Seattle Seahawks MNF Recap Tom Walsh

Two weeks ago, two unnamed opposing defenders of the referred to Tom Walsh's offensive game plan as "high school stuff."Don't flatter the man.Just a week after the Raiders netted 98 offensive yards in a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team followed up with an equally dismal outing.In Monday night's shutout loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland's offense registered just 185 total yards, 44 of which came on the team's final drive with just 1:17 remaining. On the night, the Raiders' longest drive covered just 53 yards, while 10 of43 Polamalu black jersey
the team's 12 legitimate offensive drives accounted for less than 25 yards before punting.Just prior to Monday night's embarrassment, quarterback Andrew Walter was asked to identify the team's problems on the offensive side of the ball."If I had to pinpoint it, I would say it's a lot of different areas," Walter said. "And, is that general? Yes, that's a very general answer, but it's the truth. It's not one person; it's not one area of the offense. We're talking about O-line, running backs, tight ends, quarterback and wide receivers. I'd say it's a lot of us."Add one inept offensive coordinator into the mix and call it complete.Walsh called just four designed running plays in the entire first half, opting to put the game on the shoulders of his inexperienced, struggling quarterback.Other factors that Walsh ignored include: there was a torrential downpour and 20-plus mph winds; starting running back LaMont Jordan had returned from injury; the offensive line had allowed a league-high 35 sacks heading into the game; and the wide receivers have had trouble holding onto the ball all season.The result of the pass-happy offensive scheme was zero points, 10 punts, nine sacks, a 45.7 completion percentage and a 20 percent third-down conversion rate.Art Shell, on his last leg, tried to defend the decision-making of his longtime friend following the game."You get into a rhythm and then you try not to run all the time," he said. "You want to come in with the pass."On the evening, the Raiders finished with just 13 rushes; however, the running game accounted for 64 of the offense's 185 total yards. Through the air, Walter averaged just 2.8 yards per pass on a whopping 35 attempts. On the ground, though, Jordan averaged seven yards per carry; however, he was allowed just nine attempts on the game -- just over two a quarter."I know there's a lot of factors that go into an offense, that go into a team," Walter said on Monday. "And I know it's never on one person."With that in mind, Walsh isn't alone. The offensive line allowed nine sacks; the receivers couldn't hold onto the ball; and Walter consistently hesitated in the pocket.Perhaps the most bewildering gaffe of Monday's 16-0 loss, however, was Walsh's play call on third-and-1 with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Following a 10-yard LaMont Jordan rush on second-and-11, the offense lined up deep in a shotgun formation on its own 42-yard line. Instead of calling a simple run, Walter attempted a short 4 Brett Favre White jersey
throw to Jordan. The pass fell incomplete and the Raiders punted for the seventh consecutive time.Prior to the season, it was Walsh who so vehemently stated, "It's downhill running, it's power football. We're not lateral-stepping."At this point, simply "lateral-stepping" would be a good start for the inept coordinator.Want to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Nov. 17 mailbag. (49)