How Do The Raiders Fix This? Part Three: Coaching Needs to Change Speeds

Oakland's offseason coaching changes were to be expected, difficult. When we played well against the Chargers, the belief is that we had started to find a proper course. After a number of games, the coaching is starting to look regressive. The fans have watched the team go from a close loss in week one, to three straight blowouts. What started in the preseason as a practice of fundamental football sessions of learning have degraded into a media circus every sunday, as the fans are ridiculed for loyalty.

The coaching, for what it is worth has been dealt a hard hand, both by the players and by the owner, Al Davis. The players, some truly want to play, are also working out the deadweight, such as Stanford Routt. Other players are slowly becoming player/coaches, teammates that want to see the Raiders return to the glory days.

Al Davis, as much as he wants to win and win now, is willing to throw away draft picks in what he believes is a one or two player gap from being there. The coaches, meanwhile are forced to work with common play systems, while others would love to use more sacks, more pressure and above all, find a way to bring back some tough defense.

As for the offense, Davis and his loyalty to the JaMarcus Russell project has forced Tom Cable to walk a dangerous tightrope between loyalty and winning. Everything would be solved with wins, but can this squad win? In today's NFL?

For the coaching to succeed, this is what needs to be done:

First of all, working without fear. If Al Davis wants to fire someone, let it be because they didn't worry about the owner. Firing a coach for winning will ensure a better chance at a job elsewhere...or maybe Al Davis will be forced to keep a coach who stood up to the Master.

Secondly, start playing some modern, original football. Start using the players we have in the proper perspective. When the Raiders  won in 1983, they had a defense that could scare anyone...right now Oakland's defense wouldn't scare kids at Halloween.

Lastly, roll out some film from last year, look at the last two weeks we played, and try to figure out how that team, that went 2-0 was able to do it with almost the same team. If the Raiders can copy this method of playing, there is still a chance to save this season.

If not, by the end of the year we could be looking at a new Head Coach, with or without legal issues.