The only element of JaMarcus Russell not in doubt is his right arm. It's utterly amazing, among the strongest to unleash a football anywhere.
Everything else about the Raiders quarterback is under a microscope.
And we mean everything.
His weight, because it has been subjected to ridicule. His intellect, because of widespread rumors in the wake of the NFL combine. His commitment and judgment, because 23-year-old multimillionaires are accompanied by speculation about lifestyle. His ability to run an offense, read a defense and lead a team because he is not established as a pro.
Russell's very presence prompts stares and whispers because he has that cannon and a fat contract to serve as quarterback and savior of a Raiders franchise in the sorriest state of its 48-year existence.
So when J-Russ buckles up Monday night for the season opener as the team's undisputed centerpiece, he will be under considerably more pressure than that which is brought by the Denver Broncos.
Russell gets it. He is acutely aware that his is the face of the franchise, that the immediate fate of the Raiders is directly linked to his performance.
"I am,"
he says, "and I thank God for that, for me being in the position I am today."
Insofar as Raiders boss Al Davis hates to go "all in"
with a young QB, Russell stands where no man has stood before. He is the first to be plucked from college (LSU) specifically to perform emergency rescue of the Raiders. Though Marc Wilson and Todd Marinovich were taken in the first round, they were joining winners. They were chosen to be groomed. There was no urgency.
There is urgency now. Russell was drafted after four consecutive losing seasons. It's a departure for Davis, 79, who usually falls for golden arms — or turns to veterans with something to prove. The former category includes Jay Schroeder and Daryle Lamonica, the latter Rich Gannon, Jeff George, Jeff Hostetler, Jim Plunkett and Dan Pastorini. Kenny Stabler, a second-round pick who made good, was an anomaly.
Russell is set apart from his Raiders predecessors by being an overall No. 1 with breathtaking physical gifts, summoned during crisis with no established veteran to provide a stabilizing influence. While the others were given opportunities to prove themselves worthy or save their careers, Russell was hired to restore cachet to a once-proud brand.
"He understands, and he wants to win,'' coach Lane Kiffin says."
The conditions, though, are transparently unfavorable.
The obvious chill between Al and Lane hangs like a toxic mist, sure to damage matters if not cleared up. There are deficiencies at wide receiver, where no one has emerged as a reliable go-to guy. The offensive line often shines for the run but stinks when it's time to pass.
This is unfair to Russell, to be sure, but it is his reality.
"I trust JaMarcus,"
Kiffin says. "If we're conservative, it won't be about JaMarcus. It'll be about everything around him. About the pieces and protection and comfort in his receivers. If we're turning around and handing it off, it's not a reflection of JaMarcus Russell."
So the job belongs to J-Russ until he is traded or becomes a free agent or fails or otherwise leaves Oakland.
Davis, more than anybody, needs this to work. Russell is the third and conceivably last young quarterback hand-picked by Al.
Wilson, taken in 1980, was a spectacular failure, one of many who abused his Al scholarship. Marinovich, taken in"‚'91, showed early promise, then became one of the great disasters in NFL history. Each was handed the keys, only to fumble them into the sewer.
Russell, too, is sure to fumble along the way. The only key within his control is his response to failure.
"Just be willing to take any criticism that comes along with it,"
he says. "Just by growing and being around older guys, I think I'm ready for that. No matter what the outcome is, I'll just continue to look forward. Better days will come."
The deck, for now, is stacked against J-Russ. So much to overcome. He'll have to be an extraordinary competitor to give his team a chance.
And even that might not be enough.
