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What They're Saying: Bay Area Sportswriters
As Sunday’s showdown for a trip to Super Bowl XXXVII draws closer we take a look at what the San Francisco; Oakland Bay Area media has to say about the game.
Last week, the Raiders chafed at the talk of the New York Jets being the league's hottest team. All week, they pointed out the Jets' 6-2 second half and said what about our 7-1?
The Titans trump either. Tennessee won 10 of its final 11 regular-season games and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-31 in overtime Saturday. So the buildup for this game is different from the Jets game in one respect: respect.
''They're a better team,'' said Raiders guard Frank Middleton, playing nice after a week of venom toward New York. ''Everybody was worrying about the Jets. I think Tennessee is probably the hottest team in the league right now.''
One of these teams will make history as the first team to reach the Super Bowl after losing four in a row during the season. So Raiders Coach Bill Callahan can identify what the Titans were going through -- and knows better than to draw any confidence from the previous result.
''That game from Week 3 or whenever it was, it feels like three years ago,'' Callahan said. ''There is no question in this locker room that the Titans command our respect. They're going to come in here and try to open it up, try to get their featured guys down the field.''
Perhaps inspired by recent history, or the no-nonsense approach of unflappable head coach Bill Callahan, the Raiders offered no indication this latest stab at the Super Bowl would rattle nerves. If anything, this is a time for reflection.
''I think the first time we went, in 2000, we were too excited. It was a rah- rah thing -- 'Oh, we've made it to the AFC Championship,'' Collins conceded. ''I think the last time we just took it for granted. We were enjoying the moment too much, and now this is serious business. We've got to win this game to get what we want.''
Callahan, who was the Raiders' offensive line coach and offensive coordinator the past two seasons, has noticed a distinct change in the attitude of this team.
''Well, I think they're on a mission. And the mission is incomplete right now,'' he said. ''To complete it, we've got to play a great game this weekend. And the thing that I see that's different from two years ago is that this team is a little bit more focused, they're putting in more time, you can see the quality of practices that we're having.''
''I can see that as a coach; we can as a staff. You can see the performance level is still high. You see a lot of communication and dialogue and the chemistry which we work on continuously here continues to improve.''
Guard Frank Middleton, who joyously engaged in a long-distance game of trash talk with Jets defensive tackle Josh Evans, wasn't about to crow about Oakland's 52-25 win over Tennessee on Sept.29.
''This is a championship game, that's your motivator right there,'' Middleton said. ''It's not about what happened the first time we met. It's about winning one game and getting to San Diego.''
With Oakland's goal as incomplete as a Chad Pennington pass, coach Bill Callahan lauded his team's professionalism and chemistry in moving on to the next challenge.
''We feel that we have as good a chance as anyone in this final four right now,'' Callahan said. ''The key is to really come together this week and put it all together for one final push.''
Tackle Lincoln Kennedy said Oakland's serious postgame demeanor suggested an understanding of what lies ahead.
''It's still all business,'' Kennedy said. ''It's not over, and we're not going to get ahead of ourselves.''
One sobering thought is that five of the past six AFC top seeds have failed to make the Super Bowl. The last three AFC champions have won the title on the road.
''Our team understands that very well,'' Callahan said.
Anthony Dorsett, a starting free safety in his first season with the Raiders after signing as a free agent from Tennessee, can sense a difference this time around.
''I think it's definitely a different mind-set,'' Dorsett said. ''The year we got to the championship game, it was like everything happened so fast, and it was so many new people. Now people are looking at the big picture.''
''Immediately after the (Jets) game it was like, 'Hey, we've still got to go out and play next week. Everyone understands we have to keep rolling, and you can't be happy about what you did yesterday.''
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