When Al Davis finally broke his silence about Lane Kiffin on the day he fired his coach, he had plenty to say in response to the one-sided verbal attack Kiffin had been launching at the organization for months.
Davis detailed acts of what he called insubordination by Kiffin, read a warning letter he gave his coach more than two weeks ago and said he made the decision to fire Kiffin on Tuesday because the coach was “a flat-out liar.”
“I just couldn’t go on much longer with what I would call the propaganda, the lying that had been going on for weeks and months and a year and time,” Davis said in his first news conference in nearly 14 months.
Kiffin had a 5-15 record since being hired last year, losing his final game 28-18 on Sunday to San Diego. Offensive line coach Tom Cable will take over on an interim basis. The team has a bye this week before Cable coaches his first game at New Orleans on
Oct. 12.
The decision to remove Kiffin was more about his frequent criticisms of Davis’ franchise as it was the team’s performance on the field. Those critiques reached a peak when Kiffin distanced himself from the defense after a blowout loss in the season opener, saying that was under coordinator Rob Ryan and Davis’ control.
But Davis also took shots at Kiffin’s coaching ability, questioning his in-game strategies and several of his coaching and personnel decisions. Among other things, he said Kiffin objected to the Raiders using the first pick in the 2007 draft on quarterback JaMarcus Russell and insisted on Randy Moss being traded before last season.
Bulger back at QB
Marc Bulger is the St. Louis Rams’ starting quarterback again in one of Jim Haslett’s first moves as the new coach.
Job training
Ryan Fitzpatrick had only one practice to run the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense before making his first start in three years. It quickly showed.
The quarterback from Harvard threw three interceptions and fumbled during a 20-12 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, looking very much out of practice. Things got better in the second half, when he threw a touchdown pass that kept it close.
There was an explanation: Carson Palmer takes virtually all the snaps with the starting offense during practice, leaving Fitzpatrick with little chance to get a feel for the plays. Palmer’s sore passing elbow, which wasn’t revealed until late in the week, left Fitzpatrick in a tough spot.
* Running back Cedric Benson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, who needed another runner and were undeterred by two alcohol-related arrests in Texas that prompted the Chicago Bears to let him go.
Benson will replace running back DeDe Dorsey, who was placed on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in Sunday’s loss.
Texans sign Sapp
The Houston Texans placed safety C.C. Brown on injured reserve and signed fullback Cecil Sapp.
Brown broke his arm against Jacksonville on Sunday and had surgery Monday. Sapp spent five seasons with the Broncos and scored two touchdowns in 2007.
McGahee uncertain
Baltimore running back Willis McGahee has a rib injury and his status for the Ravens game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday is unclear.
McGahee suffered the injury during Baltimore’s 23-20 overtime loss Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was limited to just a yard on his only second-half carry after injuring his ribs in the final minutes of the first half.
Case continued
A preliminary hearing on a drunken-driving charge for Tennessee defensive end Jevon Kearse has been continued until Jan. 6.
The hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn., but Kearse’s attorney said neither he nor the prosecution’s office had seen video of the June 22 arrest.
Kearse was arrested by Vanderbilt University police and charged with driving under the influence and refusing a breath test.
Broncos moves
The Denver Broncos placed wide receiver Clifford Russell on injured reserve Tuesday and signed free-agent wide receiver Glenn Martinez.
Important victory
Going almost a year without winning can play tricks on a man’s mind.
Just ask coach Herm Edwards, who had trouble sleeping Sunday night after his Kansas City Chiefs halted a franchise-record 12-game losing streak with a 33-19 victory over Denver.
“I kept asking my wife about 1 o’clock, ‘We won, right?”‘ Edwards said Tuesday. “She said, ‘Yeah, you won, honey.”‘
Their first victory since Oct. 21, 2007, was especially important for the raft of young players on the roster of the rebuilding Chiefs, Edwards said. Coaches had noted that many of the rookies were beginning to doubt whether they even belonged in the NFL after an 0-3 start that included back-to-back blowout losses to Oakland and Atlanta.
“I think they were questioning themselves,” Edwards said. “They were questioning their talent. You can’t question that. The way you overcome that, you’ve got to just keep playing. Just play with energy. Just keep going fast. Just keep playing hard.”
 

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