UPDATE FROM JOINT PRACTICE
Awful practice shows Oakland's glaring absences
by David White, Chronicle Staff Writer , The San Francisco Chronicle
Has a 15-catch receiver ever been so sorely missed? And, has a five-surgery receiver been so sorely needed?
If it's the Raiders, then that's a yes and a heck yes.
The Raiders found out just how up the Napa River their passing offense might be without Chaz Schilens and Javon Walker during Wednesday's joint practice with the 49ers .
"A little rough," Raiders coach Tom Cable said with a lot of understating.
Take the team red-zone drills, for example. Please. The Raiders had no redeeming use for them.
Quarterback JaMarcus Russell threw interceptions on consecutive plays. Backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski added his own two. If the Raiders' receivers caught the ball as well as the 49ers' defense, maybe this would have been a fair fight.
As it was, Oakland was stuck in a no-rudder zone. Schilens had foot surgery Wednesday and is out four to six weeks. Walker won't be back from offseason knee surgery until Monday.
Neither can return soon enough.
"They really got us," Raiders running back Darren McFadden said, echoing the conclusions of any player who bothered talking about it.
Now, the Raiders must rely on all these receivers with youth, which is a nicer way of saying they are inexperienced.
First-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey made one nice catch deep over the middle. But, he's still in the developmental stage, learning how to handle physical NFL cornerbacks.
Fourth-rounder Louis Murphy returned Wednesday from a hip injury. He, too, is in the transitional phase after a college career in an un-NFL spread offense.
That leaves Johnnie Lee Higgins as the only receiver with a stat sheet. He led all Raiders receivers with 22 catches and 366 yards last season. Sounds good, until history shows those to be the worst team-leading figures since Al Davis climbed aboard in 1963.
"If they don't want to get in the limelight, I'll get in it," Higgins said. "I ain't scared to get in the limelight."
Somebody better, because Wednesday morning's practice was an unmitigated disaster.
There stood the 49ers' defense, taunting the Raiders as loud as can be, on their home turf no less. Niners cornerback Nate Clements had three interceptions, yelling after one, "I love it when they can't compete."
The Raiders? They stood there with slumped shoulders until practice ended. Only then did backup quarterback Jeff Garcia huddle the offense for a talking-to, according to Russell.
"It's not the end of the world," Russell said. "If it is, show me. That's why we are at practice, to learn from it."
Cable took the blame for it all, saying he told Russell to "cut it loose" instead of playing it safe, only later to wish Russell held the ball a little longer.
Through it all, Schilens' absence glared. When in doubt, Russell always threw to Schilens during camp. With no Schilens, Russell must strike up that play-catch relationship with other receivers.
That, or keep dumping checkdown passes to tight ends and running backs with the field-goal kicker on deck.
"He has gone to Schilens quite a bit, but that can't be the issue," Cable said. "We have to have guys step up. Someone else has got to make those plays."
