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NAPA – So much will be made about JaMarcus Russell in this, his all-crucial third season – his weight, his ability to read defenses, his leadership skills. And really, that's the way it should be in the NFL, a quarterback-driven league that heaps too much praise upon the guys under center when things are going good and too much scorn when things go south.

Truthfully, though, the key to the Raiders' offense gaining traction this season actually lines up behind Russell. And wide of him. And, at times, in Russell's spot in the shotgun formation.

Darren McFadden, with his myriad skills, was all-too-often ignored or inexcusably misused last season. But he not only holds the key to the Raiders' offense, the hybrid running back should be driving the Silver and Black bus.

What a relief, then, that DMC actually lined up at wide receiver during Tom Cable's passive-aggressive opening days of camp, a sort of spiritual revival that began with a day chock-full of meetings and continued with four days of no-contact two-a-day practices.

"Hopefully if I stay healthy, and I'm going to try to stay healthy, I'm looking forward to seeing how much more they want to put me out there," McFadden said. "But I think you're going to see a lot more this year. I'm always in for whatever the coaches throw at me."

And that makes the way the Raiders used him last season all the more mystifying and frustrating.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and a reed-thin 210 pounds with legs as thin as the Raiders' playoffs chances of late, McFadden was inexplicably used to run between tackles.

Sorry, but that's Justin Fargas and Michael Bush territory.

There's a reason DMC is the Flash in the Raiders' Smash (Bush), Dash (Fargas) and Flash Running Attack.

He's a playmaker extraordinaire, a back with blinding speed who is best in open space, making people miss as he fakes defenders out of their cleats and jock straps.

Even when the Raiders tried to be innovative with the purported "author" of the Wildcat formation at Arkansas, lining him up as the quarterback in the shotgun, he'd merely take the snap and run … straight into the line.

No wonder the No. 4 overall pick of the 2008 draft was so hobbled by turf toe injuries that he missed three games in his rookie season. Yes, he was second on the team with 499 rushing yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, while scoring a team-best four touchdowns on the ground. And he caught 29 passes for 285 yards.

But imagine how much more explosive he'd be if employed in a more diverse attack?

Using McFadden on sweeps, screen passes, halfback passes and at wideout would not only exploit his talents, but also free up the Raiders' other athletic offensive players.

"You know, a lot's been talked about with that," Cable said. "But if you look at us the last six weeks … and particularly the last three weeks, we used him more in that role, extensively in the last two weeks, and it seemed to really complement everybody.

"It adds a lot to us and he's a guy that … has to get a number of touches in a ballgame, and he helps everybody around him."

The bonus? It lessens the load on Russell's learning curve.

By Paul Gutierrez
pgutierrez@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 1C
Getting McFadden more involved a must for Raiders - Sacramento Sports - Kings, 49ers, Raiders, High School Sports | Sacramento Bee

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DMAC is the only thing that will save us

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www.790thsfs.com

DMac was a monster at Arkansas and I was hoping for him to be a Raider for the last 2 years he was in college. The guy has unbelievable break-away speed and looked like a man playing with boys at the college level. Some like to make a big deal out of the size of his legs but I would counter that he has runners legs - built for speed and agility. He's the one player on the roster that my friends who like other teams consistently mention as the Raider they would like on their team. Imagine him in the Shanahan 1 cut and go rushing attack. The ZBS should suit his running style perfectly. Bought a #20 McFadden jersey a couple of months ago - I expect big things from Run DMC.