PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : McDaniel on a Pace to Break Record

After Sunday’s three-interception, one-touchdown performance, Terry McDaniel has moved up to a class by himself among the league’s top cornerbacks. Consider that he caught more passes (three) than Tim Brown (two) did against the Patriots and has scored more touchdowns (three) than Brown (two) has all season.

“Terry McDaniel is playing on another level,” Coach Art Shell said. “Nobody in the league is playing better than Terry McDaniel.”

After making the Pro Bowl the last two seasons, McDaniel has taken his play to a higher level. Is there a reason behind McDaniel’s play this season?

“Terry’s always been a religious person, but during the summer he was baptized and I’ve noticed a change,” said McDaniel’s wife, Janna. “It’s hard to describe. It’s like a good, happy newness to him. He’s the same person, but there’s something different.”

With two interception returns for touchdowns, McDaniel already has tied the team record for most in a season and at this pace, he could threaten Lester Hayes’ team record of 13 interceptions in one season.

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Today is the league deadline for trades, but although the Raiders do not expect to make any last-minute moves, Shell did not rule any out Monday.

“You never know,” he said. “You can’t anticipate things, but there is always a possibility of something happening.”

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After the Raiders lost to San Diego, quarterback Jeff Hostetler complained about the lack of roughing-the-passer penalties he has received over the last two seasons. In the fourth quarter Sunday, New England linebacker Willie McGinest, a rookie from USC, was flagged for roughing Hostetler.

“That was a good call because the guy did strike Jeff in the head after the throw,” said Shell, who acknowledged that the Raiders had talked to officials about late hits on Hostetler.