PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Ball Deceives With His Speed

Look at Jerry Ball and the word quick doesn’t exactly come to mind.

Huge. Imposing. Immovable. Those are more likely descriptions of the 6-1, 300-pound defensive lineman, who has most often been compared to a fire hydrant.

But ask the New Orleans Saints and they’ll tell you how well Ball moves.

In Sunday’s game at the Coliseum, Ball crossed the line of scrimmage so quickly after the center snap on one occasion that it appeared he was offside.

Ball has been appearing in opposing backfields with such regularity that even his own coach, Art Shell, is surprised. Shell conceded in training camp in Oxnard that he didn’t realize Ball, who was signed as a free agent in the off-season, was such a good pass rusher.

Ball, who played previously for the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns, was supposed to be a backup lineman for the Raiders, who figured they were set up front with Chester McGlockton, Anthony Smith, Nolan Harrison and Scott Davis, who was attempting a comeback after a two-year retirement.

But when Davis took two weeks off because of personal problems one week into the season, Ball moved in and isn’t about to be budged from the starting lineup.

“Jerry Ball is awfully quick off the ball, an explosive individual. He’s right over the ball. He sees that center squeeze the ball and,” Shell said, snapping his fingers, “he’s gone right now. Tough thing to block a guy like that when you’re sitting in the gap.”

With Ball and McGlockton in the middle, the Raiders have moved into the AFC lead and are third overall in the NFL in run defense, yielding 84.5 yards per game. In the last two games, against the Rams and Saints, the Raiders have given up a total of 38 yards rushing.