Training camp: July 24 at Napa Valley Marriott in Napa, Calif.
2002 Schedule
Date
Vs.
Time
Sept. 8
SEA.
4:15 p.m.
Sept. 15
at Pit.
8:30 p.m.
Sept. 22
Open
Sept. 29
TEN.
4:15 p.m.
Oct. 6
at Buf.
1 p.m.
Oct. 13
at StL.
4:15 p.m.
Oct. 20
S.D.
4:05 p.m.
Oct. 27
at K.C.
1 p.m.
Nov. 3
S.F.
4:15 p.m.
Nov. 11
at Den.
9 p.m.
Nov. 17
N.E.
8:30 p.m.
Nov. 24
at Ari.
4:05 p.m.
Dec. 2
NYJ
9 p.m.
Dec. 8
at S.D.
4:15 p.m.
Dec. 15
at Mia.
1 p.m.
Dec. 22
DEN.
4:15 p.m.
Dec. 28
K.C.
5 p.m.
By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com
The Oakland Raiders want to quelch the notion that this is not an over-the-hill gang, racing toward retirement. Instead, the Raiders' heirarchy chooses to look at the up-and-comers: Charles Woodson, Frank Middleton, even Regan Upshaw -- despite being out for the season with a torn ACL.
But the fact of the matter is this: First-year head coach Bill Callahan will rely on the offense's old guard -- Rich Gannon, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Charlie Garner. And there is no denying that foursome is racing toward retirement.
Owner Al Davis' success with hiring former assistants (John Madden, Tom Flores, Mike Shanahan, Art Shell, Jon Gruden) rather than head-coach retreads isn't an issue; timing is. The truth is that this crew -- Gannon (36), Brown (35), Rice (39), Garner (30) -- likely has one shot left.
Callahan has retained at least some of Gruden's offensive philosophy, but admits he has "added a lot of new wrinkles in the offseason."
Kansas City head coach Dick Vermeil said the change from Gruden to Callahan could be seemless, but time will tell. "You can't assume the Raiders are going to fall apart just because [Gruden] leaves. But he was a big part of their success and certainly Rich Gannon's success."
Also gone from the rough-and-tumble AFC West is Seattle, which moved to the NFC West under realignment, though the Raiders play host to the Seahawks in Week 1.
With Denver, Kansas City and San Diego remaining, the Raiders' window of opportunity may be closing. The Broncos are healthy after an injury-ravaged season, and the Chiefs should be improved in their second year with Vermeil. The Chargers are the division's wild card; new head coach Marty Schottenheimer has a young team that stumbled down the stretch, but has the potential to compete for a postseason spot.
"We brought in a lot of guys this offseason," Callahan said, "but six of these guys we've brought in already have Super Bowl rings. There's a lot of character leadership that entered the club and a lot of championship-winning type character as well."
Fact
Tim Brown's 19-yard run against Arizona on Dec. 2 was his career long, eclipsing his 15-yard jaunt against Detroit in 1996.
Tim Brown, WR -- Even with first-ballot Hall of Famer Rice on the roster, Brown is the silver bullet in the Raiders' arsenal. And if anything, the addition of Rice made it even more evident.
Brown led the Raiders in catches (91) and receiving yards (1,165) last season, and tied with Rice for the team lead in touchdowns (nine).
But upon breaking down the numbers, Brown's consistency is striking:
Games 1-8 -- 47 catches, 683 yards, four TDs
Games 9-16 -- 44 catches, 482 yards, five TDs
He's also money in the bank through all four quarters, scoring three, two, two, and two TDs -- not mind-boggling, but opposing defenses still have to know where he is at all times.
Since 1993, Brown has never failed to post at least 75 catches and 1,000 yards receiving. And he's been durable, too. Aside from missing 15 games in his second year, Brown has missed only one since 1990.
And what does it say about a 14-year vet who steps in on punt return duty to chip in six returns for 111 yards and a TD last year? It shouldn't have to say anything, considering it's Tim Brown.
Fact
Rod Woodson and Hall of Famer Lem Barney are the only two players in NFL history with at least 50 interceptions, 1,000 return yards and seven INT-return TDs.
Father Time -- By allowing Gruden to leave for Tampa Bay, the Raiders gave themselves a chance to get younger via draft choices -- two first-round and two second-round picks, with the No. 1s in 2002 and '03 and the No. 2s in '02 and '04.
To that end, Oakland's draft plan was simple: Find players who can contribute immediately.
"We've acquired two players in the first round [CB Phillip Buchanon and LB Napoleon Harris] that have outstanding athletic ability with an opportunity to contribute early in their careers," Callahan said. "I think our players will be uplifted by Phillip Buchanon's ability to return punts, and the coverage ability of a guy like Napoleon Harris on special teams.
I think that upgrades and it uplifts our team. I think we reached our goal from the aspect of getting the best possible athletes that can not only play at their respective position, not only have position flexibility, but also can contribute on special teams."
For the most part, the Raiders' offseason additions have been veterans who have "been there, done that." And while their leadership will be key for the younger players, Oakland still will rely on the likes of LBs Bill Romanowski and Mike Jones, CBs Rod Woodson and Terrance Shaw -- all former members of Super Bowl winners -- to be key contributors.
"This is wine country," said Woodson, 37. "And it's like fine wine ... you get better with age. I think the experts, whoever they are, get caught up in age too much. They [believe] if you are 23, you can play better than if you are 35. That is a misconception in sports."
Still, this is an aging team -- Romanowski and DE Trace Armstrong are 36, LB Greg Biekert is 33 and free-agent signee DT John Parella is 32.
How will Rich Gannon's contract status affect the team?
Fact
Since joining the Raiders in 1999, Rich Gannon has thrown 99.28 percent of the team's passes -- 1,537 of 1,548. The other 11 were thrown by Bobby Hoying (7) and Marques Tuiasosopo (4).
Gannon is in the final guaranteed year of his contract. He is scheduled to make $2 million this year with salaries of $5 million in each of the next three seasons. But those final three years are not a given, and Gannon wants the deal restructured so that he has a safety net if cut in 2003, should the Raiders have a salary-cap overrun.
Gannon skipped several team functions and a voluntary minicamp in April, but reported to the Raiders' mandatory camp in June. But this remains an issue that will fester until resolved.
"I'm happy to see him show up, but this is a business and [a contract problem] is part of it," Rice said during the June camp. "Somehow, you have to try to work around it. I hope they can [resolve] it real soon. It's good to have him in here, but I would prefer to have him in Napa [for training camp]."
Bruce Allen, the Raiders' senior executive assistant, said that the team always talks to players in the last year of their contract about extending deals, and he expects to talk to Gannon.
This is a potential distraction that Callahan does not need. However, the fact that the roster is veteran-laced may prove to be a good thing; these guys have seen contract disputes -- and holdouts -- before. Still, Oakland is the only team that has won two consecutive division titles, so Callahan has no luxury of time to build. The idea is to just win, baby -- now.
How will Rich Gannon's contract status affect the team?
