Smoky air drives team indoors
Players do a walkthrough at a local off-site facility
ALAMEDA » The Raiders took to the road for practice Thursday, boarding buses with a police escort to an off-site nearby indoor facility to stay out of the smoke caused by the destructive Camp Fire in Paradise.
Doors to the facility and locker room were closed with signs warning players and support staff to keep them closed to minimize smoke inhalation.
Offensive coordinator Greg Olson acknowledged that any adjustments the Raiders must make for the natural disaster pale in comparison to those in the thick of the fight.
“Our hearts go out to all the people who lost lives and property, and certainly to all the first responders,” Olson said. “For us, yeah, we’re missing a practice, we’re missing the ability to go outside. But for other people it’s changing their lives or has changed their lives.
“You put things in perspective. Nobody on this team has lost lives or property,
so we are fortunate in that regard. We’ll adjust today. We’ll get our walkthrough done indoors, and we will make the most of it.”
What else we learned as the Raiders continued preparations to visit the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday: MORROW GETTING A LOOK » Through the first eight games of the season, second-year linebacker Nick Morrow has played 36 snaps on defense with a high of 20 against Indianapolis. He has been a core special teams player all season.
Then in a 20- 6 loss to the Chargers, Morrow played 36 snaps defensively and contributed three tackles, a quarterback hit and one pass defended. One of the Raiders’ most pleasant surprises last season after making the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie out of Division III Greenville, Morrow said he has learned to be patient.
“I think coaches are trying to find the right combination,” Morrow said. “The important thing about the way this year is going as far as playing time is always being ready, paying attention, asking questions if you don’t understand and talk to the veterans in the room.”
Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther changed things up to give Marquel Lee some snaps at strong sideline backer, with Jason Cabinda at the “Mike” or middle spot. Morrow, a former college safety, is ideally suited for the weak side at 6-foot and 224 pounds.
“He’s earned his play in there and when he’s gotten his opportunity, he’s done a pretty good job,” Guenther said. BLACKNALL IS GOOD TO GO » When we last saw Saaed Blacknall in a game situation, he was catching a 45-yard touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the preseason finale.
The undrafted rookie out of Penn State was elevated from the practice squad this week with both Jordy Nelson (knee bruise) and Martavis Bryant (knee) both unlikely to travel to Arizona.
Big plays were part of Blacknall’s college experience, as he averaged 19.6 yards on 50 catches in his college career. He has spent most of the season simulating receivers of the opposing offense but said he has kept up with the Raiders plans each week as well and has watched Nelson closely.
One of the reasons Nelson was brought aboard was to help mentor young receivers, and Blacknall has taken full advantage.
“He’s always helping me out, always in my ear,” Blacknall said. “Everything he does, I’m around him just trying to soak up anything I can. I watch his every move, how he communicates. In all aspects of the game I want to be just like him.”
Olson said he can see a difference in the way Blacknall carries himself.
“I think he has more confidence than when we first saw him,” Olson said. “He has tremendous speed, that’s one of the reasons we brought him here. Speed and playing in a bigtime program.” TOWNSEND SHOWS HE’S GOT DISTANCE » A 42-yard run out of punt formation by Johnny Townsend stood as the Raiders’ biggest offensive play against the Chargers, but it was the rookie’s punting that was most en- couraging in the long run.
Townsend had three punts for 54.0 yards average with a net of 49.0, his best performance of the season. He had one high, twisting 57yard punt that for a moment anyway reminded home fans of the likes of Ray Guy, Shane Lechler and Marquette King.
“It was good numbers-wise on paper so overall it was a good showing,” Townsend said.
Townsend got a vote of confidence from coach Jon Gruden. Townsend is aware of the lineage of Raiders punters and said he hasn’t felt pressure to match them.
“I would say it’s more motivation,” Townsend said. “I’ve hard an opportunity to meet all those guys who have been here in the past, including Ray Guy, and it’s really cool to try and fill those guys’ shoes.” OLSON WANTED TO SEE MORE » Gruden was reluctant to criticize quarterback Derek Carr for his fourth-and-5 decision to give up on the play and throw an incomplete pass rather than try and extend the play even if the outcome was unlikely to be successful.
Carr said he wishes things were different, but stopped short of saying he should have done things differently. Olson, asked about the play Thursday, was willing to state the obvious.
“Especially in that situation, the fourth down situation, you try to keep the play alive as long as you can,” Olson said. “You sprint out and scramble and try to get it with your feet or reverse direction but try to put the ball in play to somebody.”