Tom Cable addressed the local media today after practice. He had no updates on Asomugha’s injury, and an upbeat feeling about the direction of the team, despite Saturday’s disaster. He found some silver linings in the black clouds of that defeat, and believes that won’t be a harbinger of things to come for the Oakland Raiders.
Back to work today and working on Seattle. Good effort and tempo today, a little bit again like a hangover if you will. We’ve just got to get over Saturday. I’m happy about that, so you understand that, because that means we really care about what happened on Saturday so that’s really a good thing inside that. We released five guys today: WR Shawn Bayes, WR Will Franklin, DT Joe Cohen, OG Marcus Johnson and C Jon Compas. Injury report: Schilens, Barnes, Fargas, Lechler, Ekejiuba, Morrison, Slade Norris, Asomugha, Baker, Miller that’s Justin Miller and Mike Mitchell.
Q: John Wade back out there?
A: Yes. We kind of limited him, just put him through individual and then kind of game him a few snaps in every period. Didn’t seem to have too many issues. That’s good news.
Q: Matt Shaughnessy? Can he play a lot this week?
A: Yeah I think so. He looked good today and the rehab, everything went fine so back to work.
Q: Mike Mitchell?
A: Yeah we’re getting close. We are getting very close. We had a great workout yesterday. We just wanted to give it today off and then come back tomorrow and see where we’re at.
Q: Nnamdi Asomugha update?
A: We don’t have any update. We should have something tomorrow. Just want to make sure the chip is not displaced or anything like that.
Q: A cast?
A: That’s what we’re trying to find out.
Q: Mitchell the same injury?
A: Yeah, yep, yep.
Q: Problems in college?
A: Early in his career but not the last couple of years.
Q: Nnamdi, surgery on the table?
A: We don’t know that. All of that is being, they’re going this afternoon with a specialist to see exactly what the procedure will be.When I say procedure, I mean in terms of rehabbing it so we don’t know anything it.
Q: Hurt making a tackle?
A: Yep, second play of the game.
Q: Just the same shut him down either way until opener?
A: I think under the conditions, yeah.
Q: Shane Lechler play today if needed?
A: Yeah, just being smart.
Q: No Nnamdi, then Stanford and CJ?
A: Yes.
Q: Better to see them both?
A: Yeah although we have purposely got to see both Stanford and Chris because of that competition and all that so…
Q: Chance starters play?
A: That’s the decision I’m going to go make this afternoon, this evening, probably have an answer for you tomorrow.
Q: Kirk Morrison?
A: Same thing like Wade, he went through individual and the team periods and held him out of any contact.
Q: Morrison fighting to get on field?
A: Sure he wants to be out there but we need to be smart with that right now.
Q: Will Kirk miss Thursday?
A: I just don’t think it’d be wise to do it. He could play, definitely could.
Q: Nnamdi said players weren’t upset enough after blowouts at San Diego. See a difference?
A: Yeah. I don’t like losing. Nobody does. But I am right now I am excited about the fact that we really show a lot of remorse about, one, our effort, just a lack of attention to detail, all the things that we put out on the field. We talked about being embarrassed about it but we’re taking responsibility for it. I think that’s a big step for us.
Q: Find you didn’t have to say much?
A: Mm-mm mm-mm. This was not like in the past, where it was been almost trying to pull them back out of ’em. Like I said today, I would expect you to go out on the field today ready to want to get coached and ready to want to get better and all that. Really, that was the case.
Q: Saturday affect who plays Thursday?
A: I don’t know that yet. Again, I’ll decide that probably this evening and then have an answer for you tomorrow.
Q: Mitchell missed OTA because of school and now camp, will it be hard for him to get caught up to speed by opener?
A: No. I don’t think so. You aren’t going to get really specific about a game plan. But as far the whole package and all those kinds of things yeah he’s behind. But as specific to San Diego and that plan we should be able to have up to speed in regards to that.
Q: Might his role be mostly special teams at the start?
A: We’ll see. Right now we’re just trying to make sure we get the right dang team put together here when next Saturday and cuts come.
Q: How would you assess safeties play so far?
A: I think thus far very average. I think they’d be the first to tell you that. It’s an area that has to improve.
Q: What do you want to see Thursday night?
A: I want to see us go out and play Raider football. That’s really it. Period. That’s it.
Q: Is Routt-CJ still a competition?
A: Right now, we’ll be forced to have to play them both on Thursday. Chris has had a terrific camp, Stanford has had a couple of struggles.
Q: Any chance you’ll carry four QB’s, or will Thursday night decide Bruce/Charlie?
A: I think it will be pretty heated Thursday night. It’s been that way all along. The plan was to try to give them both a series or a little more in that fourth quarter Saturday but obviously with the way the rotation went we couldn’t get there. I don’t see us keeping four number 1, and number two that is an incredible battle.
Q: Any chance you’ll want to show that you can still run the ball Thursday?
A: I want to stay the course with it. We still have some protection issues I want to clean up. Until I feel good about that we got to stay the course.
Q: How did Garcia look against Saints?
A: I thought all things considered he was just a product of all of this football team, really off-key. Although he did do some really good things, led the team well, scored the only touchdown. He made a couple of nice checks. There were some positives as well.
Q: How did Hawkins do besides that one hit?
A: I think OK. Obviously that one play sticks out in your mind. At the same time you want to see, because of what we do, a little tighter coverage in terms of the man concept.
Q: Center still an open competition?
A: There’s definitely competition there.
Q: Been pleased with Satele?
A: Some times I have. There are some things he needs to improve on. There are things that I like and there are some things I don’t feel like he’s getting it quick enough.
Q: How is he at making line calls?
A: That’s really the issue because in this system the center has to run the show.
Q: So it’s he and Wade?
A: I think Morris too. Morris has really showed himself here the last two weeks.
Q: Why are you confident Saturday won’t be the norm?
A: I guess knowing this team, knowing where we’ve been, what we went through last year, their reaction to Saturday quite honestly. I think all those things are of the utmost importance right now. It’s hard getting to the point where you’re good because it takes a lot of work and you have to consistently do that every day. We learned the lesson that if you let off or back down at all, that’s what’s going to happen to you. So lesson learned the hard way.
Q: Who will start at running back?
A: No. I probably won’t until Wednesday.
Q: Have you thought of schedule for first week?
A: We have that all laid out. We just need to put some details to the second part of that week. For the most part we have it all figured out.
Q: You talk to Payton about how to turnaround a franchise?
A: I tried to use as many resources as I could, guys like you have mentioned who have been through this. It’s really the same message from each of them who has succeeded. You have to be stronger than the problem. You have to be stronger than the problem, you have to be bigger than the problem. You have to take it out of them, take away whatever it is, whether it’s that work ethic and attitude or whatever. You just have to be tougher than it is to get rid of it.
Q: Thoughts on going back to Seattle?
A: It’s home. It’s home.
Q: Any plans up there?
A: I’m just getting ready for the 14th.
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