excitement. McCown took over on the Raiders'
next possession and led the team on another touchdown drive. In the
second half, the Raiders scored four more times. McCown, whose younger
brother Luke was leading Tampa Bay to a victory across the country, had
a tremendous day. But the affable McCown didn't mind sharing the stage
with Russell.
"I'm tickled for JaMarcus," McCown said. "I thought he was great. It was
great for the team. He brought a great energy level."
Kiffin was happy. The debut went as he had hoped. Russell was the No. 2
quarterback behind McCown because a leg injury kept Daunte Culpepper on
the bench. But the rookie wasn't forced into a game in a desperate
situation. He had a scaled-down playbook and was able to run the plays
he knew.
"We need this guy to play well," Kiffin said. "We want, in the first
exposure, for him to do really well. To be able to have some success."
Kiffin doesn't know what's next for Russell. He sounded doubtful that
the Raiders' $32 million man would play next week in the cold in Green
Bay. It's unlikely that Kiffin will throw the rookie into the playoff
heat in Jacksonville. So Russell's appearances might be in the remaining
home games against Indianapolis (Dec. 16) and San Diego (Dec. 30).
But Kiffin has received solid performances the past two weeks from his
other quarterbacks, so he doesn't have to do anything crazy with Russell.
Still, everyone wants to see more.
"He's got it," Sapp said. "He's a monster. I can't wait till they give
him the whole horse and let him whip it."
Sunday was one of those rare Raiders days when everything seemed to go
right, down to the thrill of beating Mike Shanahan. McCown was the star.
But he knows that Russell will dominate the headlines.
"He," McCown said of Russell, "is the future."
And that was really what was on display Sunday. The Raiders' future. And
finally, after five miserable years, it looks like a pretty cool and
interesting place.
