Oakland center's strong play settles Raiders line
Thursday, September 29, 2011
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- Raiders left guard Stefen Wisniewski called it a dream block. Khalif Barnes likened it to a motivational speech with a physical twist.
Samson Satele said he was simply hitting the player closest to him.
Satele's block on Jets safety Jim Leonhard was the signature moment during rookie Denarius Moore's 23-yard touchdown on a reverse in the second half of Oakland's 34-24 win over New York last week, and not just because it knocked the 5-foot-8, 188-pound Leonhard off his feet.
It was a clean play, to be certain, and in many ways typified coach Hue Jackson's credo of building a bully. Heading into Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, the Raiders own the NFL's top-ranked rushing attack and have allowed only two sacks.
Satele has been at the center of Oakland's resurgence, literally and figuratively.
