Raiders Pass It On Against Steelers

PITTSBURGH —  This might shock the NFL world, but the Oakland Raiders were being something less than honest last week when asked about their strategy for playing Pittsburgh.

Yes, they fibbed, sandbagged, pulled off an immaculate deception. They said they would stick to their grind-it-out game plan, not rely on the no-huddle, pass-at-all-costs style that allowed New England to pick apart the Steelers in the opener.

Instead, the Raiders came out and threw almost every down Sunday. Threw so many times that Jerry Rice had 10 receptions by halftime. Threw so many times they set an NFL record for completions in a non-overtime game (43).

“The plan going in was to throw,” said Raider Coach Bill Callahan, his voice quavering with emotion after the 30-17 victory. “Always was, always has been.”

That’s the same Callahan who earlier in the week told reporters: “We have six [running backs] here that we call the committee. If we went to a no-back, I think there would be a few people knocking on my door.”

Well, fellas, form a single-file line.

The Raiders (2-0) opened the game with an empty backfield and frequently used similar formations throughout. It’s as if they Xeroxed the game plan of the Patriots, who peppered the Steelers with passes in the opener, once throwing 25 in a row.

“We’ve created a situation here,” said Pittsburgh Coach Bill Cowher, whose 0-2 team has 20 returning starters from the squad that reached the AFC championship game last season. “And until we can stop it, we’re going to see it. I admit, I did not think they’d come out and just wing it. I thought they’d run the ball, because they can. We’ve got to get these things rectified or it’s going to be a long year.”

Out of 87 plays, the Raiders ran 70 pass plays--which includes the five times Rich Gannon was sacked and a pass by Terry Kirby. They ran the no-huddle offense throughout the first half, convening only a few times for a breather, and Gannon set team records for attempts (64) and completions. He also threw for 403 yards

“He should be icing his arm,” joked Rice, who finished with 11 catches for 94 yards.

Oakland offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy, who is listed at 335 pounds but looks even bigger, plopped down in a chair in front of his locker a half-hour after the game and was still winded.

“Exhausted,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s about all I can say.”

Then, he said more. He never pass-blocked so much in his life.

“I looked at the stats at halftime, and we had run 49 plays,” he said. “That’s more than some teams run in a whole game.”

And it could have been even uglier for the Steelers. Twice, the Raiders were on the verge of scoring and linebacker Joey Porter came through for Pittsburgh. He intercepted two passes at the Steeler one-yard line, returning one of them 84 yards. That return came late in the third quarter and not only reinvigorated a stagnant Heinz Field crowd but set up a touchdown for the Steelers, who trimmed the Oakland lead to 20-17.

But the Raiders snatched the momentum right back when Kirby returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. It was the third kickoff return for a touchdown in Kirby’s career, and it was just what the Raiders needed to slam the door. They picked up a 27-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski near the end, but that was just icing. By that time, most of the 62,260 spectators were streaming toward the exits.

“Right now, we’re not a very good football team,” Cowher said. “And that’s probably an obvious statement.”

Crippling to the Steelers was their inability to stop the Raiders on third down. Oakland converted 12 of 20 such situations, answering the call five times on one touchdown drive.

“We have to find a way to help those DBs out,” Pittsburgh defensive end Aaron Smith said. “We can’t expect them to hold these guys up. It’s a long time, and it’s hard to cover without anybody getting pressure on the quarterback.”

Now, there’s plenty of pressure on Kordell Stewart. Although he didn’t look as sloppy as he did against New England, Stewart never got on track. By the third quarter, fans were booing him and the rest of the offense. And Jerome Bettis disappeared for long stretches, getting only 41 yards in 10 carries.

The Steelers fumbled four times, and, rubbing a little salt in that wound, three of those were recovered by former Pittsburgh star Rod Woodson, now Oakland’s starting free safety. Pittsburgh converted four of 10 third-down attempts against a Raider defense that has nine new starters.