CSN Bay Area: Raiders, Campbell Sound the Right Notes at Camp

[Malcomb Kelly]

http://www.csnbayarea.com/07/29/10/Raiders-Campbell-Sound-the-Right-Notes-a/landing.html?blockID=280010&feedID=3433

July 29, 2010

NAPA (AP) -- The biggest change for the Raiders was evident when Jason Campbell walked out of the first huddle as the starting quarterback.

With the JaMarcus Russell era firmly in the past following his offseason release, the Raiders are preparing for a new season with a quarterback they believe can take them back to the postseason after seven years of losing.

"I feel 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," receiver Chaz Schilens said Thursday. "He's not going to shy away from anything. You 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."

As happy as the Raiders are with their new quarterback, Campbell is looking forward to a chance to start over after five rough seasons in Washington.

He started 52 games for Washington since being a first-round pick in 2005. He has thrown for 55 touchdowns, 38 interceptions and has a passer rating of 82.3 in his career. Campbell has been sacked 102 times since the start of the 2007 season, tied for third most in the NFL in that span behind Ben Roethlisberger and David Garrard.

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.

"I'll tell you my first five years in Washington, we went through a lot of highs, a lot of lows," Campbell said. "I went through some different changes there. A lot, each and every year. Coming here is kind of like being drafted all over again. It's a new start. Oakland is trying to turn it around. They're trying to become a new team. They made a lot of changes, and I think they're trying to do things the right way and get it going in the right direction."

The biggest addition was Campbell. But the Raiders also bolstered their run defense by taking middle linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive end Lamarr Houston with their first two draft picks, acquired two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle John Henderson and outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to help even more on defense and hired high-energy offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to help inject some life into a struggling unit.

That has added some needed optimism to a franchise that has lost at least 11 games for an NFL-record seven straight seasons.

"Right now there's an uproar around the team," running back Darren McFadden said. "People are looking forward to a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator, so he's going to bring different things to the offense. The new quarterback is a great leader. He gets back there and takes control so we're looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we can put together."

Coach Tom Cable named Campbell the starter the day before the start of training camp, wanting to make sure it was clear who would lead the offense. He said the main things he is counting on from Campbell are the ability to protect the ball and consistency.

He praised Campbell's leadership, which has been evident in meeting rooms and on the field after practice where he spends extra time with the receivers.

"We're just real hungry and passionate for that kind of leadership," Cable said. "He has been welcomed and he has taken it and run with it."

Along with stepping into a new team, Campbell has had to learn a new offense. He has plenty of experience with that having gone through change almost every season since his college days at Auburn. He had four different offenses in four years at Auburn, then three more in five years with the Redskins. Now he is learning a new system with the Raiders.

Even though he had plenty of time with it during minicamp and OTAs, Campbell said it still is a learning process to become completely comfortable with the new system.

"Sometimes it's like speaking my second language," Campbell said. "We were in a meeting the other day and coach asked me what was the protection change here and I called out one of my protections in last year's offenses when I was in Washington. But it started with the same letter. Sometimes you have to block those things out and just focus on just trying to learn these plays."

[Spartacus87]

I feel like you could just copy and paste preseason articles from the Redskins over the last few years and just replace Redskins skill position players with the names of Raiders players. The same stories about hardwork, leadership, dedication, etc. We'll see how that adds up on the field in Oakland.

I wish Campbell well out there though.

[Hitman21ST]

Cue a JC-basher in 3, 2, 1...

[THEREALTOR1]

Cue a JC-basher in 3, 2, 1...

But he's learning a new, ah nevermind...

[SWFLSkins]

Here is a take from Raiders.com interview with Campbell....

Q: Coach Cable has said one of the biggest things you bring to this team is your leadership. What style of leader are you? Are you quiet? By actions?

Jason Campbell: It’s kind of like whatever the feel is…kind of like knowing when to say something, knowing when not to. At the same time, the tempo at practice has to be fast. You know we have to be in and out of the huddle. We aren’t working against the play clock right now, but we will when we get to the games. You want to make it feel as slow as possible during the games because in practice you are building your tempo to a high speed.

Not to bash or beat this dead horse, but did you find that answer leader worthy, honestly?

I like the guy and I think it was best for him to have a shot with a different team but this is the one area where I think he could improve, he never shows any fire.

[ixcuincle]

At least 2 people on another forum have picked the Raiders to win the division

JC is that much an upgrade over JaMarcus, huh?

[bedlamVR]

AFC west... I can see it . Broncos seem to be going backwards in a hurry under Ronald McDaniels ... Chargers - Uber talented but that window is closing ... and the Chiefs ....

The problem is they are more dysfunctional as an organization than we were and Hue Jackson ... really ? Is he an upgrade ? I seem to remember him here under Spurrier .

If being shipped out of town tells Campbell nothing it should tell him the way he was doing things is not acceptable . If he can turn that quiet nice guy demeanor into a slightly nastier leadership style then he could come out of his skin and be a really good NFL QB .

[Hitman21ST]

At least 2 people on another forum have picked the Raiders to win the division

They would need a LOT of things to fall their way this year. They're definitely not getting a WC birth, so they would need:

Phillip Rivers to get injured early for the season.

Win at least 4 in the division.

They play the AFCS, NFCW, Steelers, and Dolphins, so they need to win out in the NFCW and beat the Texans, Jags (no easy tasks), and Dolphins.

That puts them at 9-7, so they would need a few more breaks to go their way.

[darrelgreenie]

They would need a LOT of things to fall their way this year. They're definitely not getting a WC birth, so they would need:

Phillip Rivers to get injured early for the season.

Win at least 4 in the division.

They play the AFCS, NFCW, Steelers, and Dolphins, so they need to win out in the NFCW and beat the Texans, Jags (no easy tasks), and Dolphins.

That puts them at 9-7, so they would need a few more breaks to go their way.

Yep.

And even for any of the above to happen their play along the OL would have to improve and the production from their WR corps would have to improve and they're already have trouble there with Murphy and Chilens injured and not practicing.

But, it starting to look like LT-McNeil and Vincent Jackson won't be playing at all or at least until mid-season and if that happens i don't think the Charger's offense will be anywhere near as productive as recent histrory suggests.

So there might be a window b/c i think the Chargers will take a step backwards and the Raiders defense has improved with OLB Camron Wimbley, DL Henderson and addition of rookie hopefuls ILB McClain and DE Lamar Houston.

But, there OL and WRs are gonna really need to step up.

[pjfootballer]

Another JC article. This will help to beat the dead horse.

[Hitman21ST]

Another JC article. This will help to beat the dead horse.

As long as we hide it from SoCal and BLC, it should be fine

[DCranon21]

From what I'm hearing, Bruce Campbell and their other drafted tackle will be starting, because the current LT is on the cutting block. Also Heyward-Bey has to step it up. What he pulled last season was atrocious for any receiver, but it must of been a lot to do with JaMarcus as well.

Hope Jason does well out there.

[#98QBKiller]

I feel like you could just copy and paste preseason articles from the Redskins over the last few years and just replace Redskins skill position players with the names of Raiders players. The same stories about hardwork, leadership, dedication, etc. We'll see how that adds up on the field in Oakland.

I wish Campbell well out there though.

Pretty much. We've heard plenty of lip service from Campbell and his teammates in the past and it's always amounted to the same thing: nothing.

When (and more importantly if) Campbell shows that he can truly lead a team to the postseason then he'll earn the respect he wants. Until then it's just more of the same ol' cheap talk.