Tuck, Woodley need to validate the grand plan
No one on the Raiders is going to call out defensive linemen Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley. What Oakland owner Mark Davis called a “transformative offseason” largely centered on signing the two experienced free agents with Super Bowl rings on their fingers.
Fingers that would point a team coming off back-to-back 4-12 seasons in the right direction.
But here the Raiders are at 0-5, heading into Sunday’s home game against the 4-1 Cardinals. Tuck and Woodley, who combined for 16 sacks for the Giants and Steelers, respectively, last season, have a combined one sack this season. The Raiders’ five sacks rank 31st in the NFL.
Tuck is 31 and Woodley will be 30 next month, both with a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. Have they lost it? Were the Giants and Steelers right in letting them walk?
Interim head coach Tony Sparano is trying to build his players up, and he said Tuck and Woodley are actually starting to play better.
“That just comes with understanding our defense a little bit better,” he said. “Even though they’re veteran players it’s a new system for them.”
But if you watch the game film, that doesn’t seem to be the issue. Despite all of defensive coordinator Jason Tarver’s problems this year, he is getting Tuck and Woodley in some favorable one-on-one match- ups. Especially with opponents locked in on rookie outside linebacker Khalil Mack, often double-teaming him when he rushes the passer.
Tuck and Woodley “have got to win their one-on-ones,” Tarver said. “You can see it across the board; we’ve got to win our one-on-ones. Both of them have put in good effort, and they’re professional in their work.
“They’re trying to keep themselves healthy, and that’s good, but the biggest thing is, you get one-on-one blocks, that’s your job, you’ve got to win. … You strive to create those and you’ve got to win them.”
So, just to be clear, their comfort with the defense is fine. Tuck and Woodley just need to beat the guys they’re up against?
“Yep,” Tarver said. “Shortest answer ever.”
And it’s not like Tuck and Woodley are getting close. Besides his 11 sacks, Tuck had 12 quarterback hits and 44 hurries last season; this year, it’s one, three and six. Woodley had 5 sacks, 8 quarterback hits and 24 hurries in 2013; he has zero, three and six in five games for the Raiders.
The Monday Morning Quarterback analyst Andy Benoit said Tuck has, in fact, had to learn some new tricks this season.
“They have moved him around a lot; he’s definitely been more versatile than he was with the Giants,” Benoit said. “But he hasn’t really jumped off of the film all season. There are times I forget he is on the field.”
As for Woodley, the 6-foot-2, 265-pound defensive end does appear to have outgrown his linebacker position. However, Benoit said, whispers that he has nothing left are a little harsh. “He’s not washed up,” Benoit said. “But he’s not the LaMarr Woodley he was with the Steelers.”
The Raiders don’t have a lot of options behind Tuck and Woodley. C.J. Wilson has a team-high two sacks but is well-suited for his current role as a rotational player at both end and tackle. Practice squad defensive end Shelby Harris is extremely raw.
Tuck is keeping his head up. He missed the first two practices of the week with a sore knee before getting on the field Friday. He thinks hard work will pay off and hopes the team can follow up a close loss to the Chargers with a win Sunday.
“The last two times we had close games, we came back the next week and didn’t play anywhere close to what we’re capable of playing,” Tuck said. “We have to figure out a way to win these close games.”
Woodley said this is no time for panic.
“I just think of turning it around and moving forward instead of looking backwards,” Woodley said. “Just start winning and looking ahead, not looking behind you. When you start looking behind you, it slows you up. You have to look ahead if you want to take care of business ahead.”
Cardinals quarterback Car- son Palmer is ahead. Let’s see if Tuck and Woodley can chase him down Sunday.