Post by TheShadow on Dec 9, 2003 20:27:10 GMT -5
www.bayarea.com
ANKLE NOT EXPECTED TO KEEP QB OFF FIELD
By Laurence Miedema
Mercury News
Raiders quarterback Rick Mirer said Monday that X-rays taken of his sprained left ankle were negative and he expects to start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
``There's no problem with the bone and I've been lucky with ankles over the years, never had one blow up on me,'' Mirer said after receiving treatment at the Raiders' training complex in Alameda. ``I feel a lot better than I did last night. . . . It's not great, but it's not like I'm on crutches.''
Mirer's ankle rolled Sunday when he was sacked in the second quarter of a 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had to be helped off the field but didn't miss an offensive snap. Mirer wasn't having a great game to begin with -- he completed just 4 of his first 15 passes -- but was 6 of 10 in the fourth quarter despite hobbling on one good leg.
``Obviously it wasn't 100 percent, but he gutted it out,'' Coach Bill Callahan said. ``I thought that he played through whatever pain he had to keep us functional and to keep us as effective as we could be during the course of the game.''
Mirer finished the game with a dismal 14.6 passer rating, but he has been adequate since being elevated from third string because of season-ending injuries to Rich Gannon and Marques Tuiasosopo. Just in case, Callahan said, backup Rob Johnson could get more snaps with the first unit during practice this week depending on Mirer's progress.
``I'll work with it through the week,'' Mirer said. ``I'm probably feeling better than I imagined or anyone imagined.''
• The Raiders are taking a wait-and-see approach with tackle Lincoln Kennedy after the 11-year pro suffered a concussion Sunday.
``From the reports I received, it was minor, but it was just enough to open another can of worms, so to speak, because he's had these concussions and he's had injuries throughout his career,'' Callahan said.
Kennedy also aggravated knee and ankle injuries but didn't come out of the game.
``He's really committed to finish out these last three weeks on a positive note,'' Callahan said. ``He's doing the best he can to keep this team together, hold everybody together and be exemplary in his role as a captain.''
• Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward's intimation that the Raiders quit playing hard midway through the third quarter of the rout didn't sit well with the Raiders. Ward told reporters after the game that the Raiders ``were ready to go home. It was cold and they had a long flight home and they've had problems with their coach.''
When asked if he noticed a drop-off, Callahan's response was a terse ``No.''
Defensive back Terrance Shaw said, ``The film don't lie, you can tell who quit. There ain't no quitting. That's the answer to Hines Ward's theory.''
Callahan conceded there were ``lapses'' during the loss, but he bristled at the suggestion that effort was an issue.
``I thought overall our guys played hard,'' Callahan said. ``We're playing a lot of guys. . . . I think there were 12 starters out of the lineup, and with that being said, it's awfully hard to get your continuity and consistency established from an execution aspect.''
• Callahan said the team has given its blessing to injured linebacker Bill Romanowski's foray into television broadcasting.
Romanowski, 37, is on injured reserve because of repeated concussions. The 16-year veteran will be part of the Fox broadcast team Sunday for the Arizona-Carolina game. Romanowski did not accompany the Raiders to Pittsburgh over the weekend.
• Defensive tackle John Parrella has missed the past eight games because of a groin injury, and Callahan conceded the veteran probably will be out for the remainder of the season.
ANKLE NOT EXPECTED TO KEEP QB OFF FIELD
By Laurence Miedema
Mercury News
Raiders quarterback Rick Mirer said Monday that X-rays taken of his sprained left ankle were negative and he expects to start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
``There's no problem with the bone and I've been lucky with ankles over the years, never had one blow up on me,'' Mirer said after receiving treatment at the Raiders' training complex in Alameda. ``I feel a lot better than I did last night. . . . It's not great, but it's not like I'm on crutches.''
Mirer's ankle rolled Sunday when he was sacked in the second quarter of a 27-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had to be helped off the field but didn't miss an offensive snap. Mirer wasn't having a great game to begin with -- he completed just 4 of his first 15 passes -- but was 6 of 10 in the fourth quarter despite hobbling on one good leg.
``Obviously it wasn't 100 percent, but he gutted it out,'' Coach Bill Callahan said. ``I thought that he played through whatever pain he had to keep us functional and to keep us as effective as we could be during the course of the game.''
Mirer finished the game with a dismal 14.6 passer rating, but he has been adequate since being elevated from third string because of season-ending injuries to Rich Gannon and Marques Tuiasosopo. Just in case, Callahan said, backup Rob Johnson could get more snaps with the first unit during practice this week depending on Mirer's progress.
``I'll work with it through the week,'' Mirer said. ``I'm probably feeling better than I imagined or anyone imagined.''
• The Raiders are taking a wait-and-see approach with tackle Lincoln Kennedy after the 11-year pro suffered a concussion Sunday.
``From the reports I received, it was minor, but it was just enough to open another can of worms, so to speak, because he's had these concussions and he's had injuries throughout his career,'' Callahan said.
Kennedy also aggravated knee and ankle injuries but didn't come out of the game.
``He's really committed to finish out these last three weeks on a positive note,'' Callahan said. ``He's doing the best he can to keep this team together, hold everybody together and be exemplary in his role as a captain.''
• Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward's intimation that the Raiders quit playing hard midway through the third quarter of the rout didn't sit well with the Raiders. Ward told reporters after the game that the Raiders ``were ready to go home. It was cold and they had a long flight home and they've had problems with their coach.''
When asked if he noticed a drop-off, Callahan's response was a terse ``No.''
Defensive back Terrance Shaw said, ``The film don't lie, you can tell who quit. There ain't no quitting. That's the answer to Hines Ward's theory.''
Callahan conceded there were ``lapses'' during the loss, but he bristled at the suggestion that effort was an issue.
``I thought overall our guys played hard,'' Callahan said. ``We're playing a lot of guys. . . . I think there were 12 starters out of the lineup, and with that being said, it's awfully hard to get your continuity and consistency established from an execution aspect.''
• Callahan said the team has given its blessing to injured linebacker Bill Romanowski's foray into television broadcasting.
Romanowski, 37, is on injured reserve because of repeated concussions. The 16-year veteran will be part of the Fox broadcast team Sunday for the Arizona-Carolina game. Romanowski did not accompany the Raiders to Pittsburgh over the weekend.
• Defensive tackle John Parrella has missed the past eight games because of a groin injury, and Callahan conceded the veteran probably will be out for the remainder of the season.