Saturday’s game was not the kind of “audition” Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell wanted.
Cottrell is among those under consideration for the head coaching job with the San Diego Chargers, but Cottrell’s defense gave up three field goals and a touchdown on the Raiders’ first four possessions.
Cottrell was defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills when Chargers GM John Butler was general manger there. Cottrell earned the respect of players for his willingness to stand up for himself, even in sideline confrontations with volatile head coach Wade Phillips.
“He and Wade went at it at times over play calling,” recalled Bears defensive tackle Ted Washington, then with the Bills. “Ted never did back down. When something went wrong, Ted stood his ground and it usually turned out for the better.”
Sick feeling: The Jets, in need of all the pass rush they could find against an Oakland attack ranked fourth in passing yards, suffered a setback in the first quarter. Pro Bowl defensive end John Abraham left the game because he had a virus . Abraham was second in the AFC with a team-leading 13 sacks.
Record man: The San Francisco 49ers are in the playoffs and so is wide receiver Jerry Rice, just not with that team for the first time. Rice, who signed with the Raiders after a contract situation could not be worked out with the 49ers, added to his NFL career playoff records in receptions with a team-high five in the first half alone for 88 yards, also increasing his own NFL record. Rice set up the Raiders’ fourth-quarter TD run by Zack Crockett with a 47-yard catch to the New York 2-yard line. The gain made him the oldest player in NFL history (39 years, 3 months) to record a 100-yard receiving game in the playoffs.
