2001 RAIDERS
	A change of scenery has Jerry Rice feeling young again.
	Head coach: Jon Gruden (4th year). 2000 record: 12-4. AFC West finish: 1st. 2001 preseason: 2-2. Season opener: Sept. 9 at Chiefs. Schedule | Depth chart

Jon Gruden's three-year blueprint to transform the Raiders from a fractured football team into a viable playoff contender almost worked to perfection. Last year Oakland made it all the way to the AFC championship before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens. Now the question facing Gruden is whether the Raiders can take that next step.

Based on the offseason moves the team made, it certainly seems that the Raiders believe their window of opportunity is still open. Oakland re-signed virtually every one of its key free agents from last year's team and added a handful of new faces that will factor heavily into the level of success this season.

Gone are underachieving players such as tight end Rickey Dudley, defensive end Lance Johnstone and, to a certain extent, running back Napoleon Kaufman. In their place are veterans Roland Williams, Trace Armstrong and Charlie Garner. Oakland also picked up future Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice for what looks to be the team's first serious run at the Super Bowl in more than a decade.

It won't be easy, though. The Raiders face a tougher schedule, an improved division and history -- no team has repeated as AFC West champions since the 1987 season. Nine of Oakland's projected starters will be 31 years old or older this season, and six of them -- quarterback Rich Gannon, WRs Tim Brown and Rice, guard Steve Wisniewski, linebacker William Thomas and cornerback Eric Allen -- have played 10 seasons or more. Thus, the emphasis is on winning and winning now.

"I'm proud of the progress we've made," Gruden said, "but we still have a long way to go."

Offense
Quarterbacks: Rich Gannon is coming off arguably his finest NFL season. He passed for a career-best 28 touchdowns, threw for more than 3,400 yards for the second consecutive season and led the Raiders to their first appearance in the AFC championship game since '90. Gannon is at his best while freelancing on the run. His 529 rushing yards last season were second-most among NFL quarterbacks and the most ever by a Raiders quarterback. Another key is that Gannon is durable. He's one of only five NFL quarterbacks to start every game the past two seasons. Bobby Hoying is a capable backup but needs work. Rodney Peete and Marques Tuiasosopo are vying for the No. 3 job, but it's only semantics because the team sees too much potential in Tuiasosopo to let him go.
Grade: A-minus.

Running backs: Tyrone Wheatley is a punishing runner who loves to run between the tackles, giving Gruden the power running game he desires. In two seasons in Oakland, Wheatley has rushed for more yards (1,982) and scored more touchdowns (17) than he had in his previous four NFL seasons combined. Garner replaces Kaufman as Wheatley's understudy, and the former 49er immediately improves an already solid backfield. Like nearly every other running back on the roster, Garner is an accomplished receiver who fits nicely into the Raiders' offense. Fullback Jon Ritchie missed long stretches of the 2000 season with an assortment of injuries but has looked strong in training camp. Terry Kirby, Randy Jordan and Zack Crockett are valued reserves who will come in handy down the stretch.
Grade: B-plus.

Receivers: Brown remains the team's No. 1 receiving threat, even though the Raiders added Rice in the offseason. Brown is coming off an eighth consecutive 1,000-yard season and tallied a career-best 11 touchdowns in 2000. Rice will play a supporting role to Brown and will be the best No. 2 receiver the Raiders have had in more than a decade. James Jett lost his starting job to Rice and was in danger of sliding even further down the depth chart before second-year wide receiver Jerry Porter suffered a separated shoulder Aug. 19. David Dunn is a decent receiver who doubles as the team's kick returner. Rookie Ken-Yon Rambo is a long-term project who the team believes has tremendous upside. Williams is a welcome relief at tight end after the Dudley debacle, but beyond that, the Raiders have a bunch of question marks there. Mondriel Fulcher has benefited from a year's experience at the position, but he's still raw in some areas. Jeremy Brigham and Andrew Glover could also factor in at the position.
Grade: B-minus.

		The biggest key to the Raiders' season is beating the Broncos. In the last six years, the Broncos are 11-1 against Oakland. Can the Raiders get the monkey off their back and at least split with the Broncos? If they can't do that, Denver will win the division and will host playoff games at home. The AFC West is going to be so close because both teams are so talented and capable of going far in the playoffs. If the Raiders can take a split with the Broncos, it will come down to division tiebreakers. They need to at least beat Denver at home.

Offensive linemen: The league's top-ranked rushing team a year ago returns all five starters, including Wisniewski, who was ready to retire before being convinced by the team to return for a final season. Wisniewski, center Barret Robbins and right tackle Lincoln Kennedy form the core of the line, which has been critical in keeping Gannon healthy the last two seasons. Kennedy and Wisniewski both went to the Pro Bowl last year, while many argued that Robbins should have been invited as well. Mo Collins should be better with a full year under his belt at right guard. He had a solid training camp and held off the challenge of Frank Middleton, a free agent from Tampa Bay. Left tackle Matt Stinchcomb has yet to play an entire season in the NFL, so Oakland's depth could be tested.
Grade: B-plus.

Defense
Defensive linemen: Two-time Pro Bowler Darrell Russell's four-game suspension by the NFL might not be as damaging to the Raiders as one might think. Oakland has collected a wealth of young talent along the line and added veterans such as Armstrong and Regan Upshaw on the ends. Grady Jackson has evolved into one of the game's better tackles and will be paired with the up-and-coming Roderick Coleman, who had six sacks in a supporting role last year. Tony Bryant will start at one end and can double inside as a tackle on passing downs. Josh Taves is equally versatile and will get plenty of playing time in the Raiders' rotation. Rookies Chris Cooper and DeLawrence Grant also will play key roles.
Grade: B.

Linebackers: For the first time since moving back to Oakland, the Raiders return all three starting linebackers. Greg Biekert is the stalwart in the middle and the Raiders' iron man who has started every game but one since '96. Veteran William Thomas was reborn with the Raiders, snaring a team-high six interceptions while providing Oakland with its best coverage linebacker in quite some time. Elijah Alexander was steady on the outside and is a fierce tackler, something else the Raiders had been missing. Eric Barton can play either outside position and will eventually replace Thomas as the starter. Ryan Phillips played in last year's Super Bowl with the Giants and lends immediate support to the linebacker corps, which was short on depth last year. Bobby Brooks and Travian Smith are more visible on special teams but can play in spot duty if needed.
Grade: B-minus.

Defensive backs: Safety was a prime area of concern in the offseason, and to a certain extent it still is. First-round pick Derrick Gibson is making progress at strong safety, albeit in slow increments. Incumbent Marquez Pope has played well in the preseason but is still a liability in coverage. Anthony Dorsett has the starting free safety job locked up, but the Raiders need improved play out of their safeties. Fortunately, the Raiders have one of the game's top cornerback tandems in Charles Woodson and Eric Allen. Woodson's role shifts slightly this season; he'll line up against the slot receiver more often for matchup purposes, and he'll also play a rover-type position from time to time. Tory James is a solid nickel back, but the Raiders have a serious lack of depth beyond that.
Grade: B.

Special teams
The Raiders made great strides with this unit last season and need to make sure that trend continues into 2001. Placekicker Sebastian Janikowski and punter Shane Lechler were two of the NFL's top rookies a year ago. Janikowski shook off a slow start and was almost flawless down the stretch. He spent the offseason and training camp refining his techniques, and he came into the preseason 15 pounds lighter than he was a year ago. Lechler was a Pro Bowl candidate as a rookie and will be a major factor in pinning other teams back. Special-teams coach Bob Casullo faces the distinct possibility of losing his top three tacklers from last year, but it might not matter much. Casullo always seems to get the most out of his players, no matter what level he's coaching at.
Grade: B.

Mike Wagaman covers the Raiders for the Silver & Black Illustrated.

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