That’s all, Folks!

We want to be fair. We don’t want to keep piling on. It’s just that JaMarcus Russell leaves us no choice.

The stage was set for the new-and-improved Russell this past weekend. With Bruce Gradkowski knocked out at the midpoint of Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins, Russell was presented with the perfect opportunity to step in and do what his naysayers say he can’t: perform like a competent NFL quarterback and lead his team to victory.

And once again he dropped the ball. And threw it away. And … you get the idea.

Taking the reins of the Oakland offense in the second half, Russell wasted no time in turning a 17-10 deficit into a 34-13 debacle, complete with his signature fumble deep inside Raiders territory, passes to nobody in particular and six sacks that weren’t always the handy work of Oakland’s battered offensive line.

In short, it was business as usual.

His arrival onto the field was met with a chorus of boos that didn’t stop until game’s end. At this point, it’s safe to call Russell the most reviled Raiders player in franchise history. No home crowd has ever turned on one of its own to the degree that Raider Nation has turned on Russell.

It’s officially past the point of no return.

49ers fans rode Steve Young for years, despite his winning passing title and MVP awards, for the simple reason that he wasn’t Joe Montana. With Russell, the bar is so low that a gritty journeymen like Gradkowski could come in, make every play Russell can’t and be anointed by fans as the franchise’s savior in short time. 

Just when you think he can’t play any worse, Russell always proves you wrong. At times, he looks as if he’s wearing a 200-pound suit of armor when dropping back in the pocket and especially when trying to elude oncoming pass rushers. He continues to lock in on his intended targets and overshoots them at the worst possible times.

Worse, he seems unfazed by any of this. How can anyone, particularly the target of such mass disdain, ever see this turning around or view anyone or anything else as being responsible for his current plight?

He doesn’t understand why coach Tom Cable benched him. He thinks he’s done fine. He’s blamed his teammates for not making plays. He won’t renegotiate his contract.

If the Raiders are wise, he won’t be allowed to throw another pass for them, at least not this season.

Charlie Frye, white courtesy phone.

Tags: JaMarcus Russell