OAKLAND _ Many of the Raiders had no idea what had happened until they
saw Chiefs defensive back Maurice Leggett running the other way.
One moment, Sebastian Janikowski was lining up for a 43-yard field goal
attempt and a 6-3 lead. The next, Leggett had set sail on a 67-yard
fumble return on one of the most harebrained plays ever conceived.
If Tom Cable wanted to honor the unpredictability of the Raiders-Chiefs
rivalry, he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
It was remarkable because Cable actually called for Janikowski to turn
the corner and run for a first down on fourth-and-10.
It was incredible because Leggett appeared to be thinking the same
thing, correctly diagnosing the ruse even as he marveled at it afterward.
``I was surprised they actually ran a fake,'' Leggett said. ``When I saw
the ball on the ground, it was an opportunity to make a play. It's a
great win _ and a big confidence boost.''
It was amazing because the Raiders have been sitting on this gem of a
play for some two years now, according to Cable.
When it was all over, the Raiders had lost to the Chiefs 20-13 and the
biggest thing standing in the way of a second straight win was their own
``creativity.''
The play goes like this: Lechler takes the snap, then flips the ball
between his legs to Janikowski, who runs around a vacated left end for
big yardage and a first down.
Honest.
``We haven't had a problem handling it for almost two years now,'' Cable
said. ``It's been something we've worked for really two years. We've
handled it well. It's something we've come up with. We just didn't
execute it.''
True enough, the Raiders had been sharpening up their
Janikowski-around-end play for some time now. Problem is, it sounds like
some of the players thought they were doing it for comic relief.
``We do that in practice all the time,'' cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha
said. ``But I never knew that it was a real thing that we were going to
attempt.''
As you've seen countless times by now on replays, Leggett had Janikowski
closed off, the pitch hit the ground, and the Chiefs had a gift touchdown.
``They were lined up exactly as we wanted them to,'' Cable said. ``We
just didn't execute. That was my decision. And obviously it was not a
good one.''
Al Davis has a history of loathing special teams trickery, with a long
tradition of having his kickers kick and his punters punt. Considering
how much he disliked Lane Kiffin's 76-yard field goal attempt at the end
of the first half in Week 4, it's safe to say he had a few choice words
(none of them printable) for Sunday's fake field goal fiasco.
The "Spirit of 76" was essentially harmless, a spur of the moment call
which had no real effect on the outcome of the game.
The disturbing thing about Sunday's play is that it was planned in
advance. Coaches actually sat in a meeting room, looked at film,
examined all the angles, and determined it would be a good idea.
Then, against one of the few opponents the Raiders should be good enough
to beat head-up, Cable actually called the play. The Raiders needed 10
yards, not two or three. Taking into account Janikowski is supposed to
take the pitch at kicking depth _ about seven yards _ that means they
were counting on their 250-pound plus kicker to run 17 yards.
The bad decision had Cable chasing points a short time later, and he
came up empty again.
Taking over at their own 9 after an illegal block by Todd Watkins, the
Raiders drove deep into Chiefs territory, a drive which included a
20-yard pass from JaMarcus Russell to Darren McFadden and a 16-yard run
by Russell.
When Fargas was stopped for no gain on third-and-3 at the Kansas City
22, Cable elected to go for the first down rather than attempt another
field goal.
Russell overthrew Ronald Curry in the end zone.
The end result was the Raiders had used up nearly 10 minutes of clock
time, run 17 plays, gained 115 yards, and had been outscored 7-0 while
eschewing two field goals from a distance where Janikowski is
essentially a career 90-percent kicker.
It was a 13-point swing _ the six points the Raiders didn't get, and the
seven points the Chiefs did.
The Raiders weren't overtly blaming their coach afterward. Safety Gibril
Wilson was lamenting a dropped interception which could have halted a
16-play, 91-yard touchdown drive which consumed the last 8:07 of the
third quarter and the first 1:17 of the fourth.
Running back Justin Fargas took responsibility for losing a fumble on
the first play of the Raiders' next drive, giving the ball right back to
the Chiefs, who turned the mistake into a 27-yard field goal by Connor
Barth and a 20-10 lead.
Russell was clearly off his game, completing 3 of 13 passes for 29 yards
in the second half and missing both far and wide.
But if it is the job of the head coach to put his team in position to
win games, Cable failed the Raiders Sunday.
``That's a coaching decision and it's out of my hands,'' Russell said of
the fake field goal. ``But looking back at the game, I wish we'd taken
the points there.''
