JaMarcus Russell couldn't remember exactly when it happened, settling on one of the time outs late in the game.
The Baltimore Ravens had things under control, Russell kept getting hit, and Ray Lewis decided it was time to impart some wisdom upon the future of the Raiders franchise.
"Believe it or not, Ray Lewis told me to protect myself,"
Russell said with a laugh following a 29-10 loss at M&T Bank Stadium. "He said, `There's going to be a lot going on out there so protect yourself. If you can, get down.' "
Going down without a fight was not the image Russell was looking to project.
The Raiders trailed 19-0 at halftime, had just 35 yards of total offense and 38-0 looked within the realm of possibility.
Russell had been sacked twice, once for a safety, and threw a deep pattern up for grabs in the general direction of Johnnie Lee Higgins that was intercepted by cornerback Frank Walker.
The Raiders couldn't run, of course. No one runs on Baltimore. The stage was set for a classic beat-down of an overmatched opponent with an inexperienced quarterback. Russell's status as the No. 1 overall pick was like a bounty to the Ravens defense.
So the Ravens attacked, and attacked some more. Russell was sacked only four times, but the pressure was similar to what Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter experienced two years ago when the Raiders gained all of 162 yards in a 28-3 loss to the Ravens.
In the end, Russell won nothing in a bottom-line league. He made only two truly exceptional passes, a 60-yard strike to Chaz Schillens over former Raider Fabian Washington and a third-and-1 pass under a heavy rush which went to a leaping Zach Miller for 25 yards to the Baltimore 4-yard line.
He finished 15-for-33 for 228 yards, a touchdown and an interception. In Oakland's last possession, he nearly had two passes stolen and taken the other way for touchdowns, one by Ed Reed and another by Washington.
It could have been much, much worse.
Nothing came easy. Even the touchdown was no cause for celebration, because the 2-yard pass to Justin Griffith was originally ruled down on the 1-yard line and Griffith left the game with a knee injury. It was overturned on a Raiders challenge, when officials ruled Griffith had broken the plane of the goal line with the ball while taking a shot from Lewis.
Russell was bloodied but far from broken. Although there's little evidence the Raiders are good enough to avoid a sixth straight season of double-digit losses, there is at least a glimmer of hope that Russell has what it takes to survive without the scarring common to franchise quarterbacks on bad teams.
"You have to grow up fast,"
Russell said. "I think in certain situations you become better. It's tough out there, man. I promise. I mean, you can see. I'm not going to let them stop me until I can't throw it any more. No matter what it is, I'm going to keep punching until I get what I want, as far as in life as well as football."
Late in the game, Russell was pulverized by Terrell Suggs after getting off a pass. Russell jumped to his feet and gave Suggs a hard slap on the behind, giving him credit while at the same time showing he was no pretty boy quarterback.
"He's a football player, a very competitive player who is going to be a star in this league,"
Suggs said. "After taking all the heat we put on him, he was able to stay in the pocket and make some plays downfield while knowing he was going to get hit."
Ravens defensive end Haloti Ngata said Russell "looked like he enjoyed it out there. He was poised _ like the hits didn't get to him. I think some of them did and helped us win the game, but he never showed it."
Lewis, after giving Russell advice on the field, spoke glowingly of him in the locker room.
"He made some big, big throws,"
Lewis said. "He has a very big arm, and he moves way better than people think he moves. My job is to hit 'em, it ain't to rate 'em, but think he's got a great future."
There is reason for concern over whether the Raiders are capable of putting together the kind of supporting cast and creative offensive approach which will enable Russell to thrive.
He still needs to be a more accurate passer.
The physical skills were never in question, but whatever the mystical "it"
is that makes a quarterback, Russell seems to have it in abundance.
"I've never seen him lose his composure, no matter how good or bad it gets, and that's good to see from our leader,"
Fargas said. "He always feels like he's in the ballgame. He always thinks he can make a play."
"Once you step up you tend to bring other guys along with you,"
Russell said. "That's all I was trying to do."
A moment later, Russell left the podium for the long flight home, realizing with Lewis' help that he'll need to protect himself until that day arrives
