Raiders' bottom FA signings: Aaron Brooks

[790thSFS]

Kerry Collins may not have elicited the most excitement or even a modicum of team success as a Raiders quarterback, but he was coming off a 3,759-yard passing season with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games in 2005. And he wanted to come back in 2006.

The Raiders, though, decided to go in an entirely different direction with Art Shell returning for his second tour of duty as Raiders coach by replacing Norv Turner , signing Brooks to a two-year, $9 million contract after five solid seasons starting for the New Orleans Saints.

But things got off to a bad start – Brooks was sacked seven times in a 27-0 season-opening loss to the San Diego Chargers – and never really got better.

Brooks lost a pair of fumbled snaps in Week 2 at the Baltimore Ravens and strained a pectoral muscle in the process as he did not play again for two months. By the time the season ended, Brooks never won a game, going 0-8 as a starter, while throwing three touchdown passes, eight interceptions and completing 57.3 percent of his passes for a career-low passer rating of 61.7. He was also sacked 26 times in his eight starts.

Of course, it was not all Brooks’ fault – the Raiders of 2006 were an utter mess. It was the season of Tom Walsh coming from running a bed and breakfast to serve as Shell’s offensive coordinator, before he was demoted, and of receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter essentially mailing it in, and running back LaMont Jordan being lost for the season in the same game Brooks returned from his injury.

Whether it was Brooks or Andrew Walter under center, those Raiders were historically bad, scoring the fifth-fewest points in league history in a 16-game season (168) while failing to score an offensive touchdown in eight games.

But it was Brooks who was brought in to lead the team ... and it was Brooks who paid for the failure as the Raiders did not pick up his option for the second year. He never played another down in the NFL.

Another lasting legacy of Brooks? Oakland went 2-14, the worst of any Al Davis Raiders team, and had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft ... which they used to select JaMarcus Russell.

UH! Now those were the worst days ever.

[Tenebrous]

Kerry Collins may not have elicited the most excitement or even a modicum of team success as a Raiders quarterback, but he was coming off a 3,759-yard passing season with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games in 2005. And he wanted to come back in 2006.

The Raiders, though, decided to go in an entirely different direction with Art Shell returning for his second tour of duty as Raiders coach by replacing Norv Turner , signing Brooks to a two-year, $9 million contract after five solid seasons starting for the New Orleans Saints.

But things got off to a bad start – Brooks was sacked seven times in a 27-0 season-opening loss to the San Diego Chargers – and never really got better.

Brooks lost a pair of fumbled snaps in Week 2 at the Baltimore Ravens and strained a pectoral muscle in the process as he did not play again for two months. By the time the season ended, Brooks never won a game, going 0-8 as a starter, while throwing three touchdown passes, eight interceptions and completing 57.3 percent of his passes for a career-low passer rating of 61.7. He was also sacked 26 times in his eight starts.

Of course, it was not all Brooks’ fault – the Raiders of 2006 were an utter mess. It was the season of Tom Walsh coming from running a bed and breakfast to serve as Shell’s offensive coordinator, before he was demoted, and of receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter essentially mailing it in, and running back LaMont Jordan being lost for the season in the same game Brooks returned from his injury.

Whether it was Brooks or Andrew Walter under center, those Raiders were historically bad, scoring the fifth-fewest points in league history in a 16-game season (168) while failing to score an offensive touchdown in eight games.

But it was Brooks who was brought in to lead the team ... and it was Brooks who paid for the failure as the Raiders did not pick up his option for the second year. He never played another down in the NFL.

Another lasting legacy of Brooks? Oakland went 2-14, the worst of any Al Davis Raiders team, and had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft ... which they used to select JaMarcus Russell.

UH! Now those were the worst days ever.

Where were you the last two years?! At least, Brooks/Russell did not tear down the Raiders from something better to go into the NFL gutter - in contrast, RM's completely unnecessary blundering has driven the Raiders straight into the NFL gutter -- this has been extremely painful.

Knowing that the Raiders did not have to be this bad and knowing the season is going to hell before even the 1st snap has been excruciating. Conversely, watching Elway brilliantly manage his team just adds salt to injury. Watching Elway take reasoned approaches in contrast to RM's scorched earth blundering is just rubbbing sandpaper against the wound.

Also, who was Russell's OC in Oakland?! What a blunder to bring him back AFTER he effectively neutered the started RB who was finally taking off. Just unbelievable. The only pause from this painful mess was the Jackson year - and RM made sure to put an end to good coaching in Oakland.

[790thSFS]

Russell would have been a bust on any team. It doesn't matter who his OC was! What does the OC have to do with Russell waiting all the way to end of Sept to sign his rookie contract? What does an OC have to do with Russell sleeping in team meetings? regarding russell started off ok, but he went to total shit! No OC in the world would have made Russell a success.

Elway? Without manning, the donkeys would totally SUCK!

[Tenebrous]

Russell would have been a bust on any team. It doesn't matter who his OC was! What does the OC have to do with Russell waiting all the way to end of Sept to sign his rookie contract? What does an OC have to do with Russell sleeping in team meetings? regarding russell started off ok, but he went to total shit! No OC in the world would have made Russell a success.

Elway? Without manning, the donkeys would totally SUCK!

The 1st part about his rookie contract is all on Russell - but, the 2nd part about team meetings is on Knapp too. Russell is a traditional drop down QB, but Knapp was trying to force him in his dink-friendly offense rather than adopting his offense to Russell and, to make matters worse, his HC never wanted him in that offense. In the end, Russell fell apart.

Doubtful, in fact Jackson would have likely found a way to tailer the offense to Russell's strength.

Lol, yeah, Denver only has Manning on their roster - football is a team sport and Elway has built the Broncos with common sense and reason in contrast to RM's blundering.

[DeadRinger]

Elway? Without manning, the donkeys would totally SUCK!

And are you seriously suggesting that without Manning DEN would be as bad as we are? That's laughable given the massive talent on that roster.

But even if you were right, the fact is that they DO have Manning. And they played in the SB last season.

That's the whole fucking point man. One guy is doing things right, the other is doing them so fucking wrong it's handicapping our ability to bring in good players.

[RF34]

Denver was as bad as we are in the Super Bowl.

8 points....

The vaunted, history making, Peyton Manning-led, Denver Bronco offense barely mustered up 8 points in the biggest game of the season.

Imagine how bad it would have been without Peyton?

[DeadRinger]

Actually I think they may have had a chance without Manning. With his micromanagement approach to offense, where he sets EVERYTHING at the line, as soon as SEa figured out a few of his calls it was all over. A simpler approach would have been more successful IMO. But I still think they would have lost.

[790thSFS]

Actually I think they may have had a chance without Manning. With his micromanagement approach to offense, where he sets EVERYTHING at the line, as soon as SEa figured out a few of his calls it was all over. A simpler approach would have been more successful IMO. But I still think they would have lost.

Dude, you need to go back and watch that game. The pressure on manning from the Hawks DL lost them the game. They shut him down and the donks were done.

[DeadRinger]

Actually I think they may have had a chance without Manning. With his micromanagement approach to offense, where he sets EVERYTHING at the line, as soon as SEa figured out a few of his calls it was all over. A simpler approach would have been more successful IMO. But I still think they would have lost.

Dude, you need to go back and watch that game. The pressure on manning from the Hawks DL lost them the game. They shut him down and the donks were done.

Bullshit, Manning knows how to handle pressure under normal circumstances. The problem was there was nobody open. Not even the dump-offs. Because SEA knew where he was going with it.

They brought pressure but they only sacked him once. Their DBs were killing it all day long. Do you know how many tackles Kam Chancellor had from the SS position? I have no friggin' idea why he didn't get MVP, other than the fact that the other guy had the highlight play - a score that didn't mean shit thanks to Kam, Sherman and Thomas out there.