Post by TheShadow on Nov 29, 2003 19:15:28 GMT -5
cbs.sportsline.com
Inside slant
The Raiders continue to sputter onward with more missing parts than a 1956
Packard.
When they face Denver Sunday, the Broncos won't recognize the team as the
same that came to Denver back in Week 3 and got stomped 31-10.
That's because it isn't. There are likely to be 10 starters from that game
missing. The latest is starting free safety Rod Woodson.
Oakland put Woodson on injured reserve Wednesday after he returned from
Kansas City not only with his customary sore knee but with a brand new quad
injury. Woodson hadn't practiced since the second week of the season, so all
year he has been one of Oakland's casualties from a practice perspective.
Others who started in Denver but are gone are center Matt Stinchcomb
(injured reserve), tight end Doug Jolley (benched), quarterback Rich Gannon
(injured reserve), wide receiver Ronald Curry (replaced by then injured
Jerry Porter), running back Charlie Garner (Tyrone Wheatley is now the
club's choice as it goes to a power running game), defensive tackle John
Parrella (out indefinitely with a groin injury), linebacker Bill Romanowski
(injured reserve) and strong safety Derrick Gibson (unlikely to play with a
neck injury).
Given all that, the question begs: just what are the 3-8 Raiders planning to
do with the remainder of their season?
According to coach Bill Callahan, their goal remains just to win one game.
"It doesn't change," Callahan said. "The bottom line is to win, it's still
the No. 1 goal and that's the only goal there is for us."
It will not be a period of major change. Change already exists and it has
nothing to do with planning for the future. It has come out of necessity now
that they have used the injured reserve option 10 times this year.
"We're always evaluating players," Callahan said. "It doesn't matter if it's
next year or this year. We're always looking to improve. We will continue to
do that. Whatever it takes for us to win, we are going to continue to make
changes."
The arrival of Denver gives the Raiders extra incentive to win. They can
help eliminate the Broncos from the playoffs by beating them. They also have
incentive because of that 31-10 blowout. The Raiders have suffered
considerable humiliation this year but that was the only game all year they
were thoroughly and convincingly beaten.
Now all the backups in the lineup are after revenge.
"The way we played against Denver, anything we put on the field is better,"
Porter said. "That was just bad. I had to sit back here in Oakland and watch
that game on TV. It was just horrible to watch."
At the time, Porter was a week into a five-week rehabilitation for a hernia
and team rules at the time were that players who were unable to play would
not make the trip.
Since then that has changed as Gannon, Parrella and Trace Armstrong have
made trips to offer whatever sideline assistance they can provide to the
youngsters who have replaced them.
If any good is to come of the Raiders' lost season it is that it has
progressed, it has learned what it has for the future from actual game
experience and it knows it can survive -- if not prosper -- on a wing and a
prayer.
"We have been hit by the injury bug more than it has ever happened on this
team," said tackle Lincoln Kennedy. "There are more guys on injured reserve
with season-ending injuries than I have ever seen.
"I don't know where we would be without the injuries. Would we be trying to
run the ball if we still had Rich Gannon at quarterback? You never know."
Denver coach Mike Shanahan took a look at films of the Raiders' 27-24 loss
to Kansas City last week and was struck by the way the Raiders took it to
the Chiefs despite all the injuries.
"The thing I was impressed by with the Raiders is -- they are basically out
of the playoffs -- they had the game won," he said. "They played extremely
hard and should have beaten Kansas City in Kansas City. That tells you what
they are capable of doing. A lot of teams, when all of a sudden they are out
of the playoffs, are not playing at that level. They were.
"They are a team that is playing hard with a lot of character. I am sure
they are embarrassed with the way they performed at Invesco Field he last
time we played them. We have our work cut out for us."
That the Raiders have come back from all the injuries to play their best two
games over the last two weeks, with a third-string quarterback, one
remaining starter on the defensive line and now with only two safeties left
on the roster shows one thing if nothing else.
"It shows you anything can happen in the NFL," Kennedy said.
SERIES HISTORY
Raiders will continue to lead the series at least until the year 2012. It
stands at 51-33-2. Rod Woodson will be missed. His 98-yard interception
return for a touchdown in Denver last year prevented Denver from taking a
7-0 lead and provided a 14-point swing in Oakland's 34-10 win.
Inside slant
The Raiders continue to sputter onward with more missing parts than a 1956
Packard.
When they face Denver Sunday, the Broncos won't recognize the team as the
same that came to Denver back in Week 3 and got stomped 31-10.
That's because it isn't. There are likely to be 10 starters from that game
missing. The latest is starting free safety Rod Woodson.
Oakland put Woodson on injured reserve Wednesday after he returned from
Kansas City not only with his customary sore knee but with a brand new quad
injury. Woodson hadn't practiced since the second week of the season, so all
year he has been one of Oakland's casualties from a practice perspective.
Others who started in Denver but are gone are center Matt Stinchcomb
(injured reserve), tight end Doug Jolley (benched), quarterback Rich Gannon
(injured reserve), wide receiver Ronald Curry (replaced by then injured
Jerry Porter), running back Charlie Garner (Tyrone Wheatley is now the
club's choice as it goes to a power running game), defensive tackle John
Parrella (out indefinitely with a groin injury), linebacker Bill Romanowski
(injured reserve) and strong safety Derrick Gibson (unlikely to play with a
neck injury).
Given all that, the question begs: just what are the 3-8 Raiders planning to
do with the remainder of their season?
According to coach Bill Callahan, their goal remains just to win one game.
"It doesn't change," Callahan said. "The bottom line is to win, it's still
the No. 1 goal and that's the only goal there is for us."
It will not be a period of major change. Change already exists and it has
nothing to do with planning for the future. It has come out of necessity now
that they have used the injured reserve option 10 times this year.
"We're always evaluating players," Callahan said. "It doesn't matter if it's
next year or this year. We're always looking to improve. We will continue to
do that. Whatever it takes for us to win, we are going to continue to make
changes."
The arrival of Denver gives the Raiders extra incentive to win. They can
help eliminate the Broncos from the playoffs by beating them. They also have
incentive because of that 31-10 blowout. The Raiders have suffered
considerable humiliation this year but that was the only game all year they
were thoroughly and convincingly beaten.
Now all the backups in the lineup are after revenge.
"The way we played against Denver, anything we put on the field is better,"
Porter said. "That was just bad. I had to sit back here in Oakland and watch
that game on TV. It was just horrible to watch."
At the time, Porter was a week into a five-week rehabilitation for a hernia
and team rules at the time were that players who were unable to play would
not make the trip.
Since then that has changed as Gannon, Parrella and Trace Armstrong have
made trips to offer whatever sideline assistance they can provide to the
youngsters who have replaced them.
If any good is to come of the Raiders' lost season it is that it has
progressed, it has learned what it has for the future from actual game
experience and it knows it can survive -- if not prosper -- on a wing and a
prayer.
"We have been hit by the injury bug more than it has ever happened on this
team," said tackle Lincoln Kennedy. "There are more guys on injured reserve
with season-ending injuries than I have ever seen.
"I don't know where we would be without the injuries. Would we be trying to
run the ball if we still had Rich Gannon at quarterback? You never know."
Denver coach Mike Shanahan took a look at films of the Raiders' 27-24 loss
to Kansas City last week and was struck by the way the Raiders took it to
the Chiefs despite all the injuries.
"The thing I was impressed by with the Raiders is -- they are basically out
of the playoffs -- they had the game won," he said. "They played extremely
hard and should have beaten Kansas City in Kansas City. That tells you what
they are capable of doing. A lot of teams, when all of a sudden they are out
of the playoffs, are not playing at that level. They were.
"They are a team that is playing hard with a lot of character. I am sure
they are embarrassed with the way they performed at Invesco Field he last
time we played them. We have our work cut out for us."
That the Raiders have come back from all the injuries to play their best two
games over the last two weeks, with a third-string quarterback, one
remaining starter on the defensive line and now with only two safeties left
on the roster shows one thing if nothing else.
"It shows you anything can happen in the NFL," Kennedy said.
SERIES HISTORY
Raiders will continue to lead the series at least until the year 2012. It
stands at 51-33-2. Rod Woodson will be missed. His 98-yard interception
return for a touchdown in Denver last year prevented Denver from taking a
7-0 lead and provided a 14-point swing in Oakland's 34-10 win.