A Reason for Hope

Something unusual is happening with the Oakland Raiders. No, Al Davis is not relinquishing control of the team, and no, their fans are not watching reruns of Ozzie and Harriet.

However, an uncommon occurance not witnissed since the 1970s should be getting fans excited. The Raiders are actually developing a potential quality quarterback. JaMarcus Russell may not be setting the NFL on fire, but he is giving the team their best home grown QB prospect potential since Kenny Stabler.

Russell still has a ways to go before he joins the list of productive NFL QBs, but thus far he is giving the Raiders every reason for optimism. The reason for the optimism is that although Russell is still young, and has much to learn about NFL defenses, the former LSU standout does not make the numerous mistakes that practically every young QB does.

Russell does not force passes that inevitably turn into interceptions. For the most part, he is accurate on his throws. If not for a holding call in the Jets game, he would have had two TD passes. Another aspect of his game, that must be commended, he looks to throw even when he might be able to move the chains with his running ability. On the TD throw in the Jets game, Russell may have been able to run for the TD, but he pulled up and hit the receiver in the endzone. That's called being patient, even unusually patient for a young QB.

When the Jets game entered overtime, I kept yelling for the Raiders to let Russell win the game for them. On the first drive, granted, he did look nervous misfiring on two open receivers. However, on the second drive Russell took over hitting Zack Miller for 27 yards and Javin Walker for 16 yards, moving the team into game winning field goal position.

As explained earlier, Russell, this only his second year, still has a lot to learn. However, nobody can say that at this point he is not further ahead than Vince Young was, Matt Lienart, and obviously Alex Smith.

The Raiders appear to have a solid running game to compliment Russell, and they have a productive tight end with Zach Miller. Hopefully, they can also add some quality wide receivers for Russell as well.

With a fully loaded arsenol of weapons, and added experience, Russell just may make that much needed leap to the list of quality, or top NFL quarterbacks. If he does that, he will make the ghosts of Marc Wilson, Todd Marinovich, Jay Schroeder, Jeff George, Kerry Collins, and all the other Raider QB dissapointments, disappear.