Oakland Raiders

Flags take shine off Raider win

By Steve Corkran
Oakland Tribune

Posted: 08/14/2009 10:48:12 PM PDT

Updated: 08/15/2009 11:29:49 PM PDT

Raiders coach Tom Cable's players gave him plenty of things to be pleased about in Thursday night's 31-10 exhibition victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

Yet, as is the case with NFL coaches, Cable found a few things that rankled. Committing 14 penalties for 107 yards tops the list.

"It's obviously a concern," Cable said in a conference call Friday. "We've put a lot into that, so we'll continue to do that. As I mentioned to them after the game, it's just too many. It's something (where) if we're going to be the type of team we hope to be, we've got to cut them down."

Raiders quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye completed 22 passes to 15 receivers Thursday night.

Fourteen of the 22 completions went to wide receivers. Spreading around the ball to wide receivers is something Cable and passing game coordinator Ted Tollner are emphasizing because it was a season-long problem last year.

Tight end Zach Miller led the Raiders in receiving last season, but he wasn't one of the players who caught at least one pass Thursday.

Cable already is confident in his running backs. His concern lies with a receiving corps stocked with young, inexperienced players.

Rookie safety Mike Mitchell, the team's second-round pick, is in a "wait-and-see" mode with his hamstring injury, Cable said. That has given undrafted safety Jerome Boyd an opportunity for increased playing time.

Boyd responded with a team-high seven tackles against the Cowboys.

"This game is all about opportunity," Cable said. "Certainly, with Mike Mitchell (out), it created an opportunity for Jerome. He went in there and he really went after the football and did a nice job in some coverage things."

Several reports say the Raiders worked out veteran linebacker Morlon Greenwood on Friday.

Greenwood, 31, played for the Miami Dolphins from 2001-04 and the Houston Texans the past four seasons. He is versatile enough to play anywhere, though he has the most experience on the strong side.

Projected strongside linebacker Jon Alston is out with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Ricky Brown has experience at that spot, but he has been working at the middle spot for most of camp.

Cable declined to comment on the reports.

Notes: The 49ers invade Napa on Tuesday and Wednesday for four joint workouts with the Raiders. ... The injuries sustained by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (heel) and center John Wade (stinger) on Thursday don't appear to be very serious. Cable said both are day-to-day. Linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba (shoulder) is expected to miss a few days.