Monte Poole: Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson wants to build a bully, but his defense isn't cooperating

Hue Jackson vowed to build a bully in Oakland, and he has. It's dangerous and multifaceted, an intimidating force.

Unfortunately for the first-year Raiders coach, it's infinitely better at giving punches than taking them.

The Raiders have built an offense that clobbers and slashes and shocks opponents. With running back Darren McFadden, a surprisingly effective line and a revived passing game -- featuring a potentially spectacular corps of young wide receivers -- the "O" is productive enough, and usually efficient enough, to reach the playoffs.

It cannot, however, carry this Raiders defense into January.

One quarter of the way into the season, the Raiders are 2-2, in second place in the AFC West, one game behind San Diego. They sometimes look like a 10-win team, other times like a 10-loss team.

They can win 10 only if the defense gets into the bully act and performs to the level of faith and trust placed in it by owner Al Davis.

Because no position is better suited for a bully than middle linebacker, the first man up should be Rolando McClain. Drafted in the first round last year (eighth overall), McClain too often looks overmatched, slow to react, slow to shed blocks and slow to pursue. Quite frankly, some defensive ends have better sideline-to-sideline range.

McClain's ineffectiveness can be breathtaking, agitating Raiders fans, apparently some of his teammates and at least one local TV analyst.

"I

don't see him," Comcast SportsNet's Bill Romanowski, a former Raiders linebacker, barked Monday. "He's 6-4, 255 pounds. He can run. He's smart. Make some plays!"

In an attempt to defend McClain, Jackson offered more of a diplomatic concession to the linebacker's need to improve.

"He's doing fine," the coach began. "We all wish that he made more plays. We all do. Every player wishes they made more plays. You want to go home feeling like you were the player of the game. But we need to turn it up. My message to him was we need to take it to another level."

Jackson alluded to "coaches, players, everybody."

But McClain must be first in line. It took a game or two for 49ers middle linebacker Patrick Willis to prove he could be a star. After 20 games, McClain, who entered the NFL with similar credentials, has not been the clear upgrade Al thought he was getting when he replaced Kirk Morrison.

By awarding outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley a four-year, $48 million contract ($29 million guaranteed) in the offseason, Davis clearly had identified someone who could make impact plays, notably by rushing the passer.

Wimbley has one sack. He's tied for fourth on the team -- behind defensive tackles Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and backup defensive end Jarvis Moss -- and 104th in the league.

When cornerback Stanford Routt was given a three-year, $31.5 million deal ($20 million guaranteed), the owner anticipated he would replace departed free agent Nnamdi Asomugha.

First-quarter returns suggest Routt is Oakland's best corner, but not good enough to take away the opponent's best receiver and make life easier for the team's youngsters. Nnamdi was a Pro Bowl fixture. At this rate, Stan gets there only by buying a ticket.

Jackson's desire to build a bully is commendable, a sure way to become a consistent contender in the NFL, as we've seen with the Steelers and Ravens and Jets and Bears and Giants. But all those teams have marquee players on defense. The Patriots and Saints don't, but that's offset by offenses built to win shootouts.

The Raiders are not yet able to light up scoreboards with the same frequency, hardly well enough to cover the deficiencies of the league's 29th-ranked defense.

No team is softer on the run than Oakland, allowing an astonishing 5.9 yards per rush.

Few teams are softer on the pass, as the Raiders allow about 274 yards per game.

The promotion of Jackson in the wake of Tom Cable's dismissal still seems inspired; the team doesn't miss Cable. Quarterback Jason Campbell has won over most of those who were driving the Bruce Gradkowski bandwagon. Tight end Kevin Boss looks to be an adequate replacement for Zach Miller. McFadden has been marvelous.

The Raiders through four games are at .500, exactly where they finished last year under Cable. One of several reasons Davis pulled the trigger is he thought Oakland should have won at least two more games.

It might have, if the defense had shown up.

It still is missing, despite the new head coach, the new defensive coordinator -- Chuck Bresnahan for John Marshall -- and the increased financial commitment from the owner.

Unless the defense shows up, the Raiders will take too many shots from too many opponents to be the complete bully, routinely reaching the postseason.

Contact Monte Poole at mpoole@bayareanewsgroup.com.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_19041732?source=rss

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