Lane Kiffin Vs Al Davis

The problems between Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and team owner Al Davis, which have flared into open warfare between the two, date almost back to the day when Kiffin was hired a year ago, according to a team source.

As a young, first-time head coach, Kiffin was so eager for the job that he took Davis' word on his responsibilities, and did not get them in writing, a mistake that former Raiders coaches could have warned him about.

Even Kiffin's predecessor, Art Shell, a long-time Davis favorite, was spared further indignity after he was fired because his contract language protected him. Davis wanted Shell to work out his contract as the team's offensive line coach, but language in Shell's contract specifically outlined his duties as the head coach.

Now, Davis is trying to avoid paying off Kiffin, so he is trying to make his coach so miserable that he will quit after just one season. Although published reports say Kiffin has two years at $2 million a year remaining on his contract, a team source with knowledge of the contract said there is only one year remaining at $1.7 million. The third year of the deal is at the team's option and is not guaranteed.

"Al never has signed a new coach to a (guaranteed) three-year deal," the source said. "Even Jon Gruden had a two-year contract at first; then he got a three-year deal the next time."

In the latest volley, Davis essentially has ostracized Kiffin from all meetings and planning sessions having to do with Raiders personnel, and has refused to allow Kiffin to decide the makeup of his coaching staff. Kiffin thought he had some of those responsibilities when he was hired, but they were not included in the contract.

The Raiders' source said, simply, "Al doesn't do that."

Although the bomb that set the most recent developments in motion was Kiffin's attempt to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, Kiffin and Davis began clashing on staff makeup a year ago over a contract for Mark Jackson, Kiffin's top administrative aide.

Jackson got neither the money nor the length of agreement that Kiffin thought Davis had agreed to. By mid-season, Davis essentially had Jackson moved out of his office in the personnel department and rendered him a non-person.

On draft day, as has been reported, Kiffin stood up to Davis and convinced him to trade Randy Moss, who had done nothing in two years with Oakland. Kiffin also was lukewarm on top draft pick JaMarcus Russell, a quarterback Kiffin did not believe fit his offensive style.

When Russell didn't play until late in the season and then played poorly, Davis blamed Kiffin, although Davis had been warned before drafting Russell to expect a protracted contract negotiation that would inhibit Russell's progress. That's exactly what happened, and Russell missed all of training camp.

In season-ending meetings with his staff, Kiffin fired Ryan, whose defense slid from No. 3 in the NFL, based on yards allowed, in 2006, to No. 22 in 2007. Ryan went to Davis to thank him for the time he spent in Oakland and Davis blew up, telling Ryan that Kiffin had no authority to fire him. As a result, Ryan remains on the staff.

Kiffin also wanted to fire about five other assistant coaches whom he had hired. Davis refused to allow that to happen because he did not want to pay off the year all of them had remaining on their contracts.

Davis became further enraged during the playoffs when Norv Turner, the Oakland coach in 2004-05, took San Diego to the AFC Championship Game and Moss helped New England reach the Super Bowl.

Now, apparently Davis has reached out to former Vikings and Cardinals coach Dennis Green as a replacement whenever Kiffin either resigns or is fired. It's difficult to see how that pairing would work, either, because Green both is independent-minded and has a resume that means he wouldn't come cheap, always a requirement for a Davis coach.

Green presumably also would want to put his own staff together, something that was at the crux of the battle between Davis and Kiffin.

Oakland has not had a winning season since Bill Callahan succeeded Gruden for the 2002 season and led the team to the Super Bowl. Callahan was fired a year later after going 4-12. Over the last five seasons, the Raiders have had a record as good as 5-11 only once, and their overall record, 19-61, is by far the worst in the NFL.

Kiffin was the team's fourth coach since Gruden, following Callahan, Turner and Shell. The Raiders have had seven coaches since returning from Los Angeles to Oakland for the 1995 season, and only Gruden lasted longer than two years.
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10-0 Texans Lead Away

The Texans have waited more than six seasons to play on Monday Night Football and they lead the Jacksonville Jaguars 10-0 at halftime at Reliant Stadium.

On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Sage Rosenfels passed to wide receiver Andre Johnson for a 12-yard gain to the Houston 43. Two rushes by Steve Slaton for 22 yards, along with his four-yard catch, gave the Texans a first down at the Jaguars' 31-yard line. On the next play, Johnson finished the six-play drive by muscling his way past cornerback Rashean Mathis for a 31-yard touchdown catch.

With 9:56 left in the first quarter, the Texans' offense started its second series from their 46-yard line after Jacksonville was flagged twice for false start penalties on their opening possession. After an incomplete pass on first down, Rosenfels took a quick drop with an empty backfield and was intercepted by Mathis, who returned the pick four yards to the Houston 44.

Houston struck back on the Jaguars' first play when cornerback Jacques Reeves intercepted quarterback David Garrard's pass intended for wide receiver Jerry Porter. After a 13-yard return, the Texans' offense took over from the Jacksonville 48. After tight end Owen Daniels' 14 -yard reception, Kris Brown extended the lead to 10-0 with a 38-yard field goal.

Houston collected its second takeaway on the ensuing series after defensive tackle DelJuan Robinson popped the ball loose when tackling running back Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield. Safety Nick Ferguson recovered the fumble at the Jaguars' 28-yard line.

After an incompletion on first down, wide receiver Jacoby Jones took a direct snap and faked a handoff before being stopped in the backfield. An offensive pass interference penalty on wide receiver David Anderson on the following snap led to the first punt of the game, which André Davis downed at the one-yard line. Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio challenged the ruling, but officials upheld the spot of the ball.

The Jaguars dug themselves out of the hole thanks to a 10-yard run by running back Fred Taylor and a 24-yard catch by wide receiver Matt Jones to near midfield. Jones-Drew's 14-yard rush gave Jacksonville a first down at the Houston 32. A third down pass attempt glanced off Porter's fingertips to set up Josh Scobee's 43-yard field goal attempt, which missed wide right with 9:56 remaining in the first half.

Two catches by Johnson for 17 yards moved the Texans to the 50-yard line, where Slaton picked up seven yards and a first down. On third-and-15 from the 48-yard line, Rosenfels overthrew Davis, leading to Matt Turk's second punt.

Following defensive end Mario Williams' sack on Garrard for an eight-yard loss on third down, the Jaguars punted 37 yards to the Houston 24 with 3:02 left before halftime.

Wide receiver Kevin Walter pulled in a pass from Rosenfels and then shook off a defender for a 30-yard gain on the second play of the series. Rosenfels then scrambled for three yards before cornerback Brian Williams hit him out of bounds, which resulted in a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty to the Jacksonville 25.

After the two-minute warning, tight end Joel Dreessen made a 10-yard catch to the 10-yard line. On third-and-goal from the nine-yard line, Johnson caught a six-yard pass to the three-yard line, setting up Brown's 21-yard field goal attempt. After a low snap, Turk rolled to his right and lobbed a pass into the end zone that was tipped out of bounds
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