Tom Cable: Pro's & Con's

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"Just win baby" is the motto.

Tom Cable knows that he has been given an opportunity. He realizes that he has to win now. He stated last February that the Raiders would make the playoffs in a bold attempt to motivate his team.

Will his attempt be successful?

Recent offseason moves have the Raiders in a QB controversy between Jamarcus Russell and journeyman Jeff Garcia. Fullback Lorenzo Neal was also added to bring depth and experience to a team in desperate need of direction.

On the defensive side Greg Ellis has been added for some extra punch.

New coaches have been added to the fold to replace former excuses within the Raider organization.

Are these the puzzle pieces Coach Cable implied the Raiders needed in order to make a playoff run?

This article will focus attention on new Head Coach Tom Cable and the abilities he brings to the table. Here are pro's and con's of the Raider's newest field general.

Tom Cable is an honest man. Last season Lane Kiffin was characterized by owner Al Davis as a "flat out liar".  Mr. Davis can rest assured that Coach Cable is a man of high moral character.  He will support his players and his players will support him.  He will be direct with the media, and that will help the media to be direct with him.

Cable is motivated to perform. He understands that the Raiders are in need of leadership. He is providing that example to his players and is attempting to build with the concept of team in mind.

He has shown an ability to improve an Offensive Line who was less than disciplined in previous seasons. He now will attempt to engage all 53 players, and motivate then to play as a unit.

He is going to do what he does as best he can. I have no doubts as to his intention to improve his football team. He will spend as much time as is needed to feel as though he did his job. This characteristic will be best exemplified by his teams play on the field on game day.

Coach Cable is a pro. He will show an ability to act according to the rules set by the NFL. His football team will model this behavior and act as men. His team will be assignment sound and he will command respect in the locker-room.

The Raiders are desperate for a leader. Tom Cable will do his best to be this leader.

CONS

There should be no argument as to Coach Cable's biggest weakness. He is a below-average play caller. The play calling within his game plan is based on gut feelings and hunches.

He is an emotional guy and that makes for emotional choices. He would be best served as a Head Coach/Offensive Line Assistant. His inability to recognize his deficit as a play caller will prove to be his biggest mistake. Look forward to the possibility of the Coach removing himself from this responsibility prior to season's end.

Currently, the recent performance by the Oakland Raiders leaves much to be desired, and this has players basically avoiding the media whenever possible. Answering questions as to why this team has been unsuccessful can be tiring, especially when no one seems to have the answers.

Cable does not have enough confidence in his ability to turn the ship in a positive direction. His prediction in February that Oakland would make the postseason was a desperate attempt to inspire his men.

Confidence in oneself is best displayed through silence, and while I realize some will disagree with me on this portion of the article, I feel that Cable lacks the confidence needed to lead this young and inexperienced team. The man has no swagger.

Last season the struggling team had only one direction it could go after early season disappointments, and to give all the credit to Coach Cable could prove to be a mistake.

Tom Cable lacks knowledge on the defensive side of the ball. In his entire career, he has only coached Defensive Line, and that consisted of one season at Cal State Fullerton in 1990. This leaves little for him to judge within his staff concerning a side of the ball which is just as if not more important than his specialty, the Offense.

Tom Cable specialty is his Zone Blocking System. While the Raiders have had success the past two season under Cable's direction, they have not had success in the win-loss column. While the Raiders have been in the Top 10 in rushing the past two seasons, they remain toward the bottom in scoring.  This is directly related to our lack of adaptability within our scheme.

Zone blocking deteriorates inside of the red zone when the space decreases and the amount of men increase inside the zone concept. Cable's failure to implement a man blocking system as means of counteracting the predictability within the current scheme will have the Raiders finding it difficult to find the end zone again this season.

In conclusion, the Raiders have a man who is a very gifted player coach. He has the skill set to work toward being an average professional level Head Coach if he had the time.

However, time is an issue here, and with his limiting abilities including play calling and an adaptable scheme, two very important things in today's NFL, they could prove to be the two main reasons Cable will be unsuccessful.  I see the Raiders playing respectable football under Coach Cable while only totaling five wins again this season.

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