Kiffin says his rookie QB made a vast improvement over tough previous week
By PHIL BARBER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
ALAMEDA -- It will make a curious little trivia question years from now. To whom did JaMarcus Russell complete his first pass as an NFL starting quarterback? The answer: Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky. Russell dropped back on the Raiders' first play from scrimmage Sunday and delivered the ball right into Olshansky's mitts.
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Russell settled down after that error and had a fine game: 23-of-31 for 224 yards and a touchdown. It was especially satisfying after his passing line at Jacksonville the week before: 7-of-23 for 83 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.
"It was great to see that . . . a guy could get so much better in one week," coach Lane Kiffin said Monday after reviewing film of the San Diego game.
Russell, after missing all of training camp in a contract dispute, spent the autumn clocking overtime, working out with quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo every Tuesday when most players were resting at home. Kiffin said Russell will take some limited time off and then return to Alameda to begin his reign as the team's unquestioned starter.
In the meantime, his performance against the Chargers' highly touted defense gives the team some optimism for 2008.
"I think it was really important for our whole franchise," Kiffin said. "I think it was really important for our fans, our building, our players, everyone, to see him play very well."
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