Other AFC Preview Capsules: Big hopes match big talk for Rex Ryan's Jets
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The president is on the New York Jets' itinerary.
Rex Ryan boldly declared at his introductory news conference 19 months ago that the Jets would meet President Barack Obama in a few years. Well, someday means now for Ryan, whose team fell a win short of reaching the Super Bowl last season.
"Our goal has never changed," the Jets' brash coach said. "Everyone laughed at us last year when we said we were going to do this and that and we backed it up, with a huge exception. We failed at our goal and this year, we're going to attack it. We're going to go try and reach that goal, and we're going to do it next year, too."
Once one of the more tightlipped franchises in the league, the Jets have opened their doors to everyone with an appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" and a coach who says whatever is on his mind.
"I think Rex's attitude and enthusiasm trickles down," said Jason Taylor, one of a handful of new players this season.
The Jets certainly are built like a team with its sights set on winning now. Despite having limited flexibility in free agency because of NFL rules, general manager Mike Tannenbaum kept the Jets in the headlines throughout the offseason.
He allowed a few popular players such as Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Alan Faneca and Jay Feely to leave, while signing a pair of potential Hall of Famers in Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Tannenbaum also traded for two troubled but talented young players in Santonio Holmes and Antonio Cromartie. They all are expected to play major roles for a team with a win-now mentality.
"It's kind of weird," said Tomlinson, who spent his first nine seasons with the Chargers. "I'm kind of like, 'I can't believe I'm here practicing with these guys after just playing them my last game in San Diego.' But, it's funny how things work out. I've always said, 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.'"
Despite the excitement over all the new faces, one player currently not with the team could make a huge difference. All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis didn't report with the team for training camp and was holding out in a bitter contract dispute.
Revis, who finished second in voting for the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, is scheduled to make $1 million in the fourth season of his six-year rookie deal. He wants to be the highest-paid player at the position, a distinction currently held by Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha.
"Once he gets here, he'll be ready to go," safety Jim Leonhard said. "We hope it's sooner than later, but that's the business side of the game."
But will Revis return anytime soon?
Revis' agents and the Jets agreed to negotiate behind closed doors after things started turning snippy through the media. If Revis' holdout seeps into the regular season, it will be up to Cromartie and first-round pick Kyle Wilson to step up for a defense that ranked No. 1 overall last season.
"It's about the unit," Ryan said. "If you have the decal on the side of your helmet that says 'New York Jets' on it, you're a special person and we can get it done."
Quarterback Mark Sanchez's development in his second season might be the most important story line this season, whether Revis shows or not. The new face of the franchise had some promising flashes as a rookie, particularly during the team's surprising playoff run. As expected, though, there were a few ugly performances that cost the Jets some wins early.
Sanchez threw 12 touchdown passes, but also had 20 interceptions in the regular season. With so many veterans hoping for a run at a Super Bowl ring, the pressure's on the young quarterback to be better — and smarter — this season.
"I think the best thing about it is watching him grow," Tomlinson said. "You're kind of involved in the day-to-day situations of watching a young guy grow and become an elite quarterback. Mark is very well on his way."
A motivated and rejuvenated Tomlinson could play a major role in Sanchez taking that next step. The eighth-leading rusher in NFL history gives the Jets a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, where bruising second-year running back Shonn Greene will step in for the departed Jones.
The competition at left guard to replace Faneca will also be important as second-year offensive lineman Matt Slauson and second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse were about even through two preseason games.
After having the top-ranked rushing offense last season, the Jets appear poised to air things out a little more with the addition of Holmes. The former Super Bowl MVP with Pittsburgh will miss the first four games while serving a suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. But he'll help form a formidable receiving corps with Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller when he returns.
"Explosive is one word that comes to my mind," Tomlinson said.
Just as long as it all translates to wins and a ring. After all, the president will be waiting.
"In my crystal ball, I'm seeing a Super Bowl trophy," Ryan said. "I could be wrong, but that's what I see."
Patriots seek AFC East success, not headlines
BOSTON (AP) — The New England Patriots took a low-key approach to adding veterans while their AFC East rivals made headline-grabbing moves.
All that may help the New York Jets or the Miami Dolphins end New England's dominance of the division. Or the Patriots may be fired up by media forecasts of their demise.
"I don't care what you guys think," quarterback Tom Brady told reporters in training camp. "I know what we think and what we think we can accomplish."
The Patriots went 10-6 last season, winning their division for the sixth time in seven years. But they were dominated in the first round of the playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens, losing 33-14.
The Jets, who barely made the playoffs at 9-7, reached the AFC title game, where they lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Then they stocked up on accomplished veterans: cornerback Antonio Cromartie, wide receiver Santonio Holmes, linebacker Jason Taylor and running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
The Miami Dolphins were 7-9 but traded for Brandon Marshall as a target for improving quarterback Chad Henne.
The Patriots' additions were less dramatic: tight end Alge Crumpler and defensive linemen Gerard Warren and Damione Lewis. But they appear to have done well in the draft with cornerback Devin McCourty, inside linebacker Brandon Spikes and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. All have been impressive during training camp.
Nose tackle Vince Wilfork is excited about Spikes, a second-round pick out of Florida.
"He's every bit the person I thought he was," Wilfork said. "Looking at the guy playing in college, he's playing with that same mentality on this defense. He's a hard-nosed, tough player who loves football. That's exactly what he's brought. That's exactly what we need."
McCourty, a first-round pick, made a quick impression in the exhibition opener with kickoff returns of 50 and 52 yards in a 27-24 win over the New Orleans Saints.
But coach Bill Belichick wants to see more of how the youngsters take what they learned in meetings and practices into games.
"That's part of the evaluation," he said. "Sometimes as a team or as a unit, you either do it well or don't do it well and that gives you an indication as a coach as to what kind of problem that is going to be moving forward."
The defense, with third-year linebacker Jerod Mayo and fourth-year safety Brandon Meriweather, is more settled than it was heading into last season without four key veterans — linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel, safety Rodney Harrison and defensive end Richard Seymour. They retired or were traded.
The Patriots did lose defensive end Ty Warren for this season with a hip injury early in camp, but Gerard Warren and Lewis provide veteran depth.
"Changes happen all the time around sports, not just football," Wilfork said. "We've started from rock bottom. We've started this whole thing over. It's been a work in progress. But, at the same time, we've been going in the right direction. So as long as we keep going in this right direction, I think we'll be OK."
On offense, the two most productive players are healthier. Brady, who played much of last season with hand and rib problems, said he's fine. And wide receiver Wes Welker has made a speedy recovery from knee surgery and saw his first action last week, catching two passes in a 28-10 win at Atlanta.
But the offensive line, a model of stability for many years, is in flux.
Left guard Logan Mankins is a restricted free agent who wants to be traded and hasn't reported to camp. Nick Kaczur, who shifted from right tackle to Mankins' spot, could miss the season with a back injury. Dan Connolly, who played 14 games in three seasons with the Patriots, is next in line.
"The more we're out here (practicing), the better guys are going to get," said left tackle Matt Light, a starter since being drafted by the Patriots in 2001. "Even some of the new guys we brought in have really stepped up. ... We're pretty much trained pigs. You just point us in the right direction and let us roll."
The Patriots showed a balanced attack in the exhibition win over the Falcons. But the running game hasn't been a source of strength for several years with 2006 first-round pick Laurence Maroney failing to emerge as a dominant ball carrier.
"I feel like I ran the ball harder than I ever ran it last year," he said. "It's just basically taking what I did last year and bringing it to this year and improving on it."
New England's pass rush also was a concern. The return of Derrick Burgess, who missed the start of training camp, should help. The other starting outside linebacker, Tully Banta-Cain, led the Patriots with a career-high 10 sacks last year.
But what about the pundits who say putting more pressure on the quarterback remains a major challenge?
"I've answered that question a million times," Banta-Cain said Monday. "All we can do is play and, hopefully, the pundits will be ceased."
-- Howard Ulman
Dolphins counting on improved defense in '10
MIAMI (AP) — Shortly after Mike Nolan joined the Miami Dolphins last January as defensive coordinator, he met for lunch with his new boss, coach Tony Sparano.
They had no trouble finding things to talk about.
"We were deep into dinner by the end of that thing," Sparano recalls. "It was four or five hours probably."
The primary topic of conversation: Defensive philosophies. The two coaches wanted to mesh the Dolphins' scheme of 2009 with what Nolan had done as a coordinator for five NFL teams, including Denver last year.
Their meeting laid the foundation for a revamping of a defense that has been the Dolphins' strength through most of the past decade. Sparano and football czar Bill Parcells decided an overhaul was needed after the Dolphins allowed 349 yards per game last year, their worst average since 1989. Even Miami's 1-15 team in 2007 did better.
"When you look back at us, we gave up too many big plays a year ago, no question about it," Sparano says. "That has to be fixed."
Miami allowed 15 touchdowns of 20 yards or more, third-worst in the NFL. The breakdowns were a big reason the Dolphins slipped to 7-9 after making a surprising run to the AFC East championship in 2008, the first year of the Parcells regime, and they're counting on an improved defense to help them return to title contention this season.
While the trade to acquire Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall made the biggest offseason headlines for the Dolphins, turnover on the defensive side — starting with Nolan replacing Paul Pasqualoni — also was significant.
Thirtysomethings Joey Porter, Jason Taylor and Jason Ferguson are gone, and the Dolphins devoted seven of their eight draft choices to defense. That includes the top picks, end Jared Odrick and outside linebacker Koa Misi, both of whom lined up with the first team from the start of training camp.
The hope is that a younger defense will have more staying power. Last year Miami allowed a franchise-record 140 points in the fourth quarter, most in the NFL. And the defense ran out of gas at the end of the season, when the Dolphins lost the final three games to miss the playoffs.
As Nolan experiments with changes in scheme and personnel, he says it's a bit like being a chemist.
"You're just stirring everything up and seeing what kind of explodes and what doesn't," he says.
Misi is one of three new starters at linebacker, with pass-rush specialist Cameron Wake trying to prove he can be an every-down player, and Karlos Dansby takes over on the inside as the team's biggest free-agent acquisition. Randy Starks, who had seven sacks at end last year, switched to nose tackle to replace Ferguson.
The Dolphins will still play the 3-4 scheme preferred by Parcells, but Nolan is giving defenders more freedom, and there will be more players involved in rushing the quarterback.
"There's a lot of excitement," Dansby said. "We're trying to fly around. We've got a chance to be great. That's our goal."
The approach is a big change for Dansby's partner at inside linebacker, holdover Channing Crowder. In the past Crowder rarely blitzed — and rarely made big plays. In the last four years he totaled one fumble forced, one recovered and one interception.
"The whole mentality of Nolan's is to have an offensive mentality on defense," Crowder says. "We get after it. It's more of hybrid 3-4, with a lot more blitzing. It's a fun defense to play, and it should be fun to see what we can do."
One objective is more takeaways. Miami's 21 last year tied for fifth-fewest in the league.
"We need to force turnovers and have an aggressive mindset when we get the ball in our hands," Sparano says.
Consistency is another goal. Lapses in the secondary proved especially costly in 2009, with Miami giving up 57 completions of 20 yards or more, third-most in the league. Those plays averaged a whopping 35.9 yards, and 14 resulted in touchdowns.
Opponents exploited mistake-prone free safety Gibril Wilson and rookie cornerbacks Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. Smith and Davis are expected to benefit greatly from a year of experience, and Wilson has been replaced by unproven second-year pro Chris Clemons.
More personnel changes are likely as Nolan's philosophy takes hold.
"The scheme that we have is pretty versatile," he says. "It's a 3-4, but it'll tilt 4-3 sometimes and do whatever we have to do. I think that's critical, because as free agency treats you and as the season with injuries will treat you, you have to adjust. A bad answer would be 'I can't do that, because I don't have the guy to do that.'"
-- Steven Wine
Bills make latest fresh start under coach Gailey
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Chan Gailey has enough headaches to deal with as he seeks to make this once-proud franchise respectable again. The Buffalo Bills' new coach doesn't have time to address the problems of the team's immediate past.
"This is a new beginning for everybody," Gailey said when asked about last year's anemic offense. "To me, all the other sins are all kind of gone away."
If only it were so easy, and Gailey doesn't pretend it will be.
With 35 years of experience, the former Dallas Cowboys coach is fully aware of the challenges he faces in providing a spark not only to a perennially sputtering offense, but to an entire franchise.
"What's the biggest challenge? That's a good question," Gailey said. "Every time you take over a team in a new situation, you're trying to change the mindset from hoping to win to expecting to win. And the mindset is one of the biggest things you deal with in any sport."
New regime, less dysfunction.
That would be a start in opening the Gailey era, which formally begins Sept. 12, when Buffalo hosts AFC East rival Miami.
In the big picture, Gailey becomes the Bills' fifth head coach — including Perry Fewell, who finished last season on an interim basis — in 10 years. Buffalo has gone 11 years without a playoff berth, marking the longest drought in franchise history and tied with Detroit for the longest active streak in the NFL.
On a more immediate basis, Gailey arrives on the heels of a tumultuous season in which Terrell Owens was relegated to an afterthought in his one year in Buffalo by a team that proved it could be disruptive all on its own on the way to a 6-10 finish.
Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert was fired in early September. Head coach Dick Jauron followed two months later. Bills fans expressed their dismay by renting a billboard urging owner Ralph Wilson to clean house.
"There was a lot of stuff bubbling under the surface," receiver Lee Evans said. "What can you say? It's a new day, though. That's the good part about this."
The hoped-for turnaround must begin with Gailey, who brings a no-nonsense approach. He hasn't been afraid to be blunt, noting after a sloppy practice that "we did some things that were kind of dumb."
He's also proven to be funny, such as the time he was asked whether rookie first-round draft pick C.J. Spiller could be characterized as a hybrid running back.
"I don't know what that is," Gailey said. "It's a car, isn't it?"
More important, Gailey has focused on instituting fundamentals to a team that a year ago had difficulty stopping the run, was undone by an offense that scored one or zero touchdowns in 10 games, and lost five times when leading or tied entering the final quarter.
Unlike Jauron, who preferred walkthroughs during training camp, Gailey's had his players practicing in pads and has allowed tackling.
"It's a tough game for tough people," Gailey likes to say.
The Bills defense is making the switch to a 3-4 style, which Gailey believes is better suited with its multiple blitzing schemes to keep opposing offenses off-balance. It helps that the Bills' strength is a deep and talented secondary that finished second in the league last year with 28 interceptions — nine of them from rookie safety Jairus Byrd.
On offense, the Bills have the makings of a run-first attack with a three-back rotation featuring Spiller, Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. And don't rule out the team using the wildcat formation after unveiling it in practice this week.
With Jackson and Lynch nursing injuries, Spiller showed his dynamic potential by scoring on a 31-yard run in a 34-21 preseason win over Indianapolis on Aug. 19.
Spiller's presence even provided a boost to the Bills' passing attack. Quarterback Trent Edwards caught the Colts defense off-guard by faking a handoff to Spiller and then hitting a wide-open Evans for a 70-yard touchdown pass.
It was a reassuring play for Edwards, who arrived at training camp last month with renewed confidence in a bid to reclaim the starting job he lost midway through last season.
Though Gailey is not yet ready to pick his starter, he liked what he saw from Edwards, particularly considering the touchdown came a series after the quarterback had his helmet knocked off as he was flattened by a Colts defender.
"I went up and asked him after he got hit, 'Are you OK?'" Gailey recalled. "He didn't even flinch. I think he's a tough guy."
Bright spots aside, no one is yet making any playoff plans for a team that has plenty of question marks and is stuck in an increasingly competitive division in which the Bills are regarded as also-rans.
Linebacker Paul Posluszny won't dispute outsiders' low expectations of the Bills.
"If you take our record from last year and say we had a lot of problems going into this offseason — quarterback, offensive line, new defense — why wouldn't you think that?" Posluszny said. "But it's our job to go out and prove them wrong. ... We've got to go out and win football games from the start, and then all that will change."
-- John Wawrow
Bengals think 2 diva receivers not too many
CINCINNATI (AP) — They call themselves Batman and Robin. They tweet each other constantly. They compete for ratings on their cable reality shows.
So far, the pairing of receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco has been a real crowd pleaser, drawing a lot of fans to training camp. Can it work when the season starts and one starts getting the ball more than the other?
Are two divas too much?
The Cincinnati Bengals are about to find out. And their season could depend upon the answer.
Owner Mike Brown launched his own little reality show when he signed Owens to a one-year deal at the start of camp, bringing another big-play receiver — and another big ego — into a locker room that's been a career rehab center for players who create problems with their misdeed or their mouths.
Chris Henry. Cedric Benson. Larry Johnson. Adam "Pacman" Jones.
Now, cue up the T.O.-And-Ocho Show.
"Just having somebody like T.O. — y'all don't even understand what's going to happen this year," Ochocinco said. "I think to myself: When's the last time you had two receivers on the same field of this caliber on the same team at the same time? This is going to be scary."
As long as it's workable, the defending AFC North champions will be in good shape to try to defend their title.
They went 6-0 in the division last season, a franchise first, despite having one of the league's worst passing games. An up-and-coming defense kept things close, and coach Marvin Lewis' decision to go to a run-based offense got the Bengals to the playoffs for only the second time since 1990.
There, the shortcoming was unmasked.
The New York Jets beat them 37-0 in the final game of the regular season, then came to Cincinnati and beat them at their own game in the playoffs. The main difference: New York could throw the ball a little.
Owens watched that 24-14 Jets playoff win on television and saw the problem. He knew what the Bengals needed to fix it.
They needed him.
"I could see there was something missing," Owens said. "With that being said, I put myself here. With this organization, they've been on the cusp of some great things, and I think there needed to be some pieces to get them over the hump."
The Bengals broke their 14-season playoff drought in 2005 with a high-tech passing game that overcame an average defense. They got back to the playoffs last season with the formula reversed.
Cincinnati's young-and-improving defense finished fourth in yards allowed and sixth in points last season, and expects to be even better. The Bengals have one of the best sets of cornerbacks in Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, a young linebacking group led by Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga, and a defensive line that returns its top sacker.
Antwan Odom was tied for the NFL lead with eight sacks when he tore his right Achilles' tendon on Oct. 18. A sign of how much the Bengals missed him: Odom was still the team's sack leader when the season ended. He has recovered ahead of schedule, though he missed time in training camp with a sore knee.
The Bengals kept the starting defense intact and added depth in the offseason, giving it a chance to be even better.
"I think everybody has a sense of that," Odom said. "With what we did last year, I think this year is just another stepping stone to get to where we want to be — that's the best defense in the NFL."
Coordinator Mike Zimmer usually tempers his enthusiasm about how a season might play out. Not this year.
"I think we're deeper, more athletic," Zimmer said. "I feel really good about this group of guys. We have to go out and play up to our expectations, but I'm really excited. This could be a pretty special group."
The offensive line returns intact, so there's reason to believe Cedric Benson could have another big season. He ran for 100 yards a franchise-record six times last season, and set a team playoff record by going for 169 yards in the loss to the Jets.
Again, it comes back to how well they pass.
Last year, the Bengals finished 26th in passing, unable to get many deep completions because Ochocinco was the only deep threat. That's why the Bengals drafted pass-catching tight end Jermaine Gresham and signed receivers Antonio Bryant and Owens.
If the passing game picks up, they'll have a chance to do something never previously accomplished by a Bengals team. In its 42-year history, Cincinnati has never won back-to-back division titles. The Bengals have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons only once, in 1981-82.
"This is an exciting year and time," Palmer said. "This organization has done a great job to bring back and improve on what we did last year. Now the ball's in our court as far as the players are concerned. I think we're better than we were last year across the board."
If they can keep Palmer healthy and keep from getting on each other's nerves — don't forget the two-diva question — the Bengals might be able to break another lengthy streak of futility. Cincinnati hasn't won a playoff game since 1990, going 0-2 since.
"It's like a little dream team," Ochocinco said. "With what we have on paper, if we don't win a Super Bowl this year, it's a shame."
-- Joe Kay
Ravens hope to parlay balance into Super Bowl run
BALTIMORE (AP) — Ray Lewis and the Ravens' defensive unit expect to get some help this season from an unlikely source: the Baltimore offense.
Lewis, an 11-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker, has been the anchor of the prolific Ravens defense for 14 years. For much of that time, the main objective of the offense was to hold onto the ball long enough to give Lewis and Co. a chance to rest on the sideline.
That formula produced a Super Bowl victory after the 2000 season. Now, a decade later, the Ravens intend to use a more balanced attack to win another championship.
In an effort to improve an offense that last year relied heavily on the elusiveness and pass-catching ability of running back Ray Rice, general manager Ozzie Newsome traded for wide receiver Anquan Boldin and signed free agent Donte' Stallworth. He also drafted tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta.
Add that to the experience quarterback Joe Flacco gained over his first two NFL seasons, and suddenly Baltimore has a passing attack that can strike quickly and effectively from anywhere on the field.
"I think it's huge that Joe's coming into his third year and has those veteran pieces around him. And we drafted two young tight ends who I really like," Lewis said. "Everything still has to fall in place, but I think we have the pieces to go make a run on offense."
Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Bernie Kosar and Dan Marino are only the starting quarterbacks since 1970 to reach the playoffs in each of their first two NFL seasons. Flacco was content last season to either hand off or dump the football to Rice, but now he has plenty of options, including tight end Todd Heap and 36-year-old Derrick Mason — the only wideout on last year's team with more than 34 catches.
The effectiveness of the Baltimore offense will depend heavily on Flacco, who already ranks third in team history in attempts, completions, yards passing and touchdowns.
"It's not just one guy's offense, but when you're the quarterback, it's really your ability to run the show and to make plays. You'd hope he'd be growing into that," coach John Harbaugh said.
Flacco agrees.
"As a quarterback, it has to be your offense," he said. "We added guys that are going to make us better. I want to be able to just run the show and go up and down the field, blow out points on the board and come out successful."
The potential is there. Boldin was a star with Arizona, Stallworth is rested and eager to impress after missing last season, and Rice is coming off a year in which he had a team-high 78 catches and amassed 2,041 yards in offense.
The offensive line is sound, although the health of right tackle Jared Gaither remains a concern.
And the defense? The loss of cornerback Domonique Foxworth (knee) weakens a position at which the Ravens are already thin, and the health of safety Ed Reed remains a concern. But if Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson and Trevor Pryce put the pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the backfield won't have to be perfect to maintain coverage.
Somehow, the Baltimore defense always seems to find a way to overcome injuries.
"I think our defense is going to continue to be great. I mean, that's what this team is built off of," Boldin said. "Ever since I've known the Ravens, it's been a defensive football team. And that won't change because we brought in some offensive weapons. We're just going to try to make their jobs as easy as possible by putting up some points."
The addition of second-round draft choice Terrence Cody in the middle of the line makes a tough run defense even better. If top pick Sergio Kindle can return from a fractured skull, that will help, too.
But Baltimore defense is usually more about toughness than star power.
"I love the attitude of this defense. I think they have great confidence," coordinator Greg Mattison said. "When you go into a Ravens defensive room, you know you have an obligation to play up to the standard that's been set over the years. Nothing is different this year."
The weapons Baltimore added on offense has some football publications predicting a Super Bowl run in Harbaugh's third season. Although he acknowledges that is the goal, he doesn't put much stock in the prognastication of outsiders.
"It's more fun to read the articles. That's about it. Two years ago they were predicting us to go 3-13, and I got a little offended by that," he said. "You feel like you don't listen to them then, why would we pay attention to them now?
"It's irrelevant where you're picked, or what people think you should do or shouldn't do. That's the beauty of this league. You have to go out and actually do it."
-- David Ginsburg
Steelers' challenge: Get by until October
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only NFL team that, in essence, has two opening days.
The team opens Sept. 12 against Atlanta.
For Ben Roethlisberger, it won't open until Oct. 17 at the earliest.
The Steelers followed up a disappointing post-Super Bowl season with a calamitous offseason. Roethlisberger, the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, shamed himself and his team with his behavior in a Georgia nightclub, a night of bar-hopping that resulted in a sexual abuse allegation that wasn't prosecuted but did earn him a suspension.
Add in the Santonio Holmes can't-stay-out-of-trouble fiasco that led the Steelers to give him away for a fifth-round pick, and it's no wonder the Steelers couldn't wait to get back to football. Even if one of them must wait a lot longer than the others.
Now that the season is almost here, their problems aren't going away — even if Roethlisberger is. He'll be banished from all practices and games for at least a month, even if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shortens his punishment from six games to four.
The suspension is forcing the Steelers to take the unprecedented step of devoting precious preseason time to preparing not one but two starting quarterbacks — Byron Leftwich to start the season, Roethlisberger to finish it.
Despite the unique circumstances, the Steelers' training camp was routine, almost dull, with the fans welcoming back Roethlisberger with open arms and clicking cameras rather the heated words that were directed his way five months ago. If the fans are angry that Roethlisberger's off-field actions will leave the Steelers without their franchise quarterback for a month, they're not showing it.
Maybe they will if the Steelers start 1-3 without him. Maybe they never will if they're 3-1, and Roethlisberger returns to lead a first-place team.
"It'll be good to get this behind me," Roethlisberger said.
Knowing the Roethlisberger won't be with them when they open against Atlanta, the Steelers are putting a greater emphasis on the running game after finishing an uncharacteristically low 19th and 22nd in rushing the last two seasons. That likely means new looks with multiple tight ends and more carries for Rashard Mendenhall, who ran for 1,108 yards last season.
Now the Steelers want to see more — more yardage, more big plays, more signs that Mendenhall can pick up key yards while leads are being protected in the fourth quarter.
Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu could help create those carries, too.
The Steelers' No. 5 ranking in overall defense last season was considered a failure for a team that was No. 1 in nearly every major statistical category during its 2008 championship season. Losing Smith, one of the NFL's top run-stuffing defensive ends, and an elite playmaker like Polamalu to injuries for most of last season were major factors in the falloff.
Polamalu and Smith might be the defense's two most irreplaceable players and, without them, the Steelers lost five times after leading during the fourth quarter. Remarkably, the Steelers (9-7) never trailed by more than seven points in any of their first 12 games, yet went only 6-6.
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, thinks getting Polamalu and Smith back is like trading for two of the NFL's best players.
"Troy's the best at what he does," Smith said. "He's just a playmaker. It will be nice to have him out there, running around and doing crazy stuff."
To upgrade the leaky secondary that led to so many of those fourth-quarter breakdowns, the Steelers reacquired cornerback Bryant McFadden from Arizona to replace 2009 starter William Gay. Ike Taylor, the top cornerback, is in a contract year. The linebacking group might be the best in the league with LaMarr Woodley (13½ sacks), James Harrison (10 sacks), James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons (7 sacks), and former starter Larry Foote is back after one season in Detroit.
As bad as the secondary was at times, special teams were worse. The Steelers yielded a league-high four kickoff return touchdowns, and in a five-game span, leading to the hiring of new assistant coach Al Everest. Will Allen (Bucs) and Arnaz Battle (49ers) were signed to upgrade the coverage units.
Offensively, Holmes will be replaced by Mike Wallace, a second-year receiver who is one of the NFL's fastest. He proved to be a deep threat last year playing mostly on passing downs — he averaged 19.4 yards on 39 catches — but, as Hines Ward said, playing every down is a much greater challenge.
The Steelers just hope to keep Leftwich on his feet while Roethlisberger is out. Roethlisberger was sacked 143 times the last three seasons, easily the most in the league, and he is more mobile than Leftwich.
Ward, at age 34, is 105 receptions away from 1,000 catches in his career. Tight end Heath Miller is coming off a 76-catch season and should take on an even larger role with Holmes gone.
The offensive line took a hit when right tackle Willie Colon was lost for the season in June with an Achilles' injury; former Cowboys Pro Bowl tackle Flozell Adams was signed to replace him. First-round pick Maurkice Pouncey was expected to play right guard this season but was dominant in camp at center and could bump two-year starter Justin Hartwig out of a job.
Jeff Reed is one of the 10 most accurate kickers in NFL history but, like Taylor, is in a contract year, and he isn't happy about it. Nor is he pleased that punter Daniel Sepulveda may handle kickoffs.
Once the season starts, no other team may be as dependent upon a quick start as the Steelers. If they struggle while Roethlisberger is out, they may be forced to play catch-up the rest of the way with a quarterback who hasn't taken meaningful snaps in a game since January. And don't expect any sympathy from the apparently upgraded Ravens and Bengals.
"That's OK," Ward said. "We like being the underdog. We have some of our best seasons when people aren't picking us."
-- Alan Robinson
Holmgren era begins in Cleveland
CLEVELAND (AP) — Someone has been following Eric Mangini around all summer.
As the second-year Cleveland coach walks from practice field to practice field at the team's training complex, there's a guy driving a golf cart — his right foot immobilized in a walking boot — trailing Mangini like some demented sideline stalker.
Mike Holmgren keeps his distance, but is never far away.
He now watches over the beleaguered Browns.
Hired as team president in December by owner Randy Lerner to revive a once-proud franchise fallen on hard times, Holmgren's first act as Cleveland's big boss was to retain Mangini, whose fate seemed sealed when the Browns started 1-11 last season.
But a four-game winning streak to close the year saved Mangini, who insists he doesn't feel threatened by Holmgren's reputation.
"The only time you get intimidated is if you are insecure in the job that you are doing," Mangini said. "I feel very comfortable and confident in how we approach things and I also like the fact that Mike can add value and I can ask for his feedback and it's going to be meaningful. I'm a big feedback guy. I'm glad Mike is here."
So are Cleveland fans, who have had to stomach mostly unwatchable football since the Browns' expansion rebirth in 1999. Holmgren, who orchestrated the Packers' resurgence in Green Bay and made the Seattle Seahawks relevant, believes he can bring the Browns back, too.
In time.
"You can't fix everything in one year," said Holmgren, who is still recovering from foot surgery. "You never can, but I'm pleased that we've managed to execute a little of our plan already."
Holmgren's plan — at least the one he's made public — for fixing the Browns is to leave the coaching to Mangini and his staff, which stayed intact from last season. But if Cleveland struggles early or if the team is shrouded in the type of drama that plagued it for months last season, there's speculation that Holmgren would retrieve his whistle and coach again.
Holmgren admits the coaching bug hasn't quite left his system.
"That's a work in progress," the 62-year-old Holmgren said. "I watch the game and I'm seeing things and wondering, 'What would my next call be?' I'm looking at things as a coach. Maybe that will never change, I don't know.
"But I'm sticking to my promise that I made to Eric — that I am going to help him."
While Mangini insists he doesn't feel added pressure with Holmgren around, it's impossible to ignore the influence the Super Bowl-winning coach has had on the organization since his arrival. Holmgren's mammoth presence is all over the Browns' headquarters.
In January, Holmgren hired Tom Heckert, formerly with Philadelphia, as the Browns general manager and brought in good friend Gil Haskell as a senior adviser. He also named Keith Gilbertson, who was with him in Seattle, as the team's director of pro personnel.
Haskell and Gilbertson attend coaches' meetings, but Holmgren insists they are not spies but sounding boards with immense NFL experience for Mangini to use.
"It's not like they're in there reporting to me," Holmgren said. "They're in there to be a part of this thing. That's all healthy, it's good. No one is feeling threatened, no one is feeling like they're being watched. You can't work that way, and so that's the kind of environment I hope is set up."
Installing proven football executives was Holmgren's first objective, his second was to fix Cleveland's quarterback mess, which plummeted to new depths last season when both Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson took turns starting and failing miserably.
Holmgren released Anderson, traded Quinn to Denver and signed 35-year-old free agent Jake Delhomme, a move initially panned but one that now appears promising.
Cut after a horrible 2009 season in Carolina, Delhomme's career shows signs of reviving with the Browns, who have had eight different quarterbacks start their season opener since '99. Delhomme threw 18 interceptions last season before a hand injury landed him on injured reserve. But he's healthy, and a change of scenery may have been all the likable Louisianan needed.
"This has been perfect for me," said Delhomme, who signed a two-year contract with Cleveland. "I really tried to take the world on my shoulders last year and that didn't do any good. But starting over at a new place has really helped. I keep saying it over and over, but it's been fresh, it's been fun. That's what makes it so enjoyable for me."
A renowned quarterback guru, Holmgren, who has coached Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young as well as Brett Favre, believes Delhomme's addition will make a huge difference for the Browns.
"He's a great leader," said Holmgren, who also brought in Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace to back up Delhomme. "The guys love him because he includes everybody. He's just what I hoped he would be. He can still play a little bit, too, but this team needed somebody at that position to kind of unite people."
Delhomme can't do it alone, though. Cleveland's offense was ranked dead last in the league last season, and still lacks playmakers. Running back Jerome Harrison (561 yards in his final three games) showed potential to be an every down back, but there are still questions about his durability. Second-year wide receivers Mohammed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie need to develop, and Mangini must figure out a way to get Pro Bowl return specialist Joshua Cribbs more touches.
The Browns' defense should be improved by new linebackers Scott Fujita and Chris Gocong along with cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Joe Haden, the club's first-round draft pick.
A good start could be crucial to their season — and Mangini's future.
Holmgren is promising patience, but it's never been one of strong points.
"It's important for me to see us take the next step and get better, I have to see improvement," Holmgren said. "That's what I'm going to be looking at. It's a series of steps, but if we can get over this first hump and get people around here feeling good about their football team, that's huge."
And maybe essential for Mangini.
-- Tom Withers
Bolts try to bounce back from playoff debacle
SAN DIEGO (AP) — For much of the offseason, Philip Rivers drove around with a sticker on his pickup. It read: 17-14.
That was, of course, the score of the San Diego Chargers' most recent playoff pratfall, a shocking loss to the underdog New York Jets in the divisional round. The Chargers were 13-3, the No. 2 AFC seed and a popular choice to go to the Super Bowl before being outplayed and outcoached by the upstart Jets.
The sticker was for motivation. It came off Rivers' truck a few days before training camp, yet a few memories of the implosion remain.
"I think to a certain extent it's gone," Rivers said. "You've got to let it go went you come into to camp. But I think it's OK to still have a piece of it still with you, just because those experiences, there's times to pull from them to help you, also knowing what it felt like in that game. You can learn from those."
Winning their fifth straight AFC West title should be a breeze, based on the relative weakness of the division and the Chargers' easy schedule — they're tied for 29th in strength of schedule, with their opponents going a combined 116-140 last year.
It's getting beyond the divisional round of the playoffs that's going to be the big deal for San Diego, which has lost three of its last four playoff appearances.
"We're sick and tired of getting to the playoffs and competing and not getting to the Super Bowl," linebacker Stephen Cooper said.
This is a different season already, and not just because the Chargers are a tad bit envious of the attention being stolen away by baseball's Padres, who have the best record in the National League and play in a beautiful downtown ballpark while the drive for a new football stadium has gone nowhere.
LaDainian Tomlinson is gone after nine mostly excellent seasons of carrying the ball, and rookie Ryan Mathews is in, giving the Bolts a fresh set of legs. Longtime defensive tackle Jamal Williams, a force against the run for more than a decade, also was released and ended up with division rival Denver. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who had issues on and off the field, was traded to the Jets, which is where Tomlinson signed after the Chargers released him.
Of perhaps equal importance, the Chargers head into the season without Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson and left tackle Marcus McNeill, a Pro Bowler in 2006-07. The Chargers might not see those star performers until the 11th game, if at all.
The restricted free agents wanted long-term contracts but were tendered one-year deals at just more than $3 million. Neither signed by June 15, a move that cost each of them about $2.5 million, perhaps reducing their motivation to show up at all.
On top of that, general manager A.J. Smith, who has a history of hardball dealings with his players and coaches, placed the two on the roster exempt list, meaning they'll be suspended for three games once they sign their contract tenders. Jackson also has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the 2010 season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He pleaded guilty in February to his second DUI since 2006.
The Chargers recently gave Seattle permission to talk to Jackson's agents, but the player's price tag apparently remains too high.
The Chargers insist they're happy with the players slated to fill in for Jackson and McNeill, although the difference in experience is considerable.
McNeill, who protected the blind side of Rivers, the Chargers' $93 million man and the leader of their pass-happy offense, will be replaced by second-year pro Brandyn Dombrowski. Backing him up will be another second-year pro, Tyronne Green, who has had an ankle injury. The Chargers signed 35-year-old Tra Thomas as insurance, but he had arthroscopic knee surgery early in camp and then retired.
Jackson had 68 catches for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns last year, his second-straight 1,000-yard season. At 6-foot-5, he gave Rivers another enticing target to go along with Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates.
The biggest beneficiaries of Jackson's holdout are Legedu Naanee, who's coming off foot surgery, and Craig "Buster" Davis, who's often been injured and hasn't lived up to his billing as the team's first-round draft pick in 2007. Naanee had 24 catches for 242 yards and two TDs last year, while Davis had six catches for 52 yards.
Starting at the other wideout spot will be Malcom Floyd, who also wanted a long-term deal but signed his $3.17 million tender in June. Floyd had 45 catches for 776 yards and one TD in '09.
"Nobody in here can deny the fact that we're better with them, but at the same time we believe we can also get it done," Rivers said. "It's already to the point where we've gotten past the distraction phase because it's not like it's a matter of each and every day we're wondering, 'Are they coming tomorrow?' If we get them, it'll be a bonus."
Coach Norv Turner thinks the Chargers can be the best team in his four seasons as head coach.
"You like to say this with every team you've ever been on, but we have a lot of guys that really like to football, and I do believe this team is going to be energized by the first- , second- and third-year players who feel like they can be a part of something that's pretty good," he said. "We've got great leadership, but the youth is going to be key to this team."
Among those younger players is Mathews, taken with the 12th pick overall in the draft out of Fresno State.
On defense, the Chargers hope outside linebacker Shawne Merriman can regain the ferocity that led to 39 1/2 sacks in his first three seasons. He had only four last year as he rebounded from knee surgery that sidelined him for all but one game in 2008.
-- Bernie Wilson
Elvis has left the Broncos' building to others
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Coach Josh McDaniels was looking for a roster makeover after the Broncos lost eight of their final 10 games last year. He got more than he wanted.
After beefing up his defensive line and re-signing pass rusher Elvis Dumervil for $61.5 million, Denver's second-year coach lost the NFL's top sackmaster to a torn pectoral muscle.
After jettisoning undersized offensive linemen Casey Wiegmann and Ben Hamilton in the offseason, McDaniels got a call on draft weekend informing him All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady had blown out his left knee playing hoops.
Following the loss of his top two tailbacks — Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and Correll Buckhalter (back) — barely an hour into training camp, McDaniels brought in free agent LenDale White, who promptly squeezed into the crowded training room after spraining an ankle.
And after trading Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall to Miami, McDaniels watched rookie receivers Demaryius Thomas, the team's No. 1 draft pick, and third-rounder Eric Decker, both of whom spent the summer rehabbing from foot surgeries, go down in the team's first scrimmage.
Then there's Tim Tebow, the former Florida star who's trying to prove he can morph into an NFL quarterback and match his play with his enormous popularity.
He visited the trainers himself after his dart into the end zone on the final play of his pro debut left him with bruised ribs and renewed questions about whether he can survive in this league with the same punishing style that earned him two national titles and a Heisman Trophy with the Gators.
The Broncos' defense will again feature a secondary that's long in the tooth and an offense that has two rookies starting on the line and a receiving corps that's not known for scoring a lot of touchdowns.
And yet, the Broncos are brimming with optimism.
Quarterback Kyle Orton looked so good in camp that the Broncos extended his contract through 2011, giving them more time to figure out just who is their long-term answer under center.
Right now, Orton is miles ahead of Tebow and fellow newcomer Brady Quinn, both of whom are struggling in McDaniels' intricate offense that similarly befuddled Orton a year ago.
The common assumption is that the Broncos will bring in Tebow for special packages like the wildcat formation or in the red zone this season. But that begs the question: Why mess with Orton's rhythm by replacing him with a raw rookie at the game's most critical times?
"The only way you use something like that — or with any player's talents — is if it's actually the best thing for your team," McDaniels told The Associated Press. "If it's not better than the alternative, then we're not going to use it, no matter what that is."
As for Dumervil, McDaniels seems to be holding out hope that he won't miss the entire season and might return for the final month.
Whatever its length, Dumervil's absence leaves a huge hole in Denver's defense.
The starting outside linebackers are Robert Ayers and Jarvis Moss, neither of whom managed a single sack last season, when Dumervil led the league with 17.
Aside from the injury epidemic, the Broncos' preparations for 2010 were noted for the shift of Tebowmania from the SEC to the NFL, where his legions of fans have only amped up their rock star-like devotion to the All-American kid whose No. 15 jersey is already the league's top-seller.
Orton?
He didn't rate a single display jersey at the satellite trailer the Broncos team store operated inside the parking lot at the club headquarters, and most days he seemed to go almost unnoticed by the fans.
While Tebow regularly blew away the competition in post-practice wind sprints, Orton did the same during every practice.
Anybody actually paying attention saw not only how far Tebow and Quinn have to go in this offense but how far Orton has come.
It's not just a mental leap for Orton in his second season in Denver, but a physical one: he's more mobile in the pocket and is stepping into throws with the good mechanics and proper footwork that eluded him almost all last season when he was hampered by two sprained ankles.
"I'm feeling better than I ever have and I'm throwing the ball better than I ever have," he said. "And I'm looking forward to having the best season of my career."
And where would that leave Tebow?
Like the rest of his teammates, he'll play when it's beneficial to both him and the Broncos, McDaniels said.
"The best player will play. That's really the best thing that we can do for our team no matter who that is," McDaniels said. "There's no goal for one player to become a certain thing unless he becomes it. If he can't outwork or outplay the guys ahead of him at his position, then ultimately our goal is just to win football games and try to compete for championships. And if that player doesn't give us the best opportunity to do that, then you know we have a better player. That's just this league."
-- Arnie Stapleton
Chiefs will rise or fall with youth
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Leave it to the secrecy-obsessed Kansas City Chiefs to invent a mystery motto.
On the back of almost every shirt worn by coaches and support people during preseason workouts is the cryptic message, "Chiefs Will."
So what exactly does that mean?
Not surprisingly, the organization that requires all employees to draw the curtains on their office windows during practice won't say.
"I like to have something in camp to keep your focus on and I will keep it between myself and the team," head coach Todd Haley said.
Is it a prediction that the 2010 Chiefs are going to put distance between themselves and the sorry legacy of 10 wins the past three seasons? Or is Haley proclaiming that his team has fire and grit, a plenitude of spunk?
Oh, wouldn't YOU like to know.
"Will is an interesting word in football, and it obviously has a double meaning," Haley said. "But I will leave it at that."
If Haley is forecasting a big improvement from last year's 4-12 record, the Chiefs must get a host of young players to begin fulfilling the promise that once made them first-round draft picks.
No fewer than five former No. 1 selections, every one of them still in their developing years, have consistently failed to deliver. Four are on the front seven of a defense that was 31st against the run and left intact throughout the draft and free agency.
Safety Eric Berry, the No. 1 draft pick last April, addressed the most urgent need on defense. In addition, supplemental second-round pick Javier Arenas could soon become a starting cornerback, assuming the Chiefs do not turn him into a kick returner exclusively.
But the Chiefs are counting on breakthrough seasons from defensive ends Tyson Jackson, the third overall pick in 2009, and Glenn Dorsey, fifth overall in 2008. Haley has admitted, however, that Wallace Gilberry, who entered the league two years ago as an undrafted free agent, is pushing Jackson and Dorsey. Haley insists he would not hesitate to move Gilberry ahead of either Jackson or Dorsey on the depth chart.
In addition, the Chiefs will need much better production out of linebackers Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson, two other first-round selections who have failed to make good on what everyone thought was great potential.
Many fans were aghast when the Chiefs ignored their front seven during the offseason. But Haley and second-year general manager Scott Pioli obviously saw enough raw ability to stick with them.
"In the NFL, the way I know you can have continued success is to develop the young — the first, second and third-year players you have on your team — and that is mandatory," Haley said. "If you're not developing young players on your team, you probably have very little chance of success. That's a big focus of ours from day one going back to last year."
Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been as big a disappointment as anyone. Taken in the first round in 2007, Bowe had 11 dropped passes last year, most on a team that led the NFL with 48. Big and athletic, Bowe appeared to be doing a better job of hanging onto the ball during training camp and could become a significant weapon for quarterback Matt Cassel.
"It's equally big for all those guys," Haley said. "I cannot stress it enough. Those are the guys that have to take that next step, whether they're backups that become starters, starters that become stars or third-teamers that become backups. Those guys have to take steps and have to make that next step."
The Chiefs are also counting heavily on Cassel's taking a giant step forward.
In his first season in Kansas City, Cassel threw the same number of interceptions (16) as touchdowns. His numbers should improve this year because an inconsistent offensive line has been strengthened with the addition of two savvy veterans, center Casey Wiegmann and guard Ryan Lilja.
Short-term, the two most significant additions may be coordinators Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis. Both worked with Pioli as members of the highly successful New England staff before failing as head coaches. Now they're eager to prove they're worthy of another chance at being in charge.
Weis, the former Notre Dame head coach brought in to replace Haley as offensive coordinator, admitted that his main job was to "fix the quarterback."
"The No. 1 thing that a quarterback has to do is lead the team," Weis said. "It's pretty obvious that (Cassel) is doing a much better job of leading the team."
In addition, the offense will have more speed thanks to second-round rookie Dexter McCluster, who was dazzling as a running back-receiver during the Chiefs' three-week stay in their new training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. Also new is Thomas Jones, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of the past five years, including last year with the New York Jets.
However, McCluster and Jamaal Charles, who had 1,200 yards rushing last year while making only 10 starts, both outperformed the 32-year-old Jones in early going.
As for defense, Crennel has no interest in talking about the run-stopping woes of '09.
"All I can do is try to get these guys to fit where they need to fit to be physical and aggressive and have great effort to the ball and hopefully that will pay off in the running game," he said. "We're going to try to emphasize not letting them run the ball on us. And if we can stop the run, that will help the passing game as well."
-- Doug Tucker
QB Jason Campbell viewed as savior in Oakland
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — For five years in Washington, Jason Campbell was often perceived as one of the problems holding back a once-proud franchise from a return to prominence.
Following a draft-day trade from the Redskins to the Raiders, Campbell was immediately viewed as the solution to seven years of woe in Oakland.
The cross-country flight did not make Campbell's arm stronger, his passes more accurate or his decision-making better. What coming to the Raiders to replace JaMarcus Russell did do is help revitalize Campbell and provide a little bit of hope in Oakland.
"It's a new start," Campbell said. "Oakland is trying to turn it around. They're trying to become a new team. They made a lot of changes, and they're trying to do things the right way and get it going in the right direction. We have to buy into it. When it happened on draft day, it was almost like you got drafted again."
The trade also gave the Raiders another shot at finding a franchise quarterback after whiffing badly when they selected JaMarcus Russell first overall in 2007.
Russell was an overweight, unmotivated underperformer in his three seasons in Oakland. Russell won only seven of his 25 starts as the Raiders extended an NFL-worst streak to seven straight seasons with at least 11 losses.
Russell put together one of the worst seasons in recent memory for an NFL quarterback last year before being benched by coach Tom Cable. He completed 48.8 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 50.0 passer rating that was the lowest in 11 years.
The offense showed some sparks under backup Bruce Gradkowski, giving the team confidence that it can be even better this season under Campbell and new coordinator Hue Jackson.
"I feel like compared to last year our passing game is going to be night and day. We're going to be a lot improved," tight end Zach Miller said. "There's more confidence as a team, that we have a chance this year to be really good. If we keep working out here, we keep improving, I think we'll be there."
Campbell is coming off his best season, completing 64.5 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a passer rating of 86.4. But the Redskins went 4-12 last season and new coach Mike Shanahan brought in Donovan McNabb to take over from Campbell.
He'll have a topflight tight end to work with in Miller, a running game that figures to be improved with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden carrying the load, and a group of young but speedy receivers, led by Darrius Heyward-Bey, Louis Murphy and Chaz Schilens, that the Raiders believe will thrive with Campbell at the helm.
"We've got a good guy, a dependable guy, a guy who's going to work hard, who will be there for us every day," Schilens said. "He's not going to shy away from anything. You know what to expect. We know what to expect. You know where the balls are going to be. That's really all you can ask for as receivers, a dependable guy that's going to go out and work hard every day. So we have that now. We're ready to work. We're ready to forget about everything else and move forward."
There's a lot to forget. After playing in the AFC championship game at the end of the 2000 season, making the playoffs again in 2001 and going the Super Bowl in the 2002 campaign, the Raiders have endured the worst stretch in franchise history.
Oakland has had five coaches, 11 starting quarterbacks and 83 losses since losing the Super Bowl to Tampa Bay 48-21 on Jan. 26, 2003. Cable's return for a second full season adds some much-needed stability.
"We thought that the decade of the 2000s would be ours," owner Al Davis told Sirius XM Radio during training camp. "But boy we slipped. We slumped. And now we come into the year 2010 and I really liken this team a great deal to the team of 1980 in which the great Jim Plunkett pulled us out of the doldrums, took us to the Super Bowl as a wild card and we had so many great players who eventually made their way into the Hall of Fame."
Despite Davis' optimism, these Raiders lack the talent the franchise had 30 years ago when players like Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Cliff Branch, Ted Hendricks and Lester Hayes filled the roster of a Super Bowl champion.
But there is some talent, especially on the defensive side with defensive lineman Richard Seymour, linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
Throw in the top two draft picks in middle linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive end Lamarr Houston and the Raiders defense might finally have the size to stop the run.
-- Josh Dubow
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