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Tom Cable's plate is full with woebegone RaidersMIAMI, Nov 15, 2008 (McClatchy Newspapers - McClatchy-Tribune News Service via COMTEX) -- He's the head coach. He's the offensive line coach. And he's calling the plays on offense. Interim head coach Tom Cable is doing a lot these days. But is he doing too much? Cable doesn't think so. With the offense's poor performance under his five-game tenure, Cable is doing what he did as a head coach at Idaho from 2001 to '03 - everything he possibly can. He just hopes things go better than they did then, when he compiled an 11-35 record. Cable also handled the offensive line and called plays at Idaho. "I feel responsible for where we're at offensively," Cable said. "With that being the case and my nature and my personality, I've got to find a way to do more and help where I can. I really haven't been active in that role, obviously as the line coach, but I feel that responsibility now and want to shoulder that responsibility so I'm more involved." If he wants to be responsible for the offense, there's plenty to be concerned about as the Raiders face the Miami Dolphins today at Dolphin Stadium. The Raiders have just one touchdown in 58 first-half possessions and have averaged seven points under Cable. The offensive line that Cable was praised for making serviceable last season has faltered lately, allowing 13 sacks in the last three games. The Raiders had given up 13 sacks in their first six games. So with everything falling apart on offense and the Raiders having scored two touchdowns under his watch, maybe it only makes sense for Cable to run the show. "I have not been in that man's shoes, at that position's shoes, a head coach's shoes," Knapp said. "From that perspective, they need to do that and if he feels like that's the best or the organization feels like that's the best for us to win, as a subordinate, as an assistant coach, you have to follow that lead." Cable said his offense cannot look too different from what Lane Kiffin or Knapp called because he took over midseason. What was apparent in Cable's first game as play caller was the Raiders' plan to run. They ran 36 times against the Panthers, the most since 38 attempts in their 16-13 overtime win over the New York Jets on Oct. 19. It also was the first time since that game the Raiders topped 100 rushing yards as a team. It won't hurt that Cable expects to have running back Darren McFadden back and JaMarcus Russell back at quarterback. McFadden has missed three games because of turf toe. Russell sat out last week with tendinitis and a bone bruise to his right knee. Cable is Russell's third play caller in nine career starts. The second-year quarterback was unsure if that would be a problem. "It can be at times, I guess," Russell said. "But right now we're going to find out a difference come (on Sunday)." --- (c) 2008, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.). Visit The Sacramento Bee online at http://www.sacbee.com/ Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |