Do you as I do, remember all the hype that surrounded Russell and his cannon of an arm?
Well, in case you forgot, here's a little reminder. The Raiders selected Russell because of his great play at LSU. As the quarterback for the Tigers, Russell went 25-4, threw for 52 touchdowns and recorded a 61.2 completion percentage (2nd highest in school history).
His college numbers appeared to be an indication as to the type of player he could become in the NFL.
Unfortunately, Russell's numbers misled Al Davis and the rest of the Raiders' front office. Although numbers are important, other aspects should be evaluated when searching for a franchise quarterback.
In his first full season, Russell led the 2008 Raiders to a 5-11 record. That same year, Russell completed 198 of his 368 pass attempts (53.8 percent), threw for 13 touchdowns and had a QB rating of 77.7.
As was the case with his college numbers, his first full season appeared to be an indication of his true potential.
However, in 2009, Russell failed to build upon his '08 campaign.
All of his numbers across the board took a hit. He threw for only three touchdowns, and completed only 120 of his 246 pass attempts (48.8 percent).
His QB rating was a dismal 50.0.
And his 2009 campaign was a strong contrast to his days in LSU.
Throughout his miserable 2009 season, Russell failed to take charge of a Raiders team in need of a leader.
And despite his miserable year, Russell seemed content with his performances on and off the field.
I remember one game where Russell was yanked after throwing his second interception, and how shocked he was by the benching.
It's no secret to fans, that J...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
