Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell finally has made a play that could shape the perception of him as being more than a caretaker.
In the fourth quarter Sunday in Buffalo, Russell recognized a Bills blitz, waited for wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins to make his move, then rocketed the ball to Higgins for an 84-yard scoring play.
"He's continuing to develop his confidence in making plays like that,"
Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin said, "and he played well in the fourth quarter."
Up to that point, Russell had only 72 yards passing, and he attempted only two passes in the second half. Yet, with the game in the balance, Kiffin put the game in Russell's hands.
Russell is making steady progress. As evidence, Kiffin points to Russell throwing 62 passes without an interception and taking only four sacks. He has the second-highest fourth-quarter passer rating in the league, behind Philip Rivers of San Diego.
Chargers Coach Norv Turner, whose team plays the Raiders on Sunday, said he likes what he has seen in Russell's four NFL starts, the first of which came against San Diego in the season finale last year.
"He looks a lot more comfortable,"
Turner said Wednesday. "Our game was so hard to evaluate; it was the last game of the year and his first chance to play. He's got all the physical skills and he does look like he's making the progress that you would want a guy to make."
Kiffin said he still regards Russell as a rookie because Russell missed all of training camp last season and appeared in only four games. Russell's primary role has been to hand off the ball and guard against negative plays.
"You see a number of rookies when they come into this league and ."
"their touchdown-interception ratio is so out of whack,"
Kiffin said. "They don't give their team a chance to win. He has given us a chance to win. Would we like to throw for more yards and have better stats? Sure, everybody would. But that's not where we're at right now."
For Russell's part, he said he is content with his progress, though he admits to wanting to throw more passes.
"Just keep making good decisions, check the ball down, as we speak all week during practice, which I did Sunday,"
Russell said. "Just try and go out there and play and if the interception does happen, just keep playing and don't let it bother you none."
# Kiffin told the San Diego-area media that the speculation about his being fired by owner Al Davis is taking a toll on his family.
"My wife's pregnant with our third child, and it's due in January, so she has a lot of concerns,"
he said. "I feel unfortunate for that. You know how this thing is. All of a sudden she's got realtors coming by the house asking if we're putting the house up. So it's tough, especially on a pregnant woman that doesn't know where she's going to be when her child's delivered. If there was any regret, that's what it would be."
# Defensive end Derrick Burgess (triceps), defensive tackle Gerard Warren (pectoral), running backs Justin Fargas (groin) and Darren McFadden (toe), guard Cooper Carlisle (ankle) and cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha (foot) and Stanford Routt (ankle) did not practice. All except Carlisle, Fargas and Warren are expected back today, Kiffin said. Left offensive tackle Kwame Harris (knee) returned to practice and is expected to start Sunday, Kiffin said.
