Raider-49er Playoff Visions for Dummies"
January 3
Contra Costa Times columnist Cam Inman
"FOR THOSE WHO spent 2008 in a spider hole, here's a news flash: Neither the Raiders nor 49ers are alive in the annual Lombardi Trophy Hunt, which resumes today with the wild-card playoffs.
Nor was any Raider or 49er a game participant in the Associated Press' MVP race, which went Friday to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton MasterCard, er, Manning.
Manning has won the MVP three times (equaling the number of Raiders play callers in JaMarcus Russell's ear in '08). Manning's acceptance speech had the unselfish overtones of another MVP from once upon a time.
Upon winning the 2002 MVP crown as the Raiders' record-setting quarterback, Rich Gannon said: "Without all the skill people like Tim Brown and Jerry Rice and Charlie Garner and the tight ends and the other wide receivers and runners and the line, and the coaching staff, I would never be in the position to make those plays."
Sure enough, without a supporting cast and with much less proven quarterbacks, the Raiders and 49ers just played out their sixth consecutive losing seasons.
But there's always next season (unless you're in the Arena Football League). Because the Raiders' and 49ers' woes are similar, here is: "A Dummies' Guide to the 2009 Raiders/49ers Playoff Visions."
Chapter 1: Quarterback.
The Raiders have theirs. The 49ers don't.
The Raiders' true goal for 2008 was to develop JaMarcus Russell in his first full
season at quarterback. They did just that.
Russell's swagger survived the Al Davis-Lane Kiffin Uncivil War. He had a nifty 88.6 passer rating over the final six games as the Raiders closed shop in 3-3 fashion. Come next season, he had better have proper tutoring, and he had better not have more fur coats than NFL-caliber wide receivers.
Say this of the 49ers' power dichotomy between coach Mike Singletary and general manager Scot McCloughan: At least they're in agreement that next season's quarterback is not on the current roster.
They'll respectfully let Shaun Hill "compete" for the starting job. But McCloughan must unearth Hill's competition, be it via free agency, a trade or the draft. This is on McCloughan (who gets a mulligan for the Alex Smith Era, which technically is on Mike Nolan's ledger).
Chapter 2: Coaching.
The 49ers have theirs. The Raiders don't.
Retaining Singletary after his interim-ship was the logical step, even if Mike Shanahan could have been had a few days later. Singletary enlivened that sleeping giant known as the 49er Faithful. Now he must find the right assistants to smooth over the offense.
Whether the Raiders retain interim coach Tom Cable is just the start of this equation. Whoever's the coach will need a new staff, as receivers coach James Lofton is the only assistant under contract for 2009. New coaches could mean new systems for the offense (and a swooning defense, which ranked 31st against the run).
Chapter 3: Wide receiver.
If you have
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