Kiffin had done nothing but talk up the performance and potential of Russell since the 2008 season began, but Davis said the coach had doubts since well before draft day in 2007.

Davis even outlined his issues with Kiffin in the letter he told the media he sent to Kiffin on Sept. 12, which told the second-year coach to get on board or take a hike.

With Kiffin's safety-first approach, Russell has thrown 99 passes through four games with just one interception. The passes attempted number was inflated by 37 attempts in Week 4, a game in which Davis said offensive coordinator Greg Knapp assisted in the play-calling.

Davis at one point said, regarding Russell, "You've got to let him go," and, in the letter put on an overhead projector at the press conference announcing Kiffin's firing, intimated the coach wasn't on the same page as the quarterback.

"I realize you did not want to draft JaMarcus Russell," the letter said. "He is a great player. Get over it and coach this team on the field. This is what you were hired to do. We can win with this team."

Although Kiffin was hired in part to assist in player evaluation, Davis overruled the coach with regard to the top pick in the draft -- in part because of the recommendation of Tee Martin, the former Tennessee quarterback who not only played for the Raiders but was at the same high school as Russell in Mobile, Ala.

Kiffin, Davis said, had heard stories that Russell wasn't dedicated and tended to gain weight.

"I knew JaMarcus wasn't that kind of kid," Davis said. "(Kiffin) said, 'He can't win ... we can't win with this. So I said to him, 'What do you mean we can't win? And he said, 'Well, we can't win.' And I said, 'Then do the honorable thing. If you don't think you can't win -- resign.'"

Kiffin not only didn't resign, but got behind Russell to the media. He talked up his progress, minimized his errors, criticized his supporting cast rather than the quarterback.

When Davis said at the press conference that Kiffin wasn't on board with the top pick, Russell was the most surprised person in the facility.

The quarterback put it behind him, and is preparing to face the New Orleans Saints Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome, one of the sights of his greatest triumphs. On Jan. 3, 2007, Russell led LSU to a 41-14 win over Notre Dame and Brady Quinn in the Sugar Bowl.

Russell, complemented by a 245-yard rushing attack, completed 21 of 34 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns.

It wasn't until a 28-18 loss to San Diego in Week 4 that Russell threw more passes, going 22 of 37 for 277 yards against the Chargers. Coincidentally, it happened to be the same day Davis said Knapp shared play-calling duties with Kiffin, although Knapp declined comment.

If Davis flexed some muscle regarding the play-calling, it probably had to do with the second half of a 24-23 loss to Buffalo in which Russell attempted just three passes -- something Davis compared to "Woody Hayes."

New coach Tom Cable, while careful not to criticize Kiffin, promised more diversity.

"What you're going to see is a balanced offense," Cable said. "If you look at us, you might see a series or two where it seems like it's all pass, then it's all run. We have to be more balanced, more willing to enjoy the fact that we're going to take shots down the field on people. Those two concepts have to happen for us to keep people off balance."

Although Cable is an offensive line coach to the core, Knapp said his philosophy isn't what you'd expect. Knapp relayed a conversation he had with Cable after the coaching change that indicated an aggressive style.

"One of my questions during the interview was, 'If we've got eight guys in the box in the red zone, what do you think we should do?'" Knapp said. "He said, you should rip it and throw it.'

"He said, 'I've got no problem with us throwing touchdown passes down there if that's what it takes to win.' He definitely is a non-traditional offensive line coach ... he thinks outside the box more than most offensive line coaches do."

Cable resisted the notion that he would be the one to take the training wheels off Russell after four games of relative conservatism.

"After he went out there for the Denver game, to me, the training wheels were off," Cable said. "You've got let him go do what he's doing. What I would like to see him do better, and I think he'd be the first to tell you, is be a little more accurate and just go make the plays that are out there to make."

SERIES HISTORY: 11th meeting. Raiders lead 5-4-1. Saints won last game 31-26 in Oakland. QB Aaron Brooks, who would play for Oakland in 2006, passes for 282 yards and a touchdown. In the last game at New Orleans, the Raiders prevailed 31-22 as Rich Gannon threw two touchdown passes and Zack Crockett rushed for two touchdowns.