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Saturday, September 14, 2002

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

If the Oakland Raiders use the no-huddle offense, don't think they're mimicking the New England Patriots.

	Even though they may not throw 25 passes in a row, the Raiders still possess a pass offense in which Jerry Rice and Tim Brown combined for 174 receptions a season ago. (Associated Press photos)

If quarterback Rich Gannon makes a lot of quick throws to his wide receivers, don't think he's trying to copy Tom Brady.

But, if the Raiders throw 25 passes in a row in their game against the Steelers tomorrow night at Heinz Field, perhaps then there might be cause for suspicion.

"They try to stick to their game plan," safety Brent Alexander said. "They've been winning games. They're not going to change up just because other teams do something."

It is unlikely the Raiders (1-0) will forsake the run and wear out Gannon's 36-year-old arm against a Steelers secondary that failed to defend passes and make tackles in an embarrassing, 30-14 loss Monday night to the Patriots. Not after they ran the ball so productively in a 31-17 victory against Seattle last week. Not after Charlie Garner rushed for 127 yards and averaged 8.5 yards per carry against the Seahawks.

But they will appear to borrow a page from the Patriots when they use a no-huddle offense and try to make quick throws to the wide receivers and running backs against the Steelers. Understand, it's not an attempt to mimic the plan the Patriots used against the Steelers. It's just part of what the Raiders do in their West Coast offense.

	More Steelers Coverage: Steelers Report: 9/14/02

"If you show something that you don't stop, you'll see it all year," cornerback Dewayne Washington said. "But we'll stop it. We'll get that rectified."

That was one of defensive coordinator Tim Lewis' priorities all week -- get his cornerbacks in better position to read routes, understand their responsibility and play with more control. Part of the reason for all the whiffed tackles is because defensive backs were coming full speed at the Patriots' receivers, trying to make highlight-film tackles instead of making sure they didn't get past them, Lewis said.

"All you have to do is get set and use your arms to push them out of bounds," Lewis said.

The Steelers didn't do that on either of the third-quarter touchdown throws to Donald Hayes and rookie Deion Branch that quickly turned the game. The culprits were Washington and nickel back Deshea Townsend.

"That's something we normally pride ourselves on -- making those tackles soon as guys catch the ball," Washington said. "If we do that, that probably takes away the touchdowns, and they get two field goals."

There is an even greater urgency against the Raiders. Their receiver tandem of Tim Brown and Jerry Rice is not just the oldest duo in the National Football League; it remains among the most productive in the league, despite their advancing age.

"It's a matter of making sure everyone understands their responsibility to each defense," Lewis said. "It's not exactly going back to reinventing the wheel. Understand down and distance, play game situations and make tackles. Fact of the matter is, it's fundamental football. It doesn't get much simpler than that."

Even though they may not throw 25 passes in a row, the Raiders still possess a pass offense in which Jerry Rice and Tim Brown combined for 174 receptions a season ago. (Associated Press)

Brown is in his 15th NFL season. At age 36, he needs four more touchdown catches to become the fourth player in league history with 100. Rice is in his 18th season. At 39, he is the NFL's all-time leader in catches (1,366), yards (21,411) and touchdown receptions (185).

But it's not as if either player is hanging around merely to break records. Last year, Brown had 91 catches for 1,165 yards and nine touchdowns. Rice had 83 catches for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. No other tandem in the league combined for more touchdowns. Only Jacksonville's Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell (205) combined for more catches. And only three other duos combined for more receiving yards.

The Raiders will throw the ball, make no mistake. But not with the designed frequency the Steelers got from the Patriots.

"We're not that type of team, offensively," said Raiders Coach Bill Callahan, who was the offensive coordinator for four years under Jon Gruden. "We're not going to throw the ball 25 times in a row and get into a no-back set. We have a complement of running backs. We have six of them here that we call the committee. If we went to no-back, I think there would be a few people knocking on my door."

The Steelers said they expected that from the Patriots. Before he was injured in the AFC championship game, Brady already had thrown 18 passes in less than two quarters against the Steelers.

They do not expect the same from the Raiders.

"It's definitely what [the Patriots] thought they needed to do to beat us," Alexander said. "They came into the game and wanted to see what they could get away with early and then quickly decided, 'Hey, we're going to do this.'"

Don't be surprised to see some similarities, though.