By Paul Wexler
RaiderBeat.com Staff Writer
Wide receiver/kick returner Nick Miller, running back Darren McFadden, right offensive tackle Cornell Green and linebacker Ricky Brown did not practice and won’t play Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
Wide receiver Chaz Schilens and tight end Tony Stewart also missed practice, and they are doubtful for the Chargers game at Qualcomm Stadium. Defensive end Greg Ellis missed practice, too, but he is listed as questionable.
Left guard Robert Gallery, quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and cornerback Chris Johnson practiced full or in a limited capacity and might be available Sunday.
Raiders coach Tom Cable said it is a fluid situation with all the injured players, and he won’t be able to firm up things until Sunday morning, once he is certain who will be able to play.
“Not so much the game plan, but we’ll have to adjust Sunday morning, just depends on where guys are at at game time,” Cable said.
Our best guess is that, Schilens, Stewart and Gallery won’t play. Gradkowski is over the flu that dogged him all week, and he should be able to go if called upon to relieve starter JaMarcus Russell.
Chargers coach Norv Turner said their game against the Raiders in the opener was quite physical. He also said that the Raiders looked as physical as any team in the league in their upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago.
The Chargers lost five starters in their season-opening victory over the Raiders, including nose tackle Jamal Williams for the season.
“That’s who, ultimately, both teams are trying to be all the time, is very physical,” Cable said.
The Raiders looked like a different team in their first game against the Chargers. Players described the intensity as being “electric.”
Cable said he is hopeful that the players will get back that intensity for this game, as well.
“You look at the first San Diego game all the way up to the last 21/2 minutes,” Cable said. “You look at the last drive on both offense and defense at Kansas City, you look at really the entire game in Philadelphia, and if you set that film aside and look at it, there’s a much different, as you would say, electricity.
“If you look at the other four games you see a different team. As I told them, ‘It doesn’t look like you have a cattle prod up your rear. You’re not just zap! It’s not explosive.’
“To me, that’s making sure that we’re doing it right. Eating, sleeping right, taking care of our bodies, doing all those things. We’ve had good effort on Sundays. But there’s a difference in having good effort and playing with the electricity you talked about.”
Raiders strong safety Tyvon Branch leads all safeties in tackles through seven games. Cable said he is thrilled by Branch’s maturation into a dependable every-down player in only his second season.
“Tyvon, he missed a couple last week, but for the most part he’s been very consistent and is playing extremely well, he and (Michael) Huff both have been very good in their time in there,” Cable said. “Tyvon’s played all year, been good at coverage, good at tackling, done a very, very good job.”
Branch’s solid play has prevented rookie Mike Mitchell from cracking the starting lineup. However, he is making progress toward seeing more playing time.
“I would think (Branch is) playing at such a high level, it’s hard to do that, yeah,” Cable said of starting Mitchell.
Therefore, Cable said, other ways of using Mitchell are being explored all the time.
“Actually, we’ve kind of approached that issue, maybe getting him involved in some nickel-type stuff as a linebacker,” Cable said.
The Raiders have lost 12 straight games to the San Diego Chargers. The New England Patriots also are in the middle of a 12-game win streak against the Buffalo Bills, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have won their past 12 games against the Cleveland Browns.
Rich Gannon was the starting quarterback for the Raiders the last time they beat the Chargers, in the teams’ first contest in 2003. Bill Callahan was the coach, Tim Brown the leading wide receiver, and the Raiders were less than a year removed from a Super Bowl appearance.
The Chargers aren’t the only team that has feasted on the Raiders the past seven season. The Raiders are 26-77 since the 2002 season.
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what is so hard about playing Mitchell? Check this out Cable you stupid tool. Tyvon Branch moves to Free Safety. Micheal Huff goes to his “Natural” corner position. That leave SS available for that beast Mike Mitchell. Shit, him and Branch back there cracking skulls are you kidding? Huff I think would be a good corner, it gives us depth there as well. Johnson could play Nickel b/c Routt is TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!
Start Gradkowski !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Start
Javon Walker !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Start Winning
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jamarcus nohussle should be in all season he has potential its just a thing about if he wants to use that 4.6 he had.
correction 4.84.
pretty slow but im at 275 and my 40 is 4.72
For The Oakland Raiders, starting at QB JaFRIDGE Bustell, crowd goes wild haaaaaaaaaaaaaa,
fuck we lead the NFL with 31 three and outs guys, this is lame, 12 or 13 whatever it is and counting for the dolts, raiderflex408, for your weight you’re fast man, just dont let AL find out, he might draft you….lol……….
blah, blah, blah…who cares who’s starting, who’s not? This team has PROVEN it either shows, or it doesn’t. When they don’t show, it doesn’t matter if every position is played by #21. When they DO show, they can even win with JaBuddha and DHB. Yeah, we ‘could’ win this week, but who cares? We’ll lose next week.
This team will get beat bad by the Chargers this time around. They are going in opposite directions. Norv Turner is one of the worst coaches in football, his play calling is terrible. I don’t even know where to start with the Raiders. JBust is horrible, and he will never be good unless he has better dedication to game. DHB is a total bust, who has no hands and should be running track for the US Olympic team. No 0-line to open holes for the running game. Can’t stop the run on D. A coach that keeps throwing out the same BS every week on how it is coming together. An owner who’s days are far past behind him that cannot seem to let it go. It is the same old thing week in and week out. In our 2 wins, this offense has not put up more than 13 points on the board. Most of the players have no heart, and you can hear echos in the stadium at a home game.
So I say blah, blah, blah, keep feeding the Raiders faithful the same old bullshit…
Fed up Raiders Fan!!!!
2 wins were the 2 games where we blitzed.it’s that simple.it’s all on AL DAVIS,AL DAVIS,AL DAVIS.
we’re not pulling guards.go back and look at every game our running backs had good games,we pulled the guards.it’s that simple,again.
steve slaton in houston is a 100% prime example of why the raiders should pull the guards and also use two TE sets.houston uses the same offense that the raiders employ.matt schaub is what the raiders envision JR to be in the future.when schaub gets a little protection from the o-line,he lights it up.when slaton has pulling guards,he lights it up.again it’s that simple.it took houston how many years to get their o-line to this point,today.the difference is the raiders got bigger physically on the line,with disregarding the athleticism needed for their scheme and pulling guards.
i will guarantee a winning team,only if the raiders,BLITZ-mixing the 4-3 and 3-4 schemes in games.they showed that they can do that with dominance.in conjunction with that,pulling the guards.IMITATE HOUSTON IN EVERY WAY,and there is our winner.we got better individual players than houston on the o-line and backfield.Chaz Schilens is our Andre Johnson/Vincent Jackson.PLAY ACTION IS MATT SCHAUBS’ AND SHOULD BE OUR BEST FRIEND,AND JR DOES IT PRETTY GOOD.i’m slowly beginning to think that JR has what it takes mentally.he seems to know the plays by heart.when any QB comes off the field complaining about routes,most likely it’s not the QB’s fault.
how many times does everyone have to say that games are won in the trenches.how many times does it need to be said that a winning team should be built from the lines first.what have the raiders been ignoring most,for i don’t know how many years?patch work never works.
Jeff Tefford from the Cal. Bears fits our offensive coordinator job perfectly.also look at the pro-players that are coming from the Cal.Bears in recent years.Marshawn Lynch/DeSean Jackson/Asomugha/Mack…the raiders are drafting from the pac-10 and SEC in recent years because (1)that is where the speed is in college football and (2)supposedly these schools have the best coaches and players.i believe Kiffin put that mindset in AL DAVIS.speed kills if it fits the scheme.
Since 2003 the things that stickout to me are,1 Bad draft picks.2 Bad Tackling(Cable still doesn’t feel the tackling is a problem)3 Bad Coaching(I threw-up When Art Shell and Tom Cable were hired).4 This team is always out of shape!!!!5 No heart!!!! no disciplin!!!1
there was a poll posted on this site,a month or two ago,about is it scheme or talent or both,that makes a winner.look at our team and answer that again.Cables recent answers to questions asked,no doubt says that he’s frustrated with the SCHEMES on defense;the talent on the offensive line when starters get hurt and plugging in depth with finding the right mix.all the while saying the raiders are not that far away and feels as though the explosion is near.with Khalif Barnes eventually settling in at right tackle,Morris becoming the full time starter at center,Satele as a pulling guard at right guard,Gallery being Gallery at left guard and lastly Henderson holding his own at the blind side,I BELIEVE IN THE UPCOMING EXPLOSION THEIR TALKING ABOUT.it’s all about waiting for the players to become healthy and gelling together which should take a couple games after they hit the field together.Schilens will be the key that starts it all.i don’t know where my enthusiasm is coming from,i just feel it’s about to happen in a couple weeks.we just have to deal with a couple more blowouts losses.
lynch,it’s not bad drafting per se.Murphy has dropped more passes than anyone on the team-is he a bad draft?McFadden is not used correctly,put a decent offensive line in front of him with a decent playcaller-what will he be?reminds me of Ronnie Brown from Miami!get Schilens healthy along with a decent o-line and he could be-B.Marshall/V.Jackson/A.Johnson!Bush being used correctly,reminds me and most of the NFL,the next M.Turner,hence the trade rumors recently.as far as JR goes,i don’t want to say too much about him,BUT,Jay Cutler gets by on his arm alone,not on his decision making because he is horrible at decision making.Tackling is all about scheme,BLITZ and we won’t have to worry too much about that.it’s not totally that the coaching is bad but it’s totally about the “OWNER IS STILL COACHING”.who can play with broken bones,that’s not conditioning!and finally,how can you play and give 100% when the owner doesn’t allow the schemes that fit to be employed on a regular consistent basis.as i’ve been saying all year and THE PLAYERS(morrison/asomugha/howard/seymour/sapp/richardson…) SAY THE SAME THING,if the raiders blitz they will win more games.the raiders have defensively 16 sacks on the year,what scheme did the majority of the sacks come from.the answer is NOT garbage time.the answer is when the raiders COMMIT TO BLITZING.that sir is a fact.
Hey raidr843 I agree with you about moving Huff to corner.He has the speed to play corner and he’s a bit under sized for safety anyway.That would be a great combo Branch and Mitchell at safety!Also the move would put one of the two at nickle back taking Routt out of the game and that can only help our pass D.Also what the hell is up with Russell blaming every one but himself for all the mistakes against the jets,then Cable rewards him with a start against the chargers!I don’t understand why they won’t give Gradkowski a shot at starting?I guess it’s because he would play better than Russell and prove Al wrong and we all know Al is never wrong!When I said one of the two at nickle I meant Johnson or Huff.Well as always I’ll be cheering the raiders on no matter how bad they might look. GO RAIDERS!!!!!!!!!
how about playing a normal 3-4 defense and stop playing man.if Asomugha is that good,he’ll adjust.all the DB’s can stop being blamed for not tackling whats already 10 yards behind them.the linebackers can come off their stationary spots and actually plug some gaps without being swallowed up by the guards and takles,five yards down the field on run plays.why draft the fastest if their staying in one spot or a specific zone,that’s half a field that 1 corner and a linebacker have to cover.this raider zone pulls our own players out of position and we’re talking about plugging the gaps that we create ourselves.
the raider zone is not a bad concept but the FS can’t be roaming too freely on play action with the SS playing closer to the line and getting minimal pressure from the 4-3,d-line up the middle and the ends overplaying the run because they are the ones that are supposed to bring the most pressure to the QB.REMEMBER,DT’s aren’t supposed to get sacks.now throw in a pass catching tight end that takes away the FS or SS or linebacker.even worse two tight ends,that you don’t even have a clue as to which one is coming out to catch or block.that’s why we are decent in red zone pass defense and awful in red zone run defense.pick your poison.
mixing all the schemes randomly with this team is the best scenario you can get.look at the patriots,with even less talent.
Who gets benched when Chaz comes back? Ever notice how DHB is alot like Russell, Don’t make plays,then after games,wants to state that he played good..damn,I really like Murphy,he tries every play,drops some I know,but will get better in time,but notice how he gets upset over a bad play,how he wants to do better,how he blocks well,tries hard every play.Who tries hard every play?Who plays with emotion?Who actually wants to win?Who cares where this team is headed? Murphy,Nnamdi,Huff,Branch,Jano,Lechler,Seymour,Fargas,Z.Miller,and maybe Mario H and Ellis..
They show emotion and seem to give all,not like our QB,who I never notice lookin at any info on sideline to help him in next series,he throws an pick,or FUMBLES AGAIN,or throws it 11 feet over a recievers head,comes to sideline and all he is worried about is finding and putting on that fuc.ing boggin of his.and hell it isn’t even cold.He probally is more concerned with worring about his 15 pound of jewelry that is hangin in his locker waiting for him after another 10-28-2-0-96yd game(with 2-3 fumbles) if he would weigh with his jewelery off,he wouldn’t be 305….just 290..Gradkowski,get over flu,Russell will have a holoween day Sunday.
You went out and got Mitchell with a second round pick because the Bears were supposedly going to nab him, which most people still don’t believe and you say you can’t figure out how to get him in the game. Branch could be used at CB with his speed and Huff can play at FS so that Mitchell can play SS, since he is supposed to be able to play both safety positions. Just make it happen dummy so we can finally see what our second pick can do on the field. Cable, with the new allegations of wife abuse, is done after this year so he might as well get the most out of his players before he goes.
PianoMan…
Megacool Blog indeed!… if anyone else has anything it would be much appreciated. Great website Enjoy!…