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Raiders finding fun in losing
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Article Last Updated: 10/27/2008 05:48:40 AM PDT
BALTIMORE
THE RAIDERS NEVER led Sunday. But they sure didn't let that get in the way of their celebrations.
No matter the deficit, defenders found time to point at the crowd, wave their arms wildly and taunt the Baltimore Ravens bench.
Of all the ugly sights in Sunday's 29-10 loss, these celebrations topped the list, and they showed just how badly the Raiders defense needs a vocal leader, as the Ravens have in linebacker Ray Lewis.
It just makes no sense to mouth off when you're getting your tail whipped, and when your franchise remains atop the league's laughingstock standings.
But that advice falls on deaf ears, including those of linebacker Thomas Howard.
"I'm having fun. That's how I play," Howard said. "If we're up 30 or down 30, I'm going to give you what I am. I don't care what (fans) think. I love playing the game. You can't tell me I can't have fun if we're up 30 or down 30. It's what the game's all about."
Really? You can still have fun when you're getting embarrassed by the league's 26th-ranked offense, one that's quarterbacked by raw rookie Joe Flacco?
Give the Raiders some credit for overcoming a horrendous first half and playing with more intensity in the second half. But there's intensity, and there's insanity. Those celebrations were unprofessional and embarrassing.
Like Howard's hysteria with 3:41 to play, when a penalty nullified a Ravens touchdown and led him to raise his arms in triumph, to pat the referee on the back and to point at the crowd, most of which had already fled the stadium to enjoy a nice crabcake dinner.
One play later, Flacco scooted into the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown run, prompting a deserved celebration (by the Ravens, not the Raiders, that is).
Want more examples?
OK, take safety Hiram Eugene's celebration with 6½ minutes left, when he relished his big hit that broke up a deep pass to tight end Todd Heap. (Scoreboard at the time: Ravens 22, Raiders 10.)
Or look to defensive end Jay Richardson's after the first play of the fourth quarter, when he tackled a Ravens running back after a 1-yard gain and then yelled at the Baltimore sideline. How did the Ravens respond? They converted on third-and-one on the next play, running up the gut of the Raiders defense, as they did all day.
On one of the rare times the Raiders actually stopped the Ravens on third down, Howard rejoiced as if he just saved the Super Bowl. All his tackle did was force the Ravens to settle for a field goal and (here comes the punch line) a 22-3 lead.
"I ain't celebrating," cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. "The point is to win. Not to make plays, but to win. You didn't see me celebrating one time."
We also didn't see anyone step forward on the Raiders defense and set guys straight on how to act appropriately. Yes, football's an emotional game, but the Raiders are too often delusional about how good or bad they are.
The defense's best player is unquestionably Nnamdi Asomugha. He's a cornerback, and he's well respected. But he plays a position where you don't find big-time leaders.
Your leader should be a linebacker — look across the sideline at the Ravens' Lewis — or perhaps a defensive lineman (Bryant Young served the role for over a decade with the 49ers). New safety Gibril Wilson shows some poise, but he'll need to make more plays to seize control of that troubled unit.
If he or someone else does step forward to fill that leadership void, here's a script for that opening speech:
Go remind your fellow defenders that you just allowed 375 yards and 29 points to the offensively challenged Ravens. Remind them that they didn't sack Flacco once, that the Ravens converted 10 of 18 third downs and that forcing only one turnover isn't going to cut it.
Remind them that when they make a great play, they don't always have to be a rubbernecker and admire their work of art.
The Raiders defenders instead should have been admiring their counterparts on the Ravens. Those beasts put the pain in Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell's growing pains. The Ravens did it with class, and, at game's end, they were the only ones celebrating.
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Article Last Updated: 10/27/2008 05:48:40 AM PDT
BALTIMORE
THE RAIDERS NEVER led Sunday. But they sure didn't let that get in the way of their celebrations.
No matter the deficit, defenders found time to point at the crowd, wave their arms wildly and taunt the Baltimore Ravens bench.
Of all the ugly sights in Sunday's 29-10 loss, these celebrations topped the list, and they showed just how badly the Raiders defense needs a vocal leader, as the Ravens have in linebacker Ray Lewis.
It just makes no sense to mouth off when you're getting your tail whipped, and when your franchise remains atop the league's laughingstock standings.
But that advice falls on deaf ears, including those of linebacker Thomas Howard.
"I'm having fun. That's how I play," Howard said. "If we're up 30 or down 30, I'm going to give you what I am. I don't care what (fans) think. I love playing the game. You can't tell me I can't have fun if we're up 30 or down 30. It's what the game's all about."
Really? You can still have fun when you're getting embarrassed by the league's 26th-ranked offense, one that's quarterbacked by raw rookie Joe Flacco?
Give the Raiders some credit for overcoming a horrendous first half and playing with more intensity in the second half. But there's intensity, and there's insanity. Those celebrations were unprofessional and embarrassing.
Like Howard's hysteria with 3:41 to play, when a penalty nullified a Ravens touchdown and led him to raise his arms in triumph, to pat the referee on the back and to point at the crowd, most of which had already fled the stadium to enjoy a nice crabcake dinner.
One play later, Flacco scooted into the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown run, prompting a deserved celebration (by the Ravens, not the Raiders, that is).
Want more examples?
OK, take safety Hiram Eugene's celebration with 6½ minutes left, when he relished his big hit that broke up a deep pass to tight end Todd Heap. (Scoreboard at the time: Ravens 22, Raiders 10.)
Or look to defensive end Jay Richardson's after the first play of the fourth quarter, when he tackled a Ravens running back after a 1-yard gain and then yelled at the Baltimore sideline. How did the Ravens respond? They converted on third-and-one on the next play, running up the gut of the Raiders defense, as they did all day.
On one of the rare times the Raiders actually stopped the Ravens on third down, Howard rejoiced as if he just saved the Super Bowl. All his tackle did was force the Ravens to settle for a field goal and (here comes the punch line) a 22-3 lead.
"I ain't celebrating," cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. "The point is to win. Not to make plays, but to win. You didn't see me celebrating one time."
We also didn't see anyone step forward on the Raiders defense and set guys straight on how to act appropriately. Yes, football's an emotional game, but the Raiders are too often delusional about how good or bad they are.
The defense's best player is unquestionably Nnamdi Asomugha. He's a cornerback, and he's well respected. But he plays a position where you don't find big-time leaders.
Your leader should be a linebacker — look across the sideline at the Ravens' Lewis — or perhaps a defensive lineman (Bryant Young served the role for over a decade with the 49ers). New safety Gibril Wilson shows some poise, but he'll need to make more plays to seize control of that troubled unit.
If he or someone else does step forward to fill that leadership void, here's a script for that opening speech:
Go remind your fellow defenders that you just allowed 375 yards and 29 points to the offensively challenged Ravens. Remind them that they didn't sack Flacco once, that the Ravens converted 10 of 18 third downs and that forcing only one turnover isn't going to cut it.
Remind them that when they make a great play, they don't always have to be a rubbernecker and admire their work of art.
The Raiders defenders instead should have been admiring their counterparts on the Ravens. Those beasts put the pain in Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell's growing pains. The Ravens did it with class, and, at game's end, they were the only ones celebrating.
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