Coach's legal limbo only 1 of Raiders' woes

ALAMEDA, Calif. - After watching his team endure yet another blowout loss, Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable said one of the keys to getting his team back on track is to eliminate distractions.

Cable was talking about the how the team responds to adversity early in games, when one bad play or bad call can lead to more and end up in a lopsided game.

The potentially bigger distraction of Cable's legal problems regarding his alleged training camp assault on defensive assistant Randy Hanson is not an issue, Cable said yesterday.

"I've not let it become an issue," said Cable, whose 1-4 Raiders host the Eagles Sunday.

The Napa police announced last week that they have ended their investigation and forwarded the results to the district attorney's office.

The NFL is monitoring the case and Cable could face a suspension, depending on how the legal process plays out.

Hanson ended months of silence by talking to Yahoo! Sports late last week, saying Cable threatened to kill him during the August attack at the team's training camp hotel in Napa that left him with a broken jaw. Cable has denied the allegations.

The more pressing issue for Cable is fixing an offense that has managed only 13 points during a three-game losing streak. The Raiders have gained only 426 yards in that stretch, a mark that has been reached 25 times in a single game by other teams this season, including the Giants' 483-yard effort in Sunday's 44-7 victory over Oakland.

In other news, linebacker Ricky Brown injured his right ankle and could miss the rest of the season if he needs surgery. If an operation isn't necessary, Brown will likely miss 4 weeks. Wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) and left guard Robert Gallery (leg) could return from injuries.