Sports
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018 • THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • SECTION C
New coach has Vikings on hot streak
EMPIRE FOOTBALL » Montgomery is undefeated in
league play ahead of tonight’s homecoming game
By LORI A. CARTER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Montgomery High School
may have found the perfect fit
for head football coach.
Vertis Patton, in his first head
coaching gig, is poised to deliver
the Vikings their first winning
season since 2013 as well as the
first winning league season in
as many years.
They could even win the
RAIDERS » ROUGH START
‘Revenge of Chucky’
playing in Oakland
PHIL BARBER
Perhaps Gruden
is just enacting
a diabolical plan
I
don’t really believe in
conspiracy theories. My
windows are covered with
black tape because I’m sensitive
to sunlight, and I wear a tinfoil
hat because I happen to find it
attractive. I didn’t even notice
that I began writing this col-
umn at 10:18 on 10/18/2018.
But it can no longer be de-
nied. THE FACTS ARE RIGHT
THERE IN FRONT OF YOUR
EYES, SHEEPLE. Jon Gruden
is intentionally destroying the
Raiders.
Hear me out.
Start with the motive.
Gruden was a Bay Area rock
star during his first stint in
Oakland. But Al Davis, resent-
ing the coach’s celebrity and
blaming him for the “Tuck Rule
Game” loss, traded Gruden to
Tampa Bay in February 2002. It
was disruptive and humiliating.
You would think that pum-
meling the Raiders in Super
Bowl 37 would have been
enough to ease Gruden’s
resentment. Apparently, he
has nurtured a grudge for
years, through his stints with
the Buccaneers and ESPN. He
bided his time and waited for an
opportunity, as conspirators do.
And then he found his mark. I
mean, his Mark. It was Mark
Davis, the unwitting dupe in
this twisted tale.
Gruden rejected multiple
overtures from Mark Davis
after Al died in 2011, but it was
all part of the long game.
TURN TO BARBER » PAGE C6
49ERS » On Sunday, Kyle Shanahan faces former assistant Sean McVay, now the Rams coach
High-flying Rams offense next for SF
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff is fourth in the NFL with 1,928
yards passing.
title in the new North Bay
League-Redwood Division.
More importantly, though,
his young athletes are learning
forethought, trust and leader-
ship skills, he said.
An illustration of Patton’s
values is a key decision he made
this year, one not related to wins
and losses. About three weeks
ago, he stopped the team’s
weightlifting program and re-
placed it with Homework Club.
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden on the sideline during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Seattle
Seahawks at Wembley stadium in London.
JOE MAHONEY / ASSOCIATED PRESS
“That’s what’s important to
us as a program and to me,”
Patton said. “We want to have a
good season and we want to fin-
ish strong, but it’s more about
the grades. We’re teaching them
how to be responsible, to figure
out what they have to do, to plan
ahead. If they start doing that
now, it will be better for them in
life.”
The Vikings are 7-2 overall
and 3-0 with one game left in
league play — at 7:30 p.m. to-
night at home against El Molino.
TURN TO FOOTBALL » PAGE C3
By GRANT COHN
PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM
SANTA CLARA — Kyle Sha-
nahan helped create a monster.
This Sunday, he has to face it.
The monster is the Los Ange-
les Rams offense.
It’s the NFL’s No. 1 offense,
and it’s loaded with excellent
players, such as quarterback
Jared Goff, running back Todd
Gurley and wide receivers
Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods
and Cooper Kupp.
Of course, Shanahan has
nothing to do with the Rams ros-
ter. But their offensive scheme
evolved from him. Rams head
coach Sean McVay worked un-
ALVIN JORNADA / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
TIM IRELAND / ASSOCIATED PRESS
der Shanahan from 2010 to 2013
when they were on the Wash-
ington Redskins. McVay was the
tight ends coach, and Shanahan
was the offensive coordinator.
He groomed McVay, shaped his
offensive philosophy.
This week, a reporter asked
McVay about his experience in
Washington with Shanahan.
“I wouldn’t really say it was a
give and take,” McVay explained
on a conference call. “I would
say it was more me taking infor-
mation from him, and him giv-
ing. The way he prepared was so
impressive. The way he saw the
game. His ability to make (runs
TURN TO 49ERS » PAGE C6
Inside
Baseball » 2
Coll. Football » 3
NFL » 6
Weather » 8
Montgomery
head coach
Vertis Patton,
at right, hud-
dles with his
offense before
the Vikings’
home game
against Maria
Carrillo on
Sept. 21.
LYNNE SLADKY / ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Boston Red Sox’s Rafael De-
vers celebrates his three-run home
run off Houston Astros pitcher
Justin Verlander during the sixth
inning of Game 5 of the AL Cham-
pionship Series on Thursday.
ALCS
Red Sox
send
champs
packing
Boston wins 4 in row to
top Astros for AL crown,
advance to World Series
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — What a birth-
day present for rookie manager
Alex Cora. He’s taking the Bos-
ton Red Sox back to the World
Series.
David Price put his postsea-
son woes behind him, pitching
the Red Sox past the defending
champion Houston Astros 4-1
Thursday night in Game 5 of the
AL Championship Series.
Next stop for the 108-win
Red Sox is Fenway Park for the
World Series opener Tuesday
night against either the Los
Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee
Brewers.
But before leaving Minute
Maid Park, the Red Sox sur-
rounded the 43-year-old Cora in
the clubhouse and heartily sang
“happy birthday!” Wearing gog-
gles and championship gear, the
team saluted the first manager
from Puerto Rico to take a team
to the World Series.
Cora was hired a year ago as
he prepared to go to the Series
as Houston’s bench coach. He
got the job a month after Hur-
ricane Maria devastated his
island homeland, and immedi-
ately went to work helping with
relief efforts.
“I know right now for every-
thing that we’re going through
as a nation, as a country, for me
to stand up here with this tro-
phy, I know there’s a lot of peo-
ple proud of me in Puerto Rico,”
he said.
Rafael Devers hit a three-run
homer as the Red Sox stunned
Justin Verlander to win the
best-of-seven set 4-1.
ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley
Jr., outfielder Mookie Betts and
the Red Sox will try to bring
Boston its fourth crown in
15 years — this is their first trip
since winning it all in 2013.
Los Angeles has a 3-2 lead in
the NLCS going into Game 6 to-
night at Miller Park.
“We got four more wins. That
was very, very special, absolutely.
TURN TO ALCS » PAGE C2
C6
NFL NOTES
Broncos
overpower
Rosen,
Cardinals
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Emmanuel Sanders threw and
caught touchdown passes, Den-
ver returned two interceptions
for first-quarter touchdowns and
the visiting Broncos snapped a
four-game losing streak with a
45-10 rout of the Arizona Cardi-
nals on Thursday night.
Todd Davis returned rookie
Josh Rosen’s deflected pass for
a touchdown on the second play
of the game and Chris Harris Jr.
took another back 53 yards for a
score with 2:02 left in the quarter
as the Broncos (3-4) opened a 21-3
lead.
Rosen threw three intercep-
tions and fumbled the ball away
twice on a rough night that began
badly for him and never got bet-
ter. He limped off the field after
he was sacked for the fifth time,
on a fourth-and-16 play near the
end of the game.
The Cardinals (1-6), down 35-3
at the half, fell to 0-4 at home for
the first time since 1979.
Case Keenum completed 14
of 21 passes for 161 yards and a
touchdown with one intercep-
tion for Denver. Phillip Lindsay
rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries,
including a 28-yard TD run.
Rosen had called a timeout
after the game’s first play. Then
his pass was deflected by the out-
stretched hand of defensive end
Derek Wolfe. The ball dropped
into the hands of Davis, who ran
it in from there.
Arizona followed with a three-
and-out and the Broncos quick-
ly made it 14-0 with a six-play,
77-yard drive.
No surgery for Dolphins QB
Miami Dolphins coach Adam
Gase said the team is not ex-
ploring surgery as an option for
quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s
injured right shoulder.
“We’re not looking at that,”
Gase said on Thursday.
Gase’s comment came a day
after the Dolphins ruled Tanne-
hill out of Sunday’s Week 7 home
game against the Detroit Lions.
Brock Osweiler will get his
second consecutive start for the
Dolphins.
Gase has been adamant about
several points regarding Tanne-
hill, who missed last Sunday’s
home game against the Bears
after his shoulder worsened dur-
ing Dolphins practice last week.
Gase believes Tannehill will
return at some point for the Dol-
phins this season, and said Tan-
nehill will again be the starter
over Osweiler when he does.
Also, rest will be the best op-
tion for Tannehill’s recovery.
If Tannehill were to undergo
shoulder surgery, it is highly
likely it would end his season.
Cowboys’ Williams gets ban
The NFL suspended Dallas
Cowboys receiver Terrance Wil-
liams for three games without
pay on Thursday for violating
the substance-abuse policy.
The suspension stems from
Williams’ May arrest by the Fri-
sco police department for misde-
meanor public intoxication.
Williams got three games be-
cause the NFL believes he es-
caped a more serious change of
driving while intoxicated after
fleeing the scene after hitting a
light pole in his Lamborghini.
After arriving at the scene,
police went to Williams’ house
where they found him riding a
motorized scooter in the road
and subsequently arrested him
for public intoxication.
Williams’ misdemeanor pub-
lic intoxication charge was dis-
missed after he attended an al-
cohol-awareness course and paid
the city of Frisco for property
damage caused to the light pole.
Browns’ Gaines to miss game
Stopping the NFL’s top-ranked
passing offense got more daunt-
ing for the Browns.
Starting cornerback E.J.
Gaines will miss Sunday’s game
at Tampa Bay because of a con-
cussion, further challenging a
Cleveland defense also without
Pro Bowl linebacker Joe Schob-
ert, who could be out several
weeks with a hamstring injury.
The loss of Gaines would be
tough any time, but especially
this week against the high-flying
Buccaneers, who are averaging
368.4 yards passing per game and
have a trifecta of talented receiv-
ers in Mike Evans, DeSean Jack-
son and Chris Godwin.
With size and speed, Tampa
Bay’s receivers stress defenses.
“Stresses the coaches, too,
everybody,” Browns coach Hue
Jackson said.
Raiders fined $20K for injury report violation
By MATT SCHNEIDMAN
MERCURY NEWS
The Raiders are still taking
losses, even on their bye week.
The league fined the Raiders
$20,000 for a violation of the
NFL’s injury report policy after
they failed to downgrade left
guard Kelechi Osemele from
“questionable” to “out” when
he didn’t travel to the team’s
Week  5 away game against the
Chargers, a source confirmed
to the Bay Area News Group on
Thursday morning.
Here is what the league’s poli-
cy states on the matter:
BARBER
CONTINUED FROM C1
Finally, last holiday season,
Davis bumped his offer to a
preposterous $100 million over
10 years. The fish was on the
line. Gruden reeled him in.
He set the mechanism into
motion slowly, though. Gruden
couldn’t just cut all of his best
players on Day 1. It would be too
suspicious and, anyway, the vil-
lain gets way more satisfaction
from slowly drawing out his
victim’s pain. So Gruden smiled
and high-fived Raiders fans. He
kept up appearances.
But all along, Gruden was
plotting. He knew Derwin
James, the safety from Florida
State, would have way too much
of an impact, so he drafted
Kolton Miller, a serviceable
tackle from UCLA, in the first
round and soon pushed him
into a starting role.
Meanwhile, Gruden set about the Raiders traded their best
aging the Oakland roster like a
time-lapse film of a withering
flower. His first-year acquisi-
tions have included 35-year-old
linebacker Derrick Johnson,
35-year-old defensive tackle
Frostee Rucker, 33-year-old
wide receiver Jordy Nelson,
33-year-old cornerback Leon
Hall, 32-year-old cornerback
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
and 32-year-old defensive tackle just as Al Davis had received
Ahtyba Rubin. Gruden is no
fool. He knew these veterans of
the leather-helmet days would
move slowly and be more prone but there was a lot of talent on
to injury.
Gruden made other suspi-
cious moves. He cut one of the
strongest punters in the NFL,
Marquette King, and replaced
him with a rookie. (Surprise!
The rookie isn’t doing very well too reckless one week, and too
so far.) He traded a third-round conservative the next. And as
draft pick for wide receiver
Martavis Bryant, a career-long
malcontent who would seem to
be the antithesis of the famed
“Gruden Grinder.”
All of it was unsettling, but and surrendered six sacks. Now emoji faces blowing steam out
Raiders fans gave Gruden the
benefit of the doubt. This was
49ERS
CONTINUED FROM C1
and play-action passes) look the
same. His ability to attack de-
fensive structures and rules and
manipulate things. He’s a great
coach.”
McVay was merely 24 when
Washington hired him in 2010.
Shanahan was 31. Shanahan al-
ready had been an offensive co-
ordinator for two seasons with
the Houston Texans. He was
Yoda compared to McVay.
“We brought in what I had
run in Houston, and adjusted it
to the different quarterbacks we
had (in Washington),” Shana-
han said. “Sean was very good.
We put a lot of that stuff in to-
gether. We’ve gone some differ-
ent directions over the last few
years (with our schemes), but
when you turn on the tape, (our
offenses are) very similar.”
Every core principle of Mc-
Vay’s scheme comes from Sha-
nahan. “I learned so much from
him with regards to the timing
(of outside-zone blocking),” Mc-
Vay said. “(I learned) how to cre-
ate explosive plays through the
pass game (without putting) a lot
of stress on your guys up front,
with regards to play-action,
(pocket) movement and chang-
ing launch points. I learned so
much football both offensively
and defensively from him, and
I’m forever indebted for that.”
McVay and Shanahan split
in 2014. Shanahan became
the offensive coordinator for
Cleveland Browns and Mc-
Vay replaced Shanahan as the
Redskins offensive coordinator
under Washington’s new head
coach, Jay Gruden.
The next few seasons, McVay
evolved. He began primarily
using what coaches call “11 per-
sonnel,” meaning three wide
receivers, one running back and
one tight end. This was a major
departure from Shanahan, who
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2018
“Injuries or other events that and the televising network. tionable” typically work out with
occur after 4:00 p.m., New York “The reporting of late-night the head trainer several hours
time, on the designated game and early-morning incidents, de- before the game to determine
status reporting day must be re- fined as those occurring between their status, but the Raiders had
ported immediately if the injury 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., local determined Osemele wouldn’t
or event could affect a player’s time, may be delayed until 8:00 play before their flight. Thus, he
ability to play in that week’s a.m., local time. At that time, the should have been downgraded
game. It is the club Public Rela- player’s then-current condition to “out” before the team took off
tions Director’s responsibility to must be reported and updated as Saturday afternoon.
report information of this type required by the policy.” Osemele hasn’t played in the
to the opposing team’s Public Re- Osemele was listed as “ques- Raiders’ last two games after
lations Director and to the NFL tionable” with a knee injury on suffering a right knee injury
Communications Department the Raiders’ official game status against the Browns in Week 4.
as soon as such developments report on Friday, Oct. 5. After The Raiders won’t have trouble
occur. In addition, the updated Sunday’s 26-10 loss to the Char- forking over $20,000, but it’s an
game status information must gers, head coach Jon Gruden inconvenience nonetheless, es-
be released to the club’s local said Osemele didn’t travel with pecially given the Raiders’ pres-
media, The Associated Press, the team. Players who are “ques- ent struggles at 1-5.
again: “I’m done trying to
change my style. It’s not me.
Back to what I know and what
got me here!!”
Gruden fired right back at a
press conference the next day.
Asked about Melvin, he said,
“I heard there was a Twitter
report out there. Melvin is on
his seventh team, I think. He’s
had different techniques. Maybe
he’s confused, I don’t know. I’ll
talk to him. But he has to play
better.”
The other guy who began
the season as a starting cor-
nerback, second-year man
Gareon Conley, has issues, too.
Tuesday, someone on Twitter
pointedly noted that Gruden
D. ROSS CAMERON / ASSOCIATED PRESS called Conley “a young guy that
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden greets fans before a Sept. 30 game we want to see more of,” though
against the Cleveland Browns in Oakland. the Raiders had benched him.
Conley “liked” the tweet.
Chucky, after all, the coach they jittery even when he does have So yes, it’s all starting to fray
had wanted back since 2002. He protection. in Alameda. Just as Gruden
must have a master plan. Gruden has cemented dreamed in his lair. He’s one of
Well, he did. And that plan the plan through his own the few football coaches with a
was revealed on Sept. 1 when play-calling. He has the great- lair.
est short-yardage back in the If this story were a movie,
player, Khalil Mack, to the league in Marshawn Lynch. So the camera would now focus
Chicago Bears. That was the fourth-and-1? Throw a swing on Mark Davis as he drops his
day Gruden removed his mask. pass to the fullback. First-and- fork and slowly looks up from
If you weren’t guzzling the goal from the 1? Throw it there, his Kung Pao shrimp with a
Kool-Aid, this was the moment too. Gruden is a diabolical faraway stare. Then a montage
you knew the head coach was genius. of greatest misses: Khalil Mack
intentionally blowing up his And so the scheme proceeds in a Bears uniform, sacking a QB
team. Gruden even built some apace. Three competitive losses … Carr throwing an interception
symbolism into the transaction, and a narrow win have been fol- at the goal line … the Black Hole,
as villains do. He got a pair of lowed by two blowout failures, slumped and dejected. Then
first-round picks from Chicago, the worst coming last Sunday we’d cut to Gruden, leaving
when the Seahawks drubbed the Raiders headquarters. He’s limp-
from the Buccaneers back in ’02. Raiders in London. Oakland is ing. His brow is furrowed. But as
Gruden wasn’t done. He had 1-5 and rated as the worst team Gruden makes his way down the
gutted the Raiders defense, in the NFL in most so-called sidewalk, the limp disappears
power rankings. Somewhere, and a smile curls his lips. He
offense. He had to find a way to Jon Gruden pops a Budweiser takes off his Raiders visor and
undermine that side of the ball, and cackles. replaces it with a Fired Football
too. So he went about crushing The final phase of the tear- Coaches Association cap.
Derek Carr’s soul. down is now in high gear: Frac- The final shot would be Davis
Through the media, Gruden ture the Oakland locker room. It again, the camera drawing ever
began telling Carr he was being started with the Mack trade, but closer to the team owner’s eyes
it didn’t end there. The Raiders as he realizes he still owns his
have apportioned playing time coach more than $92 million.
the gears spun wildly in Carr’s in strange ways, and the players Yes, Mark, it was Jon Gruden
head, Gruden made sure his are beginning to react. Monday, all along.
offensive line lacked depth. cornerback Rashaan Melvin
Miller played the past two tweeted, “Frustrated and upset. You can reach columnist Phil
games despite a knee injury, I’m tired of it!” followed by two Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.
barber@pressdemocrat.com.
Carr is a mess, running for his of their invisible nostrils. Seven Follow him on Twitter: @Skin-
life half the time and looking hours later, Melvin tweeted ny_Post.
JOE MAHONEY / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley leads the NFL with 623 yards rushing. He also leads the NFL in
touchdowns with 11, nine of them on the ground.
mostly uses “21 personnel” — and we feel really fortunate with but I would prefer not to have
two receivers, one running back, our receivers. (For the 49ers), I Kyle Shanahan in our division.”
one fullback and one tight end. know the versatility that (full- Ultimate respect from the
Now, the Rams offense has back) Kyle Juszczyk has. Sha- protégé to the mentor.
three receivers on the field near- nahan does a phenomenal job
ly every play, and never a full- utilizing him in a variety of Notes
back. That’s the main difference ways that make him difficult to The following players re-
between it and the 49ers offense, defend, especially out of that 21 turned to practice as limited
which usually includes a full- personnel grouping.” participants after sitting out
back. But McVay’s philosophy Meaning both coaches evolved Wednesday: wide receiver
of using one personnel grouping to suit the strengths of their ros- Pierre Garcon (shoulder, knee),
almost exclusively comes from ters. right guard Mike Person (knee),
Shanahan. These days, Shanahan and center Weston Richburg (knee),
“It’s a key philosophy,” Mc- McVay are rivals. They’re head left tackle Joe Staley (knee),
Vay said, “and something I have coaches in the same division, cornerback K’Waun Williams
really learned from Kyle. When and McVay has the upper hand. (shoulder) and cornerback Ah-
you look at successful offens- His record is 17-5, while Shana- kello Witherspoon (concussion).
es around the league, there is a han’s is 7-15. Their relationship Rookie wide receiver Dante
clear-cut identity, but also a lev- has changed since the days when Pettis did not practice. He in-
el of uncertainty with regards to Shanahan would speak and Mc- jured his knee fielding a punt
what is coming next, and I think Vay would take notes. against the Los Angeles Char-
Kyle has as good a feel as any- “We certainly still talk,” Mc- gers on Sept. 30 and hasn’t
body at setting things up. Vay said. “I wish we didn’t have played in a game since. The
“For us, it goes back to our to play twice a year, so we could 49ers traded up into the second
players. You want to do a great be a little more open with our di- round to get Pettis. He has three
job of getting your best guys on alogue. We’re fortunate to even catches and 96 receiving yards
the field as much as possible, be in these roles, so I’ll take it, this season.