Run defense 'OK' but still needs work
Saturday, August 15, 2009
(08-14) 23:58 PDT -- Raiders defensive coordinator John Marshall was hired with a full head of white hair this past offseason. At least this way, no one can accuse the team's run defense of adding any gray under his hat.
Marshall's fundamentals-first teaching is going to take some time to stick, that much was clear during Thursday's 31-10 victory over the visiting Cowboys in their exhibition season opener.
"For the first game, OK," Marshall said. "We've just got to keep working on it. Those things we didn't do well, we'll have to jump on it quick in order to make any strides. It's a start."
Patience is in order as Marshall tries to remake a defense that has ranked among the NFL's worst in run defense since the 2002 Super Bowl season. Bad habits weren't formed overnight. They won't be broken so easily, either.
The Cowboys ran 29 times for 127 yards and a 4.4-yard average. Four players had runs for double-digit yards.
Take the second defensive stand of Thursday's game, for example. The Cowboys sprung runs of 8, 14 and 12 yards to set up Dallas' first touchdown of the game.
One player, who teammates declined to call out by name, did not defend the right gap on one of those runs. Players all around played with their pad levels too high and their hips too low, by coach Tom Cable's estimation.
"We remind them, but you really need to get them in there against an opponent," Cable said. "Let them see for themselves on film when it's live what a difference it makes.
"It's something that has to have some attention put to it right away."
Rest assured, the players knew before coaches said a word after the game.
"It was OK," outside linebacker Thomas Howard said. "I'm not praising it at all. We can definitely be better."
Injury update: Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (heel) and center John Wade (stinger) are not expected to be out long with injuries from Thursday's game.
Special teams ace Isaiah Ekejiuba, however, will miss at least a few days.
Vick watch: Troubled quarterback Michael Vick is coming to Oakland after all, and he just may make his season debut here.
Vick and the Eagles visit the Coliseum on Oct. 18, the sixth week of the season - and the first week Vick can be considered for full reinstatement from a league-imposed suspension.
"I thought it was great," Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell said of Vick signing with the Eagles on Thursday. "It was sooner or later before somebody gave him a shot and let's see him out there."
Briefly: The Raiders scrapped today's planned two-a-day practices in Napa in favor of a single afternoon session. ... They took Friday off, their first break after more than two weeks of training camp.
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