Big plays doom Raiders again

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ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)—For 46 plays, the Oakland Raiders’ defense was stingy, disciplined and shut down the Dallas Cowboys.

The problem was what happened on Dallas’ other 10 offensive plays in the 24-7 Thanksgiving victory, a recurring theme this year for a defense that has been too susceptible to allowing the big play.

The Raiders (3-8) allowed 384 yards on Dallas’ 10 longest plays, while holding the Cowboys to 110 on the other 46 snaps.

“You see a lot of high integrity defense, fitting it right, tackling it well, and then the next thing you know, bang, something comes out,” coach Tom Cable said Friday. “It’s a person letting up somewhere in there, whether it’s a lack of focus or concentration or maybe overrunning something. That’s part of it, too.”

There was a 49-yard pass from Tony Romo(notes) to Miles Austin(notes), a 66-yard run on a direct snap to Tashard Choice(notes), a 46-yard touchdown run by Felix Jones(notes), a 42-yard reception by Marion Barber(notes) and a 32-yard run by Barber. Plus two more long passes from Romo to Austin and three from Romo to tight end Jason Witten(notes).

The Cowboys capitalized on mismatches, miscommunications and blown assignments all day long in rolling to the victory Thursday.

“More than anything, we’re a man team, play press coverage, and we didn’t really play them up real tight,” Cable said. “The runs, really, were empty gaps, people not defending the gap properly. But just too many of them. That’s really the tale of the game defensively.”

It’s been the tale of the season defensively for the Raiders, who have played top-notch defense in stretches but have rarely maintained it for an entire game.

Excluding kneel-down plays, the Raiders entered the week with the most negative rushing plays on defense, hitting backs for losses 37 times for a loss of 94 yards. But Oakland has also allowed the third-most runs of at least 10 yards this season, giving up 45, including seven that went for touchdowns.

Overall, Oakland has yielded an NFL-worst 54 plays that have gone at least 20 yards, 15 the ground and 39 through the air.

“Everyone has a job to do,” defensive lineman Richard Seymour(notes) said after the game. “That’s what it boils down to. Everyone has to take care of their responsibilities. If we don’t, this is going to be the outcome.”

Raiders Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha(notes) blamed the short week of preparation for some of the miscues against the Cowboys, whose 494 yards were the most against the Raiders since Tennessee gained 527 in a 40-35 loss to Oakland on Dec. 19, 2004.

“We didn’t have our normal seven days to study the team,” Asomugha said. “That kind of stuff is going to happen. We just didn’t expect it to happen as much as it did. There were a lot of blown assignments and that was disappointing.”

The Raiders get the weekend off before preparing for the stretch run of what is heading toward another lost season. Oakland needs to win its remaining five games, starting with Dec. 6 at Pittsburgh, to avoid a seventh straight losing season.

Cable said he isn’t concerned about the team quitting in December with few tangible goals remaining.

“The character of this team is really too strong,” Cable said. “I just feel like we’ll go to work every day and put forth the right effort, put forth what it takes to succeed. It’s just a matter of being more stubborn than that negative emotion or negative feeling.”

Updated Nov 27, 4:02 pm EST
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962 Comments

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  1. larry
    962. Posted by larry Mon Nov 30 12:54am EST

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    About tom cable. mr. davis fire the bum
  2. <i>thurkin</i>
    961. Posted by thurkin Sun Nov 29 10:33pm EST

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    The Raiders are like an old ex-girlfriend you wish you never had.
  3. ZZZZZZZ
    960. Posted by ZZZZZZZ Sun Nov 29 8:31pm EST

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    Big Reese,just a question.Besides that the Raiders suck and Go Chiefs and Raider fans suck....do you know anything about football?You never have any stats or dialog besides this sucks and that sucks.Just asking.
  4. ZZZZZZZ
    959. Posted by ZZZZZZZ Sun Nov 29 6:10pm EST

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    Looks like your chiefs are eating the big one again so I dont know why you say the Raiders suck.Your team is equally horrible.Go away.
  5. Big Reese
    958. Posted by Big Reese Sat Nov 28 10:50pm EST

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    I said the Cowboys would hang 30 on the pathetic raiders. I was close. I hope all you raider fans that got all excited about the qb change don't run for the hills now that your team has crashed back to earth. Ha Ha Ha!!! The raiders suck!

    Go Chiefs!!!
  6. ZZZZZZZ
    957. Posted by ZZZZZZZ Sat Nov 28 11:56am EST

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    Steve T...uh buddy,Palin is a joke and you must also!
  7. Orlando M. Cabcabin
    956. Posted by Orlando M. Cabcabin Sat Nov 28 10:41am EST

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    I have been a Raiders fan since the pre-season of 1965 when the Raiders traded for Lamonica with Bufaflo. I've always thought that Warren Wells could have been just as great as Jerry Rice. How do you think Jerry Rice would do if they had allowed the same defensive rules they had back then with todays game? Records would probably will not be broken?

    Raiders biggest problem is continuity. They have great players and playmakers right now, good enough to win a lot of games and that's been proven time and time again with their defense when they can all focus and somehow beat teams they should not beat. Part of the problem is that the Raiders coaching staff and defensive players are always changing almost every year.

    On offense, the same thing BUT also, the coaches doesn't force the issue with their first round QB Jmarcus Russel to practice more time with his core of receivers after a team practice to get more familiar with each other. No wonder they look inept BUT Russel is really very disappointing. He has shown to be very lazy and is just there to collect his paycheck. Despite his so-called talent, he just doesn't have the IT factor. I blame that to Mr Davis for all the problems the Raiders have every year. And their current coach, my only complaint with him is he is a woman basher and THAT IS NOT GOOD.

    Get rid of Davis (his partners should force him to retire) and the current coach and keep the others after hiring a good coach. Keep them around for at least 5 years and the Raiders will have another championship team. Hahaha, as if this is going to happen any time soon. By that time all those talented players are gone and we need to build up again. YOU NEED CONTINUITY IN THE COACHING STAFF.

    Mr Davis, YOU NEED TO CALL IT QUITS! PASS YOUR JOB TO YOUR KIDS OR SOMEONE ELSE IN THE ORGANIZATION AND JUST SHOW UP AS GUEST TO GAMES. YOU ARE ALREADY AN INSTITUTION. YOU DONT NEED TO PROVE ANYTHING. YOU'VE ALREADY MADE YOUR MARK IN THE HISTORY OF NFL FOOTBALL. GET YOURSELF A NEW HOBBY!
  8. Mike
    955. Posted by Mike Fri Nov 27 7:16pm EST

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    JRuss has an IQ equal to his jersey number, a recurring theme with his "peeps" - A GM, OC, QB, and new Coach would be nice...
  9. Rolan
    954. Posted by Rolan Fri Nov 27 4:58pm EST

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    Been a raiders fan since 1976. I'm losing hope. Davis pull your head out, Get rid of Cable and DROPMARCAS or i,m done. Tired of the emberssment of being a guy who thout I'm Bleeding Silver and Black. End of story! Will'not pay for a Raiders ticket or Direct TV to watch the humileation.
  10. briann
    953. Posted by briann Mon Nov 9 4:23pm EST

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    Do you call yourself "SLOW LANE" because you have to be in it when you ride the short bus?
  11. briann
    952. Posted by briann Mon Nov 9 4:21pm EST

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    "I hate NOW, PETA, the ACLU and the Sierra Club!

    Hate 'em, hate 'em, HATE 'EM!!!!

    --This is a computer generated angry white male Yahoo! post "

    I couldn't agree more.

    Things were so much better when I, as an angry white male, was free to be an self-absorbed, inconsidederate dick.
  12. <i>dodgerdan6</i>
    951. Posted by dodgerdan6 Mon Nov 9 10:19am EST

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    Fire him for being a crappy coach, his lack of character notwithstanding. This guy's a moron for having put himself in these circumstances, The Raider's need to quit protecting this idiot and do anything to improve their image.
  13. SLOW LANE
    950. Posted by SLOW LANE Mon Nov 9 9:29am EST

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    Hey This Is FOOTBALL NOt About Our COMMIES In The "White-House"
    MMMMmmmmm..., Lets See Now In Less Then ONE YEAR.....?
    General Motors, Citi-Bank, Lehman Bros., 112 Smaller Banks And Mortgage Loan Offices, Chrysler, Medi-Care-Medi-Cade, Post Office, Federal Reserve Chairmen & Women, and NOW OUR HEALTH-CARE!!!!!
    MMMMMMMmm Of The Above List What Else Does YOUR New KING-OBAMA Need Or Want???
    Sounds Like A COMMIE To Me???
    Oh Yea...."GO RAIDERS" Keep Messing Up On And Off The Field And KING OBAMA IS GOING TO BUY AL DAVIS OUT OF A JOB AND THE ENTIRE NFL, MLB, NHL MSL, NBA, ARENA FOOT BALL LEAGUE, WNBA, Well, Where Does This Guy STOP???
    WOW, And America VOTED THIS GUY INTO OFFICE.. Remember That EVERY DEMOCRACY In The History Of MAn-Kind Has "GONE BROKE"
    EVERYONE OF THEM...You Think We Can't Go Broke..."
    OH YEAH............YEA....YEA..."GO RAIDERS"
  14. socal
    949. Posted by socal Sun Nov 8 4:52pm EST

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    I hate NOW, PETA, the ACLU and the Sierra Club!

    Hate 'em, hate 'em, HATE 'EM!!!!

    --This is a computer generated angry white male Yahoo! post
  15. <i>lcifer28</i>
    948. Posted by lcifer28 Sat Nov 7 1:55pm EST

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    why are we seeing this bullsh!t on a sports thread ? the man was cleared of the randy (snitch) Hanson episode. if that wasnt enough , two gold diggers are trying to get into his pockets and if that dont beat all we have a man haters organization
    riding in on their Hardly's , crew cuts an all , waving their rainbow flag attempting to crucify this man .Only in the bay area , i swear! NOW or New Other Woman ,
    why dont you go back to what you know , that is riding into a biker bar , picking a fight and getting your assess kicked like real wo(men) do ! By the way , nice
    goatee !
  16. cali native
    947. Posted by cali native Sat Nov 7 1:04pm EST

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    he should give himself an open hand slap for the coaching he has been doing.
  17. richard w
    946. Posted by richard w Sat Nov 7 7:18am EST

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    All these HO's...need to go home, bake a cake, or bang their ole men,...or girlfriends,...get a life !!
  18. Wammer
    945. Posted by Wammer Sat Nov 7 5:23am EST

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    939 that is too funny.
  19. BMW
    944. Posted by BMW Sat Nov 7 2:30am EST

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    It's amazing that this guy got away with BREAKING a man's jaw, but now you have women who either DID NOT prosecute this man, or failed to do so, and he will have more problems with that due to the public and political pressure of NOW! I do not condone any of his past problems, and more than Cable, it shows the type of mistakes our legal system makes daily! If Cable were an NFL player, college football player, or a different coach: he NEVER would have gotten away with that behavior. Part of it is the Raiders organization too! California law enforcement / legal system gets a thumbs down for quickly dismissing earlier allegations without the situation going to trial!
  20. Jethro
    943. Posted by Jethro Sat Nov 7 2:22am EST

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    The Cable guy has a talent in slapping so use it. That fat piece of s-word needs a slap on each ear for not paying attention and a kick in the ass for not moving. The Cable guy can also deliver a quick kick just for added emphasize. Go Raiders!
  21. Farmer
    942. Posted by Farmer Sat Nov 7 1:11am EST

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    The Raiders fail on all levels.
  22. Ms Kitty78
    941. Posted by Ms Kitty78 Fri Nov 6 8:40pm EST

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    Ok. David D. Whatever women you've been with I don't know but most of the women I know don't do that. I WORK for what I want. I DO NOT WANT SOME BROKE ASS MAN GIVING IT TO ME. I PROVIDE FOR MYSELF not some man with an inferiority complex. Get a grip and date a REAL woman.
  23. Steve T
    940. Posted by Steve T Fri Nov 6 8:40pm EST

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    To dl29wpb_fl (post 935): my comments regarding obama's children were related to anything in the so called "Mainstream Media" only, such as the news organizations NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Fox News, CNBC, entertainment programs as Jay Leno, David Letterman, Bill Maher, etc. It is an established fact that David Letterman carried on a hit campaign against Sarah Palin and her family long after the Election was over. Why? If a person has nothing to fear from someone, he/she does not comment on that person. Letterman was the most notable, with jokes about her and her daughter almost every night. If you have evidence that people on the internet said things about the obama children, ok. I wasn't one of them because I disagree with obama's politics, not his children's school behavior or personal habits. I point out that not once, did NOW speak up in defense of Sarah Palin, telling Letterman, Leno, etc. to back it down. NOW is an organization that only stands up for women whose political beliefs mirror their own. If you have any information that NOW has ever come to the defense or praise of a Conservative woman in or out of politics, I look forward to that information.
  24. <i>lcifer28</i>
    939. Posted by lcifer28 Fri Nov 6 6:51pm EST

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    hey isnt the NOW or New Other Woman just a front for Dikes ON Bikes or
    DOB ? Women with crew cuts , riding motorcycles with women riding on the back ? Im so confused and who give a rats ass anyway ?
  25. Shorty Doo Wop
    938. Posted by Shorty Doo Wop Fri Nov 6 6:15pm EST

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    Maybe Cale should start slapping aroung JaMarcus Russell for his habitual problem of throwning the ball to the defense. Or the front office could offer the seahawks Bush in trade for a receiver who is actually worth throwing the ball to, the seahawks are deep at the receiver position, or ask for Seneca Wallace who is a proven backup Qb ( who just happens to have thrown more td's this year than the raiders qb's as a team) and is also a better receiver than any of the raiders starters at this point. NoW has a good point in suspending Cable, it actually might improve their chances of winning.
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