ALAMEDA – You're not going to change Tom Cable's mind. The Raiders' interim coach still believes Kwame Harris is a good football player.
Cable just wishes his left offensive tackle wouldn't be so eager to get out of his three-point stance.
"He's just got to believe he's a good football player because he is when he's right," Cable said. "When he doesn't overanalyze or overthink things, he's really good."
Harris came to the Raiders as a free agent last spring after five seasons with the 49ers in which he had a penchant for untimely penalties.
As the Raiders tried to score their first offensive touchdown since Oct. 26 in Baltimore, Harris had two false starts deep in Miami territory last week that left his coach, teammates and himself frustrated.
The Raiders had first and goal from the 5 in the second quarter, but Harris' false starts and a sack forced the Raiders to settle for a field goal. Cable then benched Harris in the second half.
"(The false starts) really upset me," Harris said. "They're definitely something I wish never happened. I don't know why or what it is."
Only a bad showing by backup Mario Henderson allowed Harris to keep his starting job this Sunday against the host Denver Broncos.
"There's a fire in (Harris)," Cable said. "At the same time, you wish he would, you know, have a little more bite all the time.
"But he's getting there, and really, it's not so much that he plays with the right attitude or the right frenzy, it's just the analytical part of who he is. Sometimes you can outsmart yourself in this game."
Harris' run blocking and pass protection have been an upgrade over Barry Sims, according to Cable, but penalties continue to be a problem.
Harris leads the NFL with nine false starts. In contrast, the Broncos have nine false starts.
"It's hard to carry that on your shoulders," Harris said. "Especially when it's something as preventable as that, a pre-snap penalty. My goal is not to have one happen the rest of the year."
Quarterback JaMarcus Russell offered Harris encouragement after one false start against the Dolphins. Left guard Robert Gallery, who had his problems with penalties until this season, did the same after the second.
"He knows that we can't have that, especially not that close to the end zone," Russell said. "(I) just told him to stand up for me, no matter what happens, (and) we'll still be able to get a chance. We can't get chances with things like that happening."
Because of Henderson's poor play, Cable said Harris won't have to worry about leaving the game. Harris can't abandon his approach but will try to loosen up and just react.
"Football is a thinking man's game on so many levels, especially as an O-lineman," Harris said. "You have to break down a lot of things before the snap count comes. There's something to be said (for) and a lot of weight should be given to the idea of going out there and just relaxing."
Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/ raidersblog.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.