JaMarcus Russell Learning From The Teacher in Donovan McNabb

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

If you want to blame JaMarcus Russell for the Raiders being 1-4 and possible looking at 1-5, don't.

If you want to blame JaMarcus Russell for the Raiders being in the bottom half of the AFC, try again.

If you think JaMarcus will magically become a franchise QB over night, don't get ahead of yourself just yet.

JaMarcus never had this one thing. This simple thing that many will say is a result of his poor play and bad decision making. He never had the time or opportunity to learn under a seasoned quarterback, in the way that many of the NFL's current and former QB stars have.

Tony Romo had Vinny Testaverdy, Tom Brady had Drew Bledsoe, Drew Brees had Doug Flutie, JaMarcus Russell had...Josh McCown?

Class will be back in session for JaMarcus this Sunday as the Raiders face the 3-1 Eagles. This lesson however, will be much more hands on and more voluntary for the young quarterback.

Donovan McNabb will volunter his expertise in the art of quarterbacking but we all know the saying, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink.

It will be up to JaMarcus to utilize the advice that is given to him and not only take it, but use it to salvage this season.

Take McNabb's advice with a grain of salt if you will but does JaMarcus really have any other options?

There's option A. He can continue to do it his way, which with a 42.1 passer rating apparently isn't working.

Or he can try option B. Switch things up, try a different take on this quarterback thing, and try to correct what's wrong.

I like option B better myself.

The student needs a tutor and there's nothing like getting advice from someone who's been there. Someone who's taken the jabs and gotten back up again.

You see, JaMarcus is a lot like the McNabb of old. Chosen at a young age out of college to be the leader of a team full of underachievers.

Forced to learn how to become an NFL quarterback on the fly. Booed by fans when he looks bad and celebrated by those fans when he looks good.

He knows how tricky this quarterback job can be and maybe that's the connection.

Maybe that's the one thing that separates the two QB's but also brings them together. Perhaps McNabb will set off just enough voltage to turn on the light bulb in Russell's head.

And with that, hopefully Russell can shed the light on the entire team, so they can all see as well.

This nightmare called a season isn't dead yet folks, and this student called a starting quarterback isnt done learning.

McNabb will show and explain to Russell something that hours of game tape cannot: how to handle adversity.

It may not happen overnight, but Raider fans hope it's not too much of a stretch to see this happen before things turn from bad, to worse.

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