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Can Tony Sparano fix the Raiders in time for Sunday?

By Jeff Weisinger

Sep 30, 2014; Alameda, CA, USA; Tony Sparano is introduced as Oakland Raiders interim coach during a press conference at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2014; Alameda, CA, USA; Tony Sparano is introduced as Oakland Raiders interim coach during a press conference at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Oakland Raiders are NFL cellar dwellars — can Tony Sparano fix them quickly?

Plain and simple, the Raiders have to find a way to beat San Diego on Sunday, this time with new interim head coach Tony Sparano at the helm of the Silver and Black.

“One of the things that I believe is that you’ve got to look at reasons how Oakland is beating Oakland right now, never mind our opponents,” he said in his press conference on Monday.

Sparano wasted no time doing everything he can to fix the current worst team in the NFL (the Jets are a close, close second), spending time over the weekend to talk to former head coach Mike Holmgren, relocating the players locker to different areas of the locker room, increasing practice tempo, adding sessions to work on fundamentals and changing up the schedule that now-former head coach Dennis Allen set.

In short, he’s doing almost everything Dennis Allen didn’t do.

“It’s good to get a different set of eyes, another perspective,” Sparano said about visiting with Holmgren.

“I think right now there’s a fire lit in that locker room.  They see change.  We were all part of the problem, every single one of us.  … They’ve got a lot of pride, and I’m proud of the way they came out there and practiced.”

“The moment he got up on the stage, he brought that commanding presence of what it’s going to be, what he expects of us, what he sees out of us, even the bad,” defensive tackle Antonio Smith said.  “When he tells you the bad, he shoots it to you blood raw.  It ain’t sugarcoated.”

One of the highlights of Sparano’s short tenure with Oakland is him gathering the Raiders around a hole in the ground, grabbing a shovel in one hand and a football in the other and telling his players:

“What this ball represents and what this hole represents are the first four games of the season, the first quarter of the season.  “Here’s your shovel, here’s your tool and those four games are over with.  And we’re about ready to go to work here.  Everybody understand that?”

So far the players have bought into Sparano’s ways however if this team can’t win a game in the next three weeks, his attitude and job could end up like that football – in a hole in the ground.

In his first team meeting last Wednesday, Sparano proved to his team that teams can turnaround from an 0-4 start.  He pointed out Lamarr Woodley who was on a Steelers team last year that started 0-4 and finished 8-8 nearly sneaking into the playoffs.

“Woodley’s experience in that situation in Pittsburgh is important,” Sparano said.

“Just start winning,” Woodley added.  “That’s it … that changes it.”

The Chargers enter Sunday’s game a seven-point favorite on the betting lines, winning their last four games by at least nine points and coming off a big 31-0 win against a struggling Jets team, the first shutout of the league this season.  The same Jets team that barely got past Oakland in the season opener.  San Diego’s defense also leads the NFL in points average (9.3 ppg allowed).

Oakland, on the other hand, is coming off their bye week last in scoring (12.2 ppg) and rushing yards (61.5).  The Raiders also have the 31st ranked run defense (158.3 ypg allowed) and are 25th in passing (208.5) behind rookie Derek Carr.

Sep 28, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew (21) carries the ball during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew (21) carries the ball during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports /

If the Raiders are going to try to win on Sunday, Sparano will have to improve the Raiders running game.  Considering he has a run oriented philosophy, Raiders running backs may see more than 10 carries a game.  Overall, the Raiders have ran for a combined 246 yards on a combined 72 carries with just one rushing touchdown.

Here’s another catch: San Diego has the ninth-ranked run defense in the NFL (96 ypg) going into Sunday’s game.

Sparano will also have to find a way to get his defense on track, especially a front seven that has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete about 70 percent of their passes so far this season, and with Philip Rivers coming to town, that number could go up.  The only time Oakland showed any glimpse of a pass rush was at New England against Tom Brady.  If they can get to Rivers early and often, he could force a few throws, allowing Oakland’s secondary to make a few plays.  The Raiders are fourth in pass defense (207 ypg) while San Diego is seventh in passing offense (281.2 ypg) behind Rivers and company.

In the same week that the Raiders and Raider Nation celebrate the third anniversary of the passing of Hall of Fame owner Al Davis, the Raiders simply have to do one thing: “Just win baby!”

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