NFL NOTES

The Raiders have started the interview process ... for assistant coaches.

Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who The Chronicle reported last week would be named Oakland's head coach, has called assistants around the league whom he might want on his staff, two league sources said Monday.

Raiders owner Al Davis chose not to pick up the option on former head coach Tom Cable's contract after an 8-8 season, informing Cable on Tuesday night. Jackson has not formally interviewed for the head-coaching job since then, but he did sit down at length with Davis last offseason and is under contract for next season as an assistant.

Davis hired Jackson, handed him the play-calling duties from Cable and watched the Raiders score more than twice as many points (410-197) in 2010 as they did in 2009. Jackson interviewed for the San Francisco job last week before the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh but is not a candidate for the three remaining head-coach openings in the NFL.

Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who was with the Raiders from 2004 through '08, could be a candidate to potentially replace defensive coordinator John Marshall, with the added title of assistant head coach.

- Vittorio Tafur

Briefly: Former Cal linebacker Ron Rivera, the Chargers' defensive coordinator, had a second interview with the Panthers for their head-coaching vacancy. Rivera has emerged as the leading candidate to replace John Fox. ... The Packers' win over the Eagles earned the highest television rating for a wild-card game in 12 years. Fox said it drew a 22.1 rating and 37 share, the best since the game between the Packers and 49ers during the 1998 season.

This article appeared on page B - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle