Post by TheShadow on Dec 12, 2003 22:44:34 GMT -5
www.sportsline.com
The decision to place DT John Parrella on injured reserve does not alter the
Raiders' interior line rotation. However, the return of Dana Stubblefield
will. Stubblefield will rotate with Rod Coleman and Chris Cooper.
Stubblefield's return comes just in time as DT Sean Gilbert has been
sidelined for two weeks with a groin injury.
In all probability, the Raiders will play the rest of the season without RG
Mo Collins. Coach Bill Callahan said Collins' damaged knee would likely
undergo surgery later on this week. That would end his season. His condition
has been described as arthritic. Callahan could not describe the exact
nature of the surgery.
Brad Badger will continue to start at RG after moving over last week from
LG. Once again, Frank Middleton will start at LG.
With C Barret Robbins unlikely to be able to practice, Adam Treu will
continue to start in the pivot.
FS Rod Woodson will also undergo surgery, probably this week, after a proper
match of a cadaver's tendon was found.
The club moved SS Anthony Dorsett to Woodson's old FS position in
Pittsburgh. That move was made when SS Derrick Gibson was cleared to play
after he missed a game and a half with a neck injury.
The Raiders may be about to try a fourth kickoff return specialist this
week. They elevated WR Ron Stone from the practice squad to the 53-man
roster on Wednesday and he could supplant Doug Gabriel (16.8 yard average)
depending on whether the team can afford to have him active for the
Baltimore game. The Raiders lost two kick returners earlier this year:
Ronney Jenkins (waived) and Justin Fargas (injured reserve, knee).
PERSONNEL/INJURY NOTES:
--RG Mo Collins (knee) is expected to undergo surgery this week and will
miss the remainder of the season.
--G Brad Badger will continue to operate at RG with Collins out.
--LG Frank Middleton is once again starting at the position he started the
season at.
--C Barret Robbins (knee) has a degenerative condition and is once again
listed as doubtful (very doubtful, according to Callahan) for Baltimore. He
was inactive in Pittsburgh.
--C Adam Treu will get his second start presuming Robbins can't answer the
call.
--RT Lincoln Kennedy (concussion) did not practice Wednesday but it was
because he was ill, according to Callahan. He is probable for Baltimore.
--DT Sean Gilbert (groin) has not practiced for two weeks and is doubtful
for Baltimore.
--DT Dana Stubblefield (ankle) returned the action last week, taking some of
the sting out of the loss of Gilbert.
--QB Rick Mirer (ankle) was not even listed on the injury report, a measure
of how much he has recovered from the injury sustained in Pittsburgh. He
reported no swelling, practiced Wednesday and appears ready to go against
the Ravens.
--WR Jerry Porter (hernia) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, mostly as
a precaution.
--RB Charlie Garner was excused from Wednesday's practice for personal
reasons.
GAME PLAN
It's the second best rushing offense in the NFL (Baltimore) against the
second worst rushing defense (Oakland). That leaves little doubt what kind
of a game to look for because Oakland also bases its offensive plan on
ball-control running. However, the Raiders are fully aware that last time
the teams met, in the 2000 AFC championship game, Oakland was the leading
rushing team in the league and the Ravens stopped them cold -- 17 carries
for 24 yards. There is a major difference between that Ravens' defense and
the current version: 350-pound interior linemen Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa
no longer play for Baltimore. If the Ravens play press coverage as
aggressively as the Steelers did with such great success a week ago, QB Rick
Mirer will have to discourage them by hitting the long ball early. There's
not much the Raiders can do to prevent LB Ray Lewis from making his usual 15
tackles.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Raider edge blockers LT Barry Sims and RT Lincoln Kennedy will have their
hands full with the Ravens' top pass rushers, Peter Boulware (7.5 sacks) and
Terrell Suggs (10) a week after they gave up four to Pittsburgh (Sims 3,
Kennedy 1).
--Fast-improving rookie RDE Tyler Brayton will get his biggest challenge in
LT Jonathan Ogden, perhaps the league's best left tackle.
--DTs Rod Coleman, Chris Cooper and Dana Stubblefield will have to do better
getting off blocks to plug up the middle against RB Jamal Lewis and allow
the linebackers to seal the ends.
--The Raiders are expected to play eight and sometimes nine in the box but
that means FS Anthony Dorsett must guard against being suckered in lest he
allow QB Anthony Wright to throw the deep ball to WRs Marcus Robinson and
Travis Taylor (9 touchdowns in 54 receptions between them). RCB Phillip
Buchanon will probably draw Robinson, LCB Charles Woodson gets Taylor.
INJURY IMPACT
The Raiders had their briefest injury report of the year -- just five
players. Three of them are doubtful, including C Barret Robbins and RG Mo
Collins. Both were also inactive last week with Adam Treu and LG Frank
Middleton joining the starting lineup. The Raiders were able to run early
with that lineup but game circumstances forced them away from that plan.
They were clearly more successful run blocking than they were against the
pass. QB Rick Mirer is apparently healed from an ankle injury sustained in
Pittsburgh but just in case, backup Rob Johnson received additional practice
snaps this week.
The decision to place DT John Parrella on injured reserve does not alter the
Raiders' interior line rotation. However, the return of Dana Stubblefield
will. Stubblefield will rotate with Rod Coleman and Chris Cooper.
Stubblefield's return comes just in time as DT Sean Gilbert has been
sidelined for two weeks with a groin injury.
In all probability, the Raiders will play the rest of the season without RG
Mo Collins. Coach Bill Callahan said Collins' damaged knee would likely
undergo surgery later on this week. That would end his season. His condition
has been described as arthritic. Callahan could not describe the exact
nature of the surgery.
Brad Badger will continue to start at RG after moving over last week from
LG. Once again, Frank Middleton will start at LG.
With C Barret Robbins unlikely to be able to practice, Adam Treu will
continue to start in the pivot.
FS Rod Woodson will also undergo surgery, probably this week, after a proper
match of a cadaver's tendon was found.
The club moved SS Anthony Dorsett to Woodson's old FS position in
Pittsburgh. That move was made when SS Derrick Gibson was cleared to play
after he missed a game and a half with a neck injury.
The Raiders may be about to try a fourth kickoff return specialist this
week. They elevated WR Ron Stone from the practice squad to the 53-man
roster on Wednesday and he could supplant Doug Gabriel (16.8 yard average)
depending on whether the team can afford to have him active for the
Baltimore game. The Raiders lost two kick returners earlier this year:
Ronney Jenkins (waived) and Justin Fargas (injured reserve, knee).
PERSONNEL/INJURY NOTES:
--RG Mo Collins (knee) is expected to undergo surgery this week and will
miss the remainder of the season.
--G Brad Badger will continue to operate at RG with Collins out.
--LG Frank Middleton is once again starting at the position he started the
season at.
--C Barret Robbins (knee) has a degenerative condition and is once again
listed as doubtful (very doubtful, according to Callahan) for Baltimore. He
was inactive in Pittsburgh.
--C Adam Treu will get his second start presuming Robbins can't answer the
call.
--RT Lincoln Kennedy (concussion) did not practice Wednesday but it was
because he was ill, according to Callahan. He is probable for Baltimore.
--DT Sean Gilbert (groin) has not practiced for two weeks and is doubtful
for Baltimore.
--DT Dana Stubblefield (ankle) returned the action last week, taking some of
the sting out of the loss of Gilbert.
--QB Rick Mirer (ankle) was not even listed on the injury report, a measure
of how much he has recovered from the injury sustained in Pittsburgh. He
reported no swelling, practiced Wednesday and appears ready to go against
the Ravens.
--WR Jerry Porter (hernia) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, mostly as
a precaution.
--RB Charlie Garner was excused from Wednesday's practice for personal
reasons.
GAME PLAN
It's the second best rushing offense in the NFL (Baltimore) against the
second worst rushing defense (Oakland). That leaves little doubt what kind
of a game to look for because Oakland also bases its offensive plan on
ball-control running. However, the Raiders are fully aware that last time
the teams met, in the 2000 AFC championship game, Oakland was the leading
rushing team in the league and the Ravens stopped them cold -- 17 carries
for 24 yards. There is a major difference between that Ravens' defense and
the current version: 350-pound interior linemen Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa
no longer play for Baltimore. If the Ravens play press coverage as
aggressively as the Steelers did with such great success a week ago, QB Rick
Mirer will have to discourage them by hitting the long ball early. There's
not much the Raiders can do to prevent LB Ray Lewis from making his usual 15
tackles.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
Raider edge blockers LT Barry Sims and RT Lincoln Kennedy will have their
hands full with the Ravens' top pass rushers, Peter Boulware (7.5 sacks) and
Terrell Suggs (10) a week after they gave up four to Pittsburgh (Sims 3,
Kennedy 1).
--Fast-improving rookie RDE Tyler Brayton will get his biggest challenge in
LT Jonathan Ogden, perhaps the league's best left tackle.
--DTs Rod Coleman, Chris Cooper and Dana Stubblefield will have to do better
getting off blocks to plug up the middle against RB Jamal Lewis and allow
the linebackers to seal the ends.
--The Raiders are expected to play eight and sometimes nine in the box but
that means FS Anthony Dorsett must guard against being suckered in lest he
allow QB Anthony Wright to throw the deep ball to WRs Marcus Robinson and
Travis Taylor (9 touchdowns in 54 receptions between them). RCB Phillip
Buchanon will probably draw Robinson, LCB Charles Woodson gets Taylor.
INJURY IMPACT
The Raiders had their briefest injury report of the year -- just five
players. Three of them are doubtful, including C Barret Robbins and RG Mo
Collins. Both were also inactive last week with Adam Treu and LG Frank
Middleton joining the starting lineup. The Raiders were able to run early
with that lineup but game circumstances forced them away from that plan.
They were clearly more successful run blocking than they were against the
pass. QB Rick Mirer is apparently healed from an ankle injury sustained in
Pittsburgh but just in case, backup Rob Johnson received additional practice
snaps this week.