OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -Heading into last offseason, the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders had plenty of work to do to turn four-win teams into playoff contenders.
The lines needed bolstering, big-play threats were sought on offense and the defenses needed improvement. The biggest change required might have been in attitude, making players who were accustomed to losing into those who expect to win.
With additions such as Brett Favre, Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace, the Jets (3-2) have accomplished much of that so far with better play on the field and an improved attitude off it.
Favre said his impression of the Jets before he arrived in New York was of a team waiting for something bad to happen. Now he sees a team starting to get on a roll and gaining confidence from back-to-back wins over Arizona and Cincinnati in which the Jets scored 82 points and allowed only 85 yards rushing.
ot of good players on this team on both sides of the ball. They made some additions that I think will help and have helped. I think more so than anything, it’s a mind-set. … If we continue to believe that we can win any game and that we can make every play and not anticipate something bad happening, but rather anticipate good things happening – I’m not going to sit here and make predictions, but I think people can see there is some improvement from this team.”
Despite making their own high-profile offseason acquisitions, the Raiders (1-4) have yet to show the kind of improvement that has gone down in New York with Favre and the Jets.
An opening month dominated by talk of the friction between coach Lane Kiffin and owner Al Davis eventually led to Kiffin’s firing and the promotion of offensive line coach Tom Cable. The first game of the new regime appeared to be a step back for a struggling franchise, as Oakland was blown out 34-3 at New Orleans.
Now Cable is set to make his home debut in front of passionate fans desperate for something positive after more than five years of losing.
“When you’re in an environment where there has been a lot of losing it can become your culture,” Cable said. “We have to fight that. I don’t think you can ever get used to losing. I think you have to keep pressing on.”
to the team’s poor start.
Cornerback DeAngelo Hall got a $70 million, seven-year contract after being acquired in a trade from Atlanta to be a shutdown cornerback. Instead, opposing quarterbacks have ignored Nnamdi Asomugha on the left side of the field and repeatedly burned Hall as the pass defense that was supposed to be a strength has been a major weakness.
Now Hall has to contend with Favre, who is completing more than 70 percent of his passes and has a talented receiving corps led by Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery.
“I don’t mind the fingers being pointed at me,” Hall said. “I’ve got a lot of responsibility in this defense and I have to hold up my end of the bargain.”
Receiver Javon Walker has five catches for 59 yards to show for his $55 million contract as the Raiders have been unable to find reliable outside targets to help quarterback JaMarcus Russell’s development.
“I don’t know that I would single Javon out more than I would single out anyone else,” Cable said. “We’re all responsible for it. Are we getting out of him what we expected? Not yet. Again, I think I understand what he’s capable of and we’re putting him in those situations and we’ll give him more opportunity to do that.”
opportunities for change.
Cable has talked about using a healthy Darren McFadden more this week, including possibly as a wideout or on direct snaps from center.
Despite injuries that have slowed McFadden and Justin Fargas, the Raiders’ running game has been a positive so far. It will go up against the strength of the Jets’ improved defense and their run-stuffing nose tackle Jenkins.
New York is allowing just 2.9 yards per carry and has held three of its five opponents to fewer than 50 yards rushing. Oakland is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and relies heavily on its run game to take pressure off Russell.
“It’ll be a great test for us, probably the best test we’ve had all year,” Pace said. “I don’t think they nearly get enough credit as they should, especially with the run game. All the guys are averaging over 4 yards a carry and that speaks a lot for them, so we definitely need to hone in and be able to slow them down.”
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AP Sports Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, N.J., contributed to this story.
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