Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago

Where have you gone, Daryle Lamonica? 

Cold, Hard Football Facts for October 26, 2008
[img_r]http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Images/DavisAl2.jpg[/img_r]
(Ed. Note: The Passing Yards Per Attempt figure that we use as one of our Quality Stats takes into account sacks. However, the NFL does not have any information regarding the number of sacks a team suffered before 1967. Therefore, for the sake of apples to apples comparisons, the bulk of this story looks only at gross passing yards per attempt. To stack up Oakland's passsing offenses through the years, check out this spreadsheet.)
[i]

Conventional wisdom tells us that Al Davis is past his prime and that the game has passed him by.

Consider this one of those rare times when the conventional wisdom regurgitated by pigskin pundits is deeply rooted in the rich, nourishing soil of the Cold, Hard Football Facts.

Another pathetic passing performance by the Raiders Sunday simply drives home the futility that is the current state of management in Oakland.

The Raiders lost at Baltimore Sunday, 29-10. It was a long way to go to not show up. And, as usual, an inability to pass the ball effectively was one of the main reasons the Raiders performed poorly.

JaMarcus Russell the former overall No. 1 draft pick taken by Davis in 2007 in an effort to inject new life into the mortuary-stiff Raiders offense dropped back to pass 37 times against Baltimore. He completed just 15 of 33 attempts (for a respectable 228 yards), while suffering four sacks for a loss of 41 yards.

Those figures add up to 187 net yards passing on 37 dropbacks an average of just 5.05 yards every time Russell stepped back into the pocket.

Good thing Daryle Lamonica is still alive, or else the Mad Bomber would have spent Sunday night rolling over in his grave.

But it was just another ordinary day at the office of humiliation for the Oakland offense of the 21st century. In fact, the organizations decline since its 2002 Super Bowl appearance directly coincides with a dramatic downfall in the teams ability to matriculate the ball down field via the pass.

THE EARLY YEARS

Al Davis critics argue that he continues to cling to antiquated theories about the downfield passing game that no longer work in todays NFL. The modern league, clearly, is defined by a high-percentage, low-risk passing game that's just as likely to spread the field horizontally as the old Al Davis offense of Lamonica, Warren Wells, Kenny Stabler and Cliff Branch was to spread the field vertically.

The Cold, Hard Football Facts may not prove that there's merit to this argument. But they do prove that the Raiders-style offense that once ruled the NFL is now the most ineffective offense in franchise history, and routinely among the worst in the league today.

But before burying Al Davis's legacy, it pays to remember that he was revolutionary figure in the history of the game, and that his offensive theories instantly turned the Raiders from laughingstock to powerhouse.

In fact, his arrival in Oakland heralded the organizations arrival as one of the elite outfits in all of sports.

The Raiders were pathetic during their first three years in the old AFL, winning just nine games from 1960 to 1962.

Davis showed up as Oaklands new head coach in 1963, and suddenly everything changed. The suddeness of the Davis impact is evident in these Cold, Hard Football Facts:

* The Raiders averaged just 5.99 yards per pass attempt in 1962, the year before Davis rode into town.
* The Raiders averaged a stunning 7.66 yards per attempt in 1963, Davis's first year at the helm.
* The passing-deficient Raiders went 1-13 in 1962 without Davis.
* The passing-proficient Raiders went 10-4 in 1963 with Davis.

Few, if any, coaches in history produced such a dramatic turnaround in the space of one year.

When Davis arrived, he took the ball out of the hands of quarterback Cotton Davidson and gave it to Tom Flores. He also brought in gamebreaking receiver Art Powell, who remains one of the most explosive but least heralded pass catchers in NFL history. (Powell caught 81 TD passes in just 117 games, one of the greatest scoring rates in pro football history.)

Davis would cede the head coaching job to John Rauch (1966), then John Madden (1969), then Tom Flores (1979), but one thing remained consistent: The Raiders were winners and they won year after year by passing the ball as well or better than any other team in football.

Oakland suffered just two losing seasons from Daviss arrival in 1963 through 1987, and the downfield passing attack was the team's deadliest weapon throughout its two-decade run of success.

The 1976 Raiders won the franchises first Super Bowl and they did it with the best passing attack in franchise history, averaging a stunning 8.85 yards per attempt. To put that production into perspective, consider that Tom Brady and the record-setting 2007 Patriots averaged 8.28 yards per pass attempt.

The Raiders of 1967 to 1969 dominated the AFL, posting an incredible 37-4-1 record over the three seasons. Each year they were among the dominant passing teams in the league, averaging, respectively, 7.63, 8.06 and 7.69 yards per attempt.

The 2002 Raiders are the only Oakland team in recent history that passed the ball with any semblance of respectability. Their average of 7.58 yards per pass attempt is the best by an Oakland team since 1990. They 2002 Raiders, not so coincidentally, won the AFC title and is the last Raiders team to reach the playoffs or, even, post a winning record.

THE RECENT YEARS

Since that 2002 season, the Raiders offense is about as hip and trendy as Oakland's other great export, MC Hammer.

In the five-and-half seasons since that Super Bowl appearance, 11 different quarterbacks have tried and failed to break the team out of its passing-game doldrums. Aaron Brooks, Kerry Collins, Daunte Culpepper, Rich Gannon, Rob Johnson, Tee Martin, Josh McCown, Rick Mirer, Russell, Marques Tuiasosopo and Andrew Walter have all taken snaps for the Oakland offense over this period.

It's been a complete disaster.

In fact, the years from 2003 to 2008 have been the worst in franchise history. The Raiders have suffered five straight losing seasons from 2003 to 2007 for the first time ever. Now 2-5 here in 2008, the Raiders are well on their way to a sixth-straight losing season.

So why are the Raiders so poor? No surprise here: the worst records in franchise history coincide with the very worst passing teams in franchise history.

The 2003 Raiders were the single worst passing team in franchise history, with an average 5.74 YPA. The 2003 Raiders went 4-12. The four wins were the fewest by a Raiders team since the pre-Al Davis club went 1-13 in 1962.

The 2006 Raiders are the second worst passing team in franchise history, with an average of 5.90 YPA. The 2006 Raiders went 2-14, suffering more losses than any other Oakland team. (For the record, if you use CHFFs adjusted formula, which includes sacks, the 2006 Raiders averaged just 4.36 YPA, the worst mark ever by an Oakland offense).

The 2004, 2005, 2007 and now 2008 Raiders all stand among the worst passing teams in franchise history.

So there you have it, folks: theres plenty of statistical evidence that indicates that the game has passed by Al Davis, leaving the old warhorse and his organization a shadow of their former selves.

But as you mock the man and the organization, remember that the game that has passed him by is one that he helped create in the first place.


UserPostedImage
Rockmolder
15 years ago
Love that they actually shed some light on his postive influence as well. He's been an amazing owner/GM for a long time.

That said, he should just call it quits. I don't see him changing anything that will get this franchise back on track again. He's too set in his ways. Problem is, I don't see him retiring as the GM either. This franchise will suffer some more mediocre years. At least untill Davis is gone, hard as it sounds.

And to think I had them as my dark horse pick this year... lol.
Users browsing this topic
    Fan Shout
    Zero2Cool (7h) : Both LB Quay Walker and Rookie DB Micah Robinson have passed their physicals
    Zero2Cool (8h) : Happy to see site feels more snappy snappy
    Zero2Cool (8h) : No sir. I did not.
    dfosterf (8h) : You didn't get free childcare when you were at work?
    wpr (9h) : These guys make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Pay for their own childcare.
    dfosterf (10h) : 2nd issue. Number 1 issue was no gameday childcare. 1 of 3 teams not providing it
    Zero2Cool (10h) : Suppose if locker room is main issue, we sitting pretty
    wpr (10h) : I thought so Mucky. In those useless player polls GB always rates high overall. Locker is a part of it.
    Mucky Tundra (11h) : Wasn't the locker room just updated like 6 or 7 years ago?
    Zero2Cool (11h) : I have forum updated on different site. We'll see how this one goes before going to that
    Zero2Cool (12h) : Elgton Jenkins has a back injury, is expect to end contract dispute
    wpr (14h) : It's funny the PA complained about the locker room. It wasn't that long ago it was top shelf. Things change in a hurry.
    wpr (14h) : The site is much more better.
    Zero2Cool (14h) : NFLPA report said Packers lockerroom needed upgrade. Whining bout where you change?
    Zero2Cool (14h) : I saw that and thought it was kind of lame.
    dfosterf (14h) : Packers new locker room is pretty awesome. Great for morale, imo
    Zero2Cool (15h) : Shuffled things on the web server. Hope it makes it faster.
    Zero2Cool (15h) : Other times, it's turtle ass
    Zero2Cool (15h) : Sometimes it's snappy, like now.
    beast (16h) : I feel like it's loading at the top of the next minute, or something like that.
    beast (16h) : Also the thanks/heart takes FOREVER to load, and posting in the shout box takes three times FOREVER!
    beast (16h) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
    beast (16h) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
    Zero2Cool (17h) : Yeah, I noticed that too. Is it slow for PackerPeople.com too?
    wpr (17h) : I don't know what you IT guys call it but the page loading is very slow for me today.
    Zero2Cool (17h) : SSL might be settled now.
    Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Still working through SSL cert issues
    wpr (23-Jul) : Glad to be back
    Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I think PH original finally working.
    dfosterf (22-Jul) : Can tell you are having a fun day Kev
    Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Yep, I had to manually move them. It'll fix itself after more posts.
    Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Same deal with the songs/videos thread, says you replied last but when I go there it's what I posted earlier is last
    Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : I had to manually move three posts.
    Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : But when I go it, Martha's is the last reply
    Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Still a little screwy; it shows on the main forum that you were the last person to reply to the Jenkins trade thread
    Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Host issues, been crazy day
    Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Connect 4?
    Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Connecting to new database
    Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : What the hell
    beast (22-Jul) : Packershome going to the Whiteout unis again
    Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : Oh wait, they got Cam Ward. 1st overall right? haha oops
    Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : They could send Packers a 1st for a QB they are familiar with
    Zero2Cool (21-Jul) : Titans QB Will Levis to have season-ending shoulder surgery
    Zero2Cool (19-Jul) : Their season did kind of start there, so 🤷
    dfosterf (19-Jul) : Eagles put an engraved Brazil flag on their super bowl rings
    Zero2Cool (18-Jul) : Benton unsigned no more
    Zero2Cool (17-Jul) : That's good analysis, yes you are getting old. It'd a blessing!
    dfosterf (14-Jul) : *analysis* gettin' old
    dfosterf (14-Jul) : One of the best analyisis I"ve ever watched at this time of an offseason
    dfosterf (14-Jul) : Andy Herman interviewed Warren Sharp on his Pack a day podcast
    Please sign in to use Fan Shout
    2025 Packers Schedule
    Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
    LIONS
    Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
    COMMANDERS
    Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
    Browns
    Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
    Cowboys
    Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
    BENGALS
    Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
    Cardinals
    Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
    Steelers
    Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
    PANTHERS
    Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
    EAGLES
    Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
    Giants
    Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
    VIKINGS
    Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
    Lions
    Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
    BEARS
    Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
    Broncos
    Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
    Bears
    Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
    RAVENS
    Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
    Vikings
    Recent Topics
    45m / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

    1h / Around The NFL / Mucky Tundra

    2h / Around The NFL / Mucky Tundra

    5h / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

    6h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    6h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    17h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

    23-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

    22-Jul / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

    22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

    22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

    20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

    20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

    18-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

    15-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

    Headlines
    Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.