Author: jhawkes51

Raiders lose Menelik Watson, fall late to Cardinals 30-23

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND, Calif — Marion Grice hauled in a 11-yard touchdown pass from Logan Thomas with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter as the Arizona Cardinals dropped the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum, 30-23 on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

The Cardinals took a 23-15 lead earlier in the fourth quarter behind a 10-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Drew Stanton to running back Kerwynn William, before Oakland tied the game when backup quarterback Matt McGloin connected with wide receiver Kris Durham for a 4-yard touchdown.

Oakland (1-2) just couldn’t get their offense together as Sebastian Janikowski booted five first half field goals that gave the Raiders a 15-3 halftime lead.

Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr finished 18-of-34 for 213 yards passing, but threw an interception (that Carr did a poor job in throwing the ball away) to cornerback Cariel Brooks who took it 81 yards for a touchdown that cut Oakland’s lead to 15-10 in the third quarter.

Carr and the Raiders’ first-team offense looked inconsistent and unsure of themselves while playing nine series (or the entire first half).

“As an offense we’re pretty upset right now,” Carr said. “We want to score a lot of points. We felt like we left a lot out there and we did.”

Rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper lead Oakland with four catches for 62 yards, but it was his 39-yard catch over Cardinals Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, who had great coverage on Cooper.

Cooper and Carr had chances to put the ball in the end zone, but Oakland had to settle for a field goal.

Arizona bottled up Oakland’s ground game, limiting the Raiders to just 37 rushing yards. Trent Richardson, who is definitely on the roster bubble, led Oakland with 19 rushing yards on five carries. Slated started Latavius Murray was stuffed by the Cardinals, mustering just one yard on seven carries.

Defensively, Oakland’s first-team defense harassed and made life difficult for Cardinals quarterback, Carson Palmer led by second-year stud linebacker, Khalil Mack.

Mack tallied two of Oakland’s three sacks on Palmer, and a forced fumble (which Arizona recovered). Arizona’s offensive line didn’t have an answer for Mack, who was in Palmer’s face almost the entire first half.

Safety Nate Allen was a ball-hawk, intercepting Palmer twice as Palmer finished 8-of-22 for 103 passing yards, as Arizona’s first-team offense struggled on their first four possessions: interception, three-and-out, missed 54-yard field goal, and three-and-out.

Not only did the Silver & Black lose the game, but may have suffered a bigger loss on its offensive line when right tackle Menelik Watson ruptured his Achilles’ tendon and is expected to miss the entire season.

Watson announced the injury via his Twitter account shortly before the conclusion of the game.

“Ruptured Achilles’ tendon…I Will be back stronger than ever that’s a promise. Main thing is supporting the team right now. #RaiderNation.” – @MenelikWatson

“That’s a tough break for us,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said. “It’s really unfortunate. He was having a great camp for us.”

Running back Andre Ellington led Arizona with 19 rushing yards on nine carries, while tight end Ifeanyi Momah led all Cardinals receivers with 61 yards, including the 38-yard catch from second-year quarterback Logan Thomas that would setup the go-ahead score for Arizona.

Arizona (1-2) picked up its first win of the preseason.

Both teams have some tough decisions to make in the next 24 to 48 hours as rosters must be trimmed to 75 players by Tuesday afternoon and 53 by Saturday.

Oakland and Arizona conclude their preseason on a short week on the road Thursday, with the Silver & Black playing in Seattle and Arizona wrapping up in Denver.

Oakland to host Arizona Sunday in third preseason “dress rehearsal” game

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — The third preseason game is usually the “dress rehearsal” for most teams. It gives the fans, and the rest of the league, a good look at what first-team offenses and defenses for each NFL franchise.

When Oakland hosts Arizona Sunday at O.co Coliseum before a national television audience (the game can be seen on NBC) at 6:00 P.M. PDT, we should expect to see both the Raiders and Cardinals play their first-team offenses and defenses into the third quarter.

But maybe the string of season-ending injuries to stars like Green Bay’s wide receiver Jordy Nelson, has Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio rethinking playing time for both the first-team offense and defense.

“There are certain things you kind of expect about what you’re going to do and try to do (in preseason game No. 3), but I think you do have to take pause and make sure you think about it,” Del Rio said. “We’ll do that. We’ll see what is appropriate.

Oakland can clean up some things in this game against the Cardinals, most notably penalties.

In Oakland’s 18-3 victory against the St. Louis Rams in the preseason home opener, the Raiders committed just two penalties for 22 yards. In last week’s 20-12 loss on the road in Minnesota against the Vikings, Oakland committed a mind-boggling 13 penalties for 106 yards.

The Raiders had a whole football field’s worth (and then some) of penalties that it became ridiculous to even watch the game.

We already know that Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and fourth overall draft pick in this year’s draft, Alabama’s Amari Cooper appear to be on the same page (Cooper has four catches for 62 yards in two preseason games), but former San Francisco 49ers still needs to be heard from this preseason (two catches for 15 yards in two preseason games).

If Cooper is going to be the No. 1 guy where defenses are going to have to game plan for this season, Crabtree needs to be the reliable No. 2 wide receiver that will consistently move the chains.

Seriously, Oakland can have a legitimate offense this season and Sunday night against the Cardinals, Carr and the first-team offense should be showcased.

Running back Latavius Murray appears to be the bell-cow for Oakland and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave thinks that Murray will be vital piece to Oakland’s offense success, as Musgrave recently told Raiders Insider CSN Bay Area’s Scott Bair.

“He has been working a lot on his hands so he can be a good receiver out of the backfield, because we don’t want a guy that’s going to be a liability when we go to throw the ball. He’s really been working on that. Of course, he’s got the body and the ability to really be a good player at this level.”

“He’s got great vision,” Musgrave said. “Not just because he’s tall, even if he was 5-8. I think he’d have really good vision. He can anticipate things and jump through those cracks, almost before they open.”

Mix in former Auburn running back Jonathan Dwyer and maybe Trent Richardson, the Raiders will have the makings of competitive backfield.

Defensively for Oakland, you want to see who will line up in the secondary with future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.

D.J. Hayden and T.J. Carrie have struggled at both starting cornerback spots this preseason. Hayden was getting abused by Minnesota wide receiver Charles Johnson for most of the first half, even giving up a 10-yard touchdown. The coverage appeared decent, but Hayden never looked back at Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Minnesota took full advantage.

Will we see recently signed safety Taylor Mays hit the field Sunday and try to make an impression on his new team? Mays reunites with new Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton, who coached Mays when the two were at Southern California.

But the one guy that I’ve been really intrigued with has been rookie inside linebacker Ben Heeney.

Heeney has jumped off my television screen with so much energy and toughness that with questions about linebacker Sio Moore’s future in the Silver & Black, Heeney has a shot to make the team.

This preseason, the former Kansas Jayhawk leads the Raiders with 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The Cardinals are coming off a 22-19 home loss to the San Diego Chargers last Saturday and have questions at running back.

Former 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson was signed recently to compete with a ho-hum backfield headlined by would-be starter Andre Ellington.

Last season, Johnson averaged 4.3 yards per carry (and a career-low 663 rushing yards and one touchdown) on 155 carries in 16 games (six starts) for the New York Jets.

Keep an eye on Johnson’s health throughout the game Sunday night after Johnson suffered a hamstring injury last week.

Ellington finished with 660 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 201 carries in 12 games for the Cardinals last season, but averaged a pedestrian 3.3 yards per carry. In the NFL, you always need two running backs and Arizona believes that the Ellington/Johnson tandem can be a lethal combo this season, if both are healthy.

Former Raiders and current Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer should see extensive action, but I’d be surprise if he plays five plays in the third quarter. Maybe only two.

Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is always box office, even in a preseason game.

It would’ve been nice to see Fitzgerald’s heir apparent, wide receiver Michael Floyd Sunday, but Floyd is recovering from surgery after dislocating three of his fingers early in training camp.

Overall, the “dress rehearsal” game will be the last time that the fans will get to see the potential starters on both sides of the ball play.

By the fourth and final preseason game (Arizona at Denver, Oakland at Seattle respectively), Raider fans or Cardinal fans should not expect to see Carr or Palmer in the game, respectively.

Raiders, Mays come to terms

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — With the NFL becoming more and more a passing league, the Raiders added veteran safety Taylor Mays, a league source confirmed via Raiders Insider CSNCalifornia.com’s Scott Bair.

Mays was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers out of Southern California. The hard-hitting safety spent just one season with the 49ers before being traded in August 2011 to Cincinnati for a 2013 seventh-round draft pick where he spent the past four seasons.

Mays, will reunite with new Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., who coached Mays at Southern California.

The 27-year-old Mays signed with Minnesota during the offseason, but was released by the Vikings in March. Mays signed with Detroit, before the Lions released him on Aug. 20.

Mays has never lived up to the hype that he had coming out of Southern California. His rookie year was his best, as Mays registered 38 tackles and a force fumble in six starts.

In 16 games last season for the Bengals, Mays finished with just nine tackles (seven solo), and a sack.

Mays will join a crowded Raiders’ safety corps with Charles Woodson, Nate Allen, Larry Asante, Brandian Ross, and Jonathan Dowling.

Carr, Raiders roll into the Twin Cities

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — The Raiders’ 18-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams in both team’s preseason debut last Friday night at O.co Coliseum, showed that Oakland and new head coach Jack Del Rio are definitely heading in the right track.

Oh and did I mention that with the win, Del Rio became the first Raiders’ head coach to win his preseason debut since Lane Kiffin in 2007?

Heading into Minnesota Saturday, Oakland looks to build off the momentum that it garnered in their win against St. Louis.

Outside of Derek Carr’s red zone interception that appeared to be miscommunication between Carr and fourth overall pick Amari Cooper, Oakland played clean football committing just two penalties.

Carr found Cooper early and often completing three passes to Oakland’s project No. 1 wide receiver for 22 yards. Cooper also added a 3-yard run on an end-around.

Carr led Oakland’s first-team on two drive before heading to the sidelines for the night.

“We’re heading the right way,” Carr said after the game. “Is there’s stuff to clean up, just like every game? Yes. But I’d say we’re heading in the right direction. All the hard work is paying off, but we have to continue to grind and we can’t just think one preseason game means everything. It’s a good start but we have a long way to go.”

The battle to be Carr’s backup will be an interesting one for Raiders fans to pay close attention for the remainder of camp between former Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder and Matt McGloin.

Both players showed promised against the Rams second and third-teamers.

Ponder finished 6-of-8 for 59 yards and an interception, but connected with wide receiver Andre Holmes for a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

According to a report by ESPN‘s Adam Schefter, Holmes suffered a broken hand in Sunday’s practice and will be out 3-4 weeks.  Holmes, who is battling for Oakland’s No. 3 wide receiver position, will almost certainly slip down on the team’s depth chart.

McGloin completed 10-of-11 passes for 104 yards, with a 16-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Brice Butler in the fourth quarter.

Butler finished with six catches for 57 yards.

“As coaches, there’s so much we’re going to go back and agonize over,” Del Rio said. “How are we going to make this better? It was an excellent night. It was a clean night. We came out relatively healthy and got some good work so all and all I was pleased with the effort.”

Minnesota is coming off a 14-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL’s annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger were among the notable players who watched the game from the sidelines.

Vikings starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed 5-of-6 passes for 44 yards on his one series of the game. Vikings backup quarterback Mike Kafka threw a touchdown pass, while running back Joe Banyard ran for another score.

Robert Griffin an elite QB? No Way.

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — With the NFL preseason in gear, teams are evaluating players that are expected to help lead them to prominence in 2015, and no question that quarterback is the most vital piece to the puzzle.

In the NFL, you need a quarterback.

According to Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, Griffin believes that not only is he the best quarterback on his team, but he is the best quarterback in the NFL.

The above statement is not a typo. Griffin really believes that he is the most elite quarterback in the NFL and he isn’t afraid to say it.

Speaking to Alex Parker of Washington’s ABC affiliate WJLA Monday, Griffin cemented his belief that no other quarterback should compare to him.

“I don’t feel like I have to come out here and show anybody anything or why I’m better than this guy or better than that guy. It’s more about going out and affirming that for me, I go out and I play, I know I’m the best quarterback on this team. I feel like I’m the best quarterback in the league and I have to go out and show that. Any athlete at any level, if they concede to someone else, they’re not a top competitor, they’re not trying to be the best that they can be. There’s guys in this league that have done way more than me. But, I still view myself as the best because that’s what I work toward every single day.”

Griffin is right on two accounts.

One, any athlete, at any level, if they concede to someone else, they’re not a top competitor. Many players are going to give the political answer when, if asked, if so and so is better than them, they’ll say, “helluva player, love their competitive spirit.”

But they’ll never come out and admit that “this player is better than me.” Not for a long shot.

And second, they’re have been guys in the league that have done more than you Griffin.

Tom Brady, Eli and Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers just to name a few. All of those guys have a combined for 33 Pro Bowl appearances, 10 Super Bowl rings, and nine NFL MVP awards.

Griffin has made one Pro Bowl appearance, one playoff appearance, and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012, beating out Indianapolis Colts quarterback for the award.

That season, Griffin passed for 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while leading Washington to a 10-6 record and its first NFC East Division title since 1999.

But in Washington’s 24-14 NFC Wild Card Playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Griffin tore his reconstructed right knee he suffered in college on FedEx Field’s soggy and ransacked field.

In 2013, Griffin regressed a bit playing in just 13 games, while passing for 3,203 yards, but threw just 16 touchdowns, while tossing 12 interceptions, as Washington was watching the playoffs from the couch finishing in the basement of the division at 3-13.

Then in 2014 with the addition of former Philadelphia Eagles deep threat, wide receiver Desean Jackson, to go along with the dependable Pierre Garcon (whose 113 catches in 2013 broke Hall of Famer Art Monk’s franchise record for catches in a season), Griffin was primed for a bounce back season.

That wasn’t the case either as Griffin couldn’t stay in the lineup, missing six games due to a broken ankle he suffered in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Griffin returned to field in Week 9, but struggled for the remainder of the season finishing with just four touchdowns and six interceptions as Washington missed the playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons.

In Griffin’s last 20 games, Washington is 5-15, a far cry from a team whose quarterback truly sees himself in the same clubhouse as the most elite quarterbacks in the league.

Griffin is still standing behind the velvet rope outside hoping to get VIP status.

I like the confidence in Griffin. Who wouldn’t. But to say that you are the best quarterback in the league when you have done squat leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Quarterbacks are judged by their record which is fair and Griffin has played inconsistently and never seem to stay on the field. For his career, Griffin is 14-22. There is still time for Griffin and Washington to improve on that mark, but it has to start with a more focused and determined Griffin.

“It’s not the game you thought it was when you were a kid and you were dreaming of playing and being a professional athlete,” Griffin said. “There’s more business that goes into it, there’s more ruthlessness, backstabbing than you would expect. But at the end of the day when you put your helmet on your shoulder pads and your pants, your cleats and you get to go out there and run around on the field, it’s still that same game that you played as a kid.”

So Griffin feels that he does not need to prove anything to anyone in the league?

In the words of Chad Johnson, “Child please.”

How can you say that to anybody while holding a straight face?

Not only do you need to prove yourself to the organization, but to the Washington fan base, the rest of the league and most importantly, to yourself. Stop saying that you’re an elite quarterback when your play recently has been mediocre, to say the least.

The NFL is arguably the most popular sport in the country, but the business side of the game can be colder than Drake dissing Meek Mill.

Heading into year four, this is a make or break season for Griffin. If he does continue to slide, Griffin could feel the “ruthlessness, backstabbing” in a form of a release from the team that traded a fortune to draft him No. 2 overall back in 2012.

Are you ready for some football? Raiders host Rams Friday in preseason opener.

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By Joe Hawkes

OAKLAND — The best time of the sports season has finally arrived: NFL football is back and I can’t be more excited. The action, the intensity of guys trying to make the final 53-man roster at the end of a grueling training camp. Some guys make a great impression in the first game and solidify their position on the depth chart, while others, can drop in a heartbeat.

And football will be played at 7000 Coliseum Way when the Oakland Raiders host the St. Louis Rams Friday night in the preseason opener for both clubs. Kickoff is set for 7:00 P.M. PDT.

The 2015 Oakland Raiders enters the season with a renewed breath of fresh air (from those who’ve visited training camp in Napa said there is an excitable feeling from players and coaches), which has been foggy for the past 13 seasons that have ended with Oakland watching the playoffs from the couch.

And why shouldn’t the future look bright for the Silver & Black?

They enter the season with Derek Carr at quarterback, who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2014 and displayed the characteristics of a 10-year veteran, despite leading Oakland to a 3-13 record.

Carr’s 2014 rookie campaign: 348-599 passes, 3,270 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing 58 percent of his passes.

Carr was recently quoted in the Associated Press as one of the Raiders’ biggest goals (as it is for all teams), is to “win the (AFC West) division.” That is a lofty expectation for the second-year pro and a franchise that has not won a division title since 2002.

But you got to love the confidence and the visionary outlook from Carr.

Carr should improve on those numbers with the drafting of Alabama superstar in wide receiver Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the signing of veteran wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree’s career appears to be coming to a full circle in signing with Oakland.

In 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey at seventh overall and passed on Crabtree, who was drafted three spots later at 10 to San Francisco.

As it is the first preseason game, don’t expect the first-team offense to be on the field for that long. I’d expect Carr and the first-team offense to be on the field for one drive. The running game will be an interesting subplot with Latavius Murray, Trent Richardson, and George Atkinson III (son of Raiders’ great George Atkinson II) all battling to be the bell-cow for Oakland in 2015.

The player I’m looking forward to seeing Friday night is rookie tight end Clive Walford. Walford has the chance to unseat incumbent starter Mychal Rivera should he have an amazing training camp and impressive showings in game action.

Walford, who has been battling a hamstring injury for parts of camp, was on the field Tuesday after a Monday off day. The 6’4″, 250 lbs Walford was an absolute weapon at the University of Miami. catching 121 passes for 1,753 yards and 14 touchdowns, becoming just the seventh tight end in Hurricanes history to surpass 1,000 career receiving yards.

Defensively, Oakland is converting explosive second-year player Khalil Mack from linebacker to defensive end. Oakland wants Mack to get after the quarterback more after having to play in coverage for most of his rookie year, but Mack has been a quick study and has adapted to his new position.

Justin Ellis is solid at defensive tackle and rookie defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. is expected to be a key contributor on the defensive line.

The linebacking corps looks good too, with a healthy Sio Moore, and free agent imports Curtis Lofton (Atlanta), and Malcolm Smith (Seattle). Smith, a former Super Bowl MVP, is quite familiar with want Norton Jr. wants to do on defense from their time in Seattle.

The secondary does have some questions. Charles Woodson, seems to always know when to drink from the fountain of youth.

Woodson, who is entering his 18th year in the league, is like a fine Napa Cabernet. Woodson remains a lock to start a free safety and former Philadelphia Eagle Nate Allen at strong safety, but who will be the starters at cornerback?

D.J. Hayden, who has been having a tough start to training camp, is penciled (not penned) in to be a starter at one spot, with T.J. Carrie, Chimdi Chekwa and Keith McGill competing for the other starting spot at cornerback.

St. Louis finally turned the page on the Sam Bradford Era, by trading the former No. 1 overall pick in 2010 to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Nick Foles. Foles is adequate passer and is the kind of quarterback that Rams head coach Jeff Fisher loves.

In 28 starts for Philadelphia, Foles completed 550-of-893 passes for 6.753 yards, 48 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. St. Louis inked Foles to a two-year, $24.5 million deal last week, per NFL Media Insider Michael Rapoport. Rapoport confirmed that the Rams are committed to Foles through 2017 by guaranteeing $14 million to Foles, who was set to earn just $1.5 in the final year of his rookie deal.

Foles can void the final year of the deal based on Pro Bowl and team performance.

The Rams swung for the fences in drafting Georgia running back, Todd Gurley with the 10th overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Gurley is an all-world talent with exceptional speed and field vision, but will not play in the preseason according to Fisher. Gurley is recovering from the torn ACL that ended his his junior year and college career.

Defensively, this might be one of the best units in all of football.

Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers make up a formidable defensive line that can get after the quarterback. Donald, the defensive tackle, finished with 9.5 sacks, was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014.

Linebackers Alec Ogletree and James Laurinaitis combined for 220 tackles last season, while free safety T.J. McDonald (son of former Cardinals and 49ers strong safety Tim McDonald), finished with 105 tackles.

St. Louis comes into 2015 with high expectations. Most football experts and prognosticators have predicted that the Rams have a look of a playoff team, even playing in arguably football’s toughest division, the NFC West.

The Rams finished 6-10 (2-4 in the NFC West) last year.

49ers part ways with Aldon Smith the player, not the person

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By Joe Hawkes

Aldon Smith, the football player’s, latest arrest Thursday night for a DUI, hit and run, and vandalism, (his fifth in three years), didn’t just bring a once promising career to a screeching halt, but may have torpedoed it especially in today’s “walk-on-the-straight-path” NFL.

And maybe that is what is best for Aldon Smith, the person.

Getting away from football and possibly being incarcerated might be what is needed to save the 25-year-old Smith, whose life is spiraling way out of control.

Smith was released from Santa Clara County Jail after posting a $26,000 bail Friday morning, and claimed his innocence to San Francisco station KTVU.

“The people who are faithful will remain faithful. . . . Simple as it is. Justice will be served. The truth will come out,” Smith said. “”It’s no DUI. And I’m sorry for anybody I let down.”

By then, the 49ers had enough of Smith, the football player, and his inability to stay out of trouble.

Per CSNBayArea.com 49ers’ Insider Matt Maiocco, Smith met with head coach Jim Tomsula, general manager Trent Baalke, and CEO Jed York Friday morning and was notified of his release from the organization that drafted the dynamic linebacker seventh overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.

“Although he won’t be playing football for the San Francisco 49ers, he will be supported and helped,” said an emotional Tomsula during the team’s press conference.

“And he will not have to walk this path alone. That comes from our ownership down. We’re not worried about football. The other thing I’d like to say, I understand the platform we are on. I understand where this goes in the news. What I’d like to say, is if one person out there reads this and you’re struggling, get help. Go get it. You’re worth it.You’re worth it. There’s value in every human being. Get the help. You don’t have to walk alone. Find it. It’s there. And although Aldon will not be playing football here, we will support him. He will not be alone.”

Surprisingly, Baalke, one of Smith’s biggest supporters, was not at the press conference and has not commented yet on the situation.

Smith, the football player, has been compared to soon-to-be Hall of Famer and former 49er Charles Haley, ferocious and nightmarish for offensive lineman. In Smith’s rookie season, the former Missouri Tiger broke Haley’s franchise record for sacks by a rookie with 14.

Haley recorded 12 sacks in his rookie season in 1986.

Haley, along with his presenter in this weekend’s Hall of Fame enshrinement, former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, spoke with Talk of Fame Network’s Clark Judge in Canton, Ohio and says he sees a lot of himself in Smith.

“He’s me,” Haley said. “When I came into the league, there was a 10-year-old inside of me screaming for help but was afraid to ask for help. I didn’t get help until after I was done with football. I was always wanting help but was afraid to get it.
“It hurts me because I feel I let the kid down. I wasn’t there when he needed me. I have to also understand that he has to take responsibility, too. He knew I’d be there within 24 hours if he needed me. He didn’t call out.”

After Haley’s behavior (from tantrums to allegedly urinating on former 49ers’ teammate Steve Young’s car) got too much for the 49ers (and even for DeBartolo), Haley was traded to Dallas in 1992, a move that DeBartolo still regrets to this day. The trade essentially shifted the power in the NFC from San Francisco to Dallas; as Haley went on to win three Super Bowls with the Cowboys after collecting two with the 49ers.

Haley is the only player in NFL history to win five Super Bowls (to go along with 100.5 career sacks) so his place in Canton is greatly deserved.

In 2010, Haley revealed that he struggles with a bi-polar condition.

For an organization that has been rocked by so much turnover in the offseason by player retirements (former All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis, impressive rookie linebacker Chris Borland, and offensive tackle Anthony Davis), to free agent departures (Frank Gore (Colts), Michael Crabtree (Raiders), Mike Iupati (Cardinals), Perrish Cox (Titans), and Chris Culliver (Redskins), not to mention the departure of former head coach Jim Harbaugh to the University of Michigan, the 49ers just could not take another blow on the football field.

With Smith’s release, a once mighty defense (fifth) in 2014 still has depth at outside with Ahmad Brooks, Aaron Lynch, Corey Lemonier and rookie Eli Harold. Smith was suspended for the first nine games in 2014, but the defense still played well during his absence.

But Smith, the football player, is a game changer. In 2012 as a full-time starter, Smith became the fastest player in league history to reach 30 sacks and was rewarded with a trip to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. Smith’s 19.5 sacks that season are the most by a 49er in a single season.

But the laundry list of run-ins with flat-foots by Smith just became Mount Everest for the 49ers to climb, so the time for the team to permanently divorce themselves from Smith, the player, had to happen now.

Teammates have said that they had seen a rejuvenated and greatly matured Smith.

“He made huge improvements,” said safety Eric Reid, per Maiocco. “His attitude. Just the way he talked. The way he interacted with people. He was making some real strides. This is just an unfortunate situation to add to some of the other things that have happened to him. But he was making progress and he’ll come out on the good side of this.”

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin said everybody in the 49ers’ locker room was surprised to learn of the incident and the immediate response of the 49ers to release him.

“I think everybody was shocked,” Boldin said. “I wasn’t here the entire offseason, but what I gathered, he worked his butt off. And it looked that way when I got here. I think it’s a shock to everybody.

Smith, the person, has got to look in the mirror and take ownership of his mistakes and face the consequences for his actions. It’s almost a guarantee that after seeing a judge in a court of law, Smith will see the inside of a jail cell for some time which I stated before, might be for his own good.

It’s no denying that Smith is a phenomenal talent who can rush the quarterback (which you can’t have enough of in the NFL), but it doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t stay on the football field.

For Aldon Smith, the person, he’s in a fight to save his life should he choose to do so.

Aldon Smith, the football player, no longer exists at this point.

Terrell Owens deserves a bust in Canton so get your popcorn ready

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By Joe Hawkes

By a show of hands, how many people believe that former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens deserves enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016?

Both of my hands are in the air.

Recently, Owens made an appearance on the The Rich Eisen Show and noted that he isn’t too worried about if (or when) he will be selected to join the likes of Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Michael Irvin, and Andre Reed.

“I can’t wrap my head around that whole process because it really, literally, doesn’t mean that much to me,” Owens said Thursday. “I understand what I’ve done on the field and it’s probably well deserving of (the Hall), but I’m being honest, it really doesn’t bother me whether I get in or not.”

When I heard that statement from Owens, 41, it hit me like a bolt of lightning and I was holding a metal pole.

Take a look at Owens’ 15-year career numbers: sixth all-time in catches (1,078) and third in receiving touchdowns (153), trailing Rice (197) and Randy Moss (156). His 15,934 receiving yards is good for second all-time behind Rice’s 22,895.

Owens is definitely a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but will the voters really try to stick it to Owens and make him sweat a few years a la Andre Reed? Reed finished with 2,736 yards and 66 fewer touchdowns than Owens, despite playing 16 years in the NFL.

Owens, who rubbed some coaches and teammates the wrong way from his time in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas, so he could be waiting for that phone call from Canton for a bit, but he shouldn’t.

Sure Owens was competitive, cocky, brash, and loquacious on the football field, but he backed it up.  Owens could take a simple five-yard slant and take it the distance no matter which cornerback he was matched up with.

“I guess (being in the Hall) from a standpoint of a legacy or what my kids can really see what I’ve done, the body of work and appreciate it, then yeah, and my family,” Owens added. “But me, personally, it doesn’t do anything for me because I never played the game for that. I played it because I was competitive. I played it to the point that I realized my talent and I became pretty good at it. That was my motivation. I wanted to win at all costs.”

And the prolific wide receiver nearly led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl championship in 2004. Six weeks after breaking his ankle, Owens was back on the field for Super Bowl XXXIX, finishing with nine catches and 122 yards in the Eagles’ 24-21 loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Maybe if Donovan McNabb, who vomited and wore down as the game wore on found Owens for a touchdown, Owens walks off with the MVP trophy, a trip to Disney World, and a ring.

At this point of his life, Owens appears to be comfortable in his own skin and doesn’t think that it’s a big deal if he doesn’t get into the Hall in 2016, or at all.

It would be an absolute injustice if Owens isn’t enshrined into Canton within the next five years, but hey, that’s just my opinion.

Curry, Warriors silence Jazz

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Stephen Curry scored 11 of his game-high 24 points in the second quarter and Leandro Barbosa finished with a season-high 19 points helping Golden State pickup its 56th win of the season with a 106-91 win over the Utah Jazz Saturday night after disposing the New Orleans Pelicans at home Friday night.

The Warriors take the season series from Utah, 3-1.

Curry had his jump shot going, finishing with 8-of-18 from the floor (3-of-6 on 3s) to go along with three assists and three steals in 32 minutes of action. The Warriors’ league MVP candidate was struggling with his shot, shooting just 35 percent from the floor in five previous five games.

Barbosa, who has been huge for Golden State this season, played 28 minutes off the bench.

Draymond Green scored 15 points (11-of-13 from the free throw line), while Harrison Barnes chipped in with 12 points, and Andre Iguodala finished with 13 points off the bench for Golden State, who dominated Utah on fast break points, 25-6.

Justin Holiday, who has started the last three games in the place of All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson, finished with just seven points.

“L.B. has been magnificent this season,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. “His defense has been tremendous for us, he’s a worker, a wonderful teammate.”

“We’re a deep team,” said Curry. “It goes to show you what our record (56-13) is. Everyone is playing great and contributing to the team’s success.”

Andrew Bogut was aggressive in the paint tonight scoring eight of Golden State’s game high 46 points in the paints (Utah finished with 36 points in the paint), and played great defense against Jazz promising young center Rudy Gobert. Gobert finished with just five points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes.

“Bogut played a great game tonight,” Kerr said of Bogut, who finished with eight of Golden State’s 37 rebounds. “He was a rock in the paint for us, and that is what I’m looking from him every night.”

Derrick Favors finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Trey Burke scored 20 points (5-of-11 on 3s) for the Jazz, who drop to 31-35 on the season.

Before Golden State dropped 106 points tonight, Utah didn’t allow 100 points in 12 consecutive games. Opponents were averaging just 86 points per game during that span.

Utah was 12-3 since the All-Star break, which was tops in the league.

Golden State continues to pile up wins at Oracle, improving to an NBA-best 33-2 in front of arguably the best homecourt advantage in all of basketball and are beating teams by an average of 15 points per game at home.

When holding teams to under 100 points, Golden State are a staggering 37-0.

With just three more wins, Golden State can tie the 1975-76 Warriors team for the most wins in franchise history with 59. The Warriors’ magic number to clinch the Pacific Division is down to two games.

The Warriors can finish their six-game homestand Monday 6-0 (and extend its current five-game winning streak) with a win over the visiting Washington Wizards.

Golden State will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the organization’s last championship that night, which was won against Wizards (formally the Bullets).

 

Warriors roll over Knicks on Curry’s birthday

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — A night after head coach Steve Kerr rested all his starters and the reserves came up just short in their place in a 114-103 road loss to the Denver Nuggets Friday night, the Golden State Warriors bounced back in hurry, trouncing the hapless New York Knicks 125-94 Saturday night to begin a six-game homestand.

Klay Thompson finished with 27 points in 26 minutes, and MVP candidate and birthday boy Stephen Curry, who turned 27 Saturday, scored 25 points and 11 assists with just one turnover in 27 minutes.

The Splash Brothers knocked down 12 of the Warriors’ 19 3s. Golden State shot 19-for-34 (56 percent) from behind the arc.

The game got off to a sluggish start for Golden State in the first quarter, shooting just 35 percent and allowing New York to take a 27-26 lead at the end of the quarter.

But Curry and the Warriors exploded in the second half, outscoring the Knicks 47-25 in the second quarter, thanks in large part by runs of 10-0 by the Warriors’ reserves, and a 14-1 run by the starters.

“We we’re playing hard, but we just couldn’t get off to a better start in the first quarter,” said Curry. “The bench came in a did a great job for us tonight and gave us a real boast.”

Draymond Green chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Justin Holiday scored 10 of his 13 points off the bench in the second quarter, nailing back-to-back 3s. Holiday, who started in place of Thompson in Denver Friday night, scored a career-high 23 points, including 5-for-7 on 3s.

David Lee added 10 points and four rebounds, while Marreese Speights scored nine points as Golden State’s bench outscored New York’s bench, 49-41. The Warriors outscored the Knicks 28-11 on fast break points.

“That as good as it gets,” said Kerr, “We didn’t get off to a good start in the first quarter, turning over the ball and forcing a few shots, but I thought we did a fabulous job responding.”

Andrea Bargnani led New York with 18 points, and Alexy Shved scored 14 points and dished out five assists.

Tim Hardaway Jr., son of Warriors’ great Tim Hardaway Sr., finished with 13 points off the bench for the Knicks, who shot 39 percent from the floor (38-for-96), and an abysmal 36 percent (9-for-25) from 3.

New York (13-52) falls to 5-29 on the road this season.

With the win, Golden State improves to an NBA-best 52-13 (surpassing the 51 wins from last season), and 29-2 at Oracle Arena. The Warriors are 34-0 this season when holding opponents under 100 points in a game.

Golden State hosts the Los Angeles Lakers Monday night.