LDizzle could not make it this week, so I will be filling in for him in doing the weekly edition of “Ballers and Busters.” This was a truly a team loss, as any 19 point loss is. There were some Silver linings, and they will be getting their respect, and there are also a few who were extra dark clouds. If there was an attribute that summed up the loss it was lack of toughness, but this post is about the individuals who made this game what it was.
BALLERS:
Chaz Schilens: Chaz had no drops, and caught a 60 yard bomb from JaMarcus Russell beating former Raider Fabian Washington. In Schilens’s two starts, he has outperformed the man he replaced in Ronald Curry’s four game performance.
Zach Miller: Once again, Miller has shown that he is the best tight end to pass through Oakland since Todd Christensen if not Dave Casper. Miller doesn’t drop passes, and he was able to haul in a couple of big catches for the Raiders.
JaMarcus Russell: His numbers don’t pop out as great at 15-33-228-1-1. He gets the nod in my version of B&B because he overcame adversity as he was given no time early, but was able to pull himself together and have a much improved second half.
Justin Griffith: Griffith earned his baller status with one play, but that one play was a thing of beauty. Griffith caught a short pass from Russell, squared to cross the goal-line and was drilled by Ray Lewis. As he was being flipped over, Griffith was able to get the ball across the plane of the goal line for the touchdown. In his effort to score, he also received a season ending ACL tear. THAT, is leaving it all on the field.
BUSTERS:
Gibril Wilson: Wilson blew his coverage on the 73 yard touchdown pass, leaving his man wide open. He later missed a tackle that would have stopped the Ravens from converting on 3rd and 21.
Kirk Morrison: Morrison had a couple of missed tackles that were killers. The biggest one was again on a third and long where he had Ray Rice dead to rights short of the sticks, but he was able to break the tackle and continue the drive.
Ricky Brown: He was covering Joe Flacco when he caught the 43 yard pass. How does an NFL defender let a quarterback beat him on a rout?
Offensive line: Russell frequently had zero time in the pocket. The running game only amassed 47 yards, and that is directly on them not doing their job. Cable stresses that they succeed as a unit, so they get called busters as a unit.
Offensive play calling: The first half featured horrid play calling. In the second half, it was more mixed and the Raiders were able to move the ball. The first half featured several give up plays on third down, and nothing to neutralize the pass rush or make things happen.
LDizzle should return next week for the Ballers and Busters segment here at the NEW TFDS.
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