broncos V raiders week.......I have a ? for you fade fans
- Thread starter thascary1
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Raiders might finally call Russell's number
Posted: November 30, 2007
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- When you walk into the Raiders' locker room at their practice facility and turn right, you see that the first three lockers belong to quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown and Andrew Walter. That's been the pecking order this season. Culpepper has started six games, McCown has started five and Walter has been active for four games but hasn't played.
Across the aisle is the locker of JaMarcus Russell. You remember him, don't you? The guy who supposedly can uncork a 70-yard pass on his knees. No. 1 pick overall in last April's draft. Held out until after the opening game of the regular season, when he agreed to a six-year contract that included a guarantee of $31 million or $32 million.
Russell has been 3A on the depth chart all season. Hasn't taken a snap in a game yet. In the eight games since he was added to the active roster, he has been inactive or designated as the No. 3 QB.
But now there is speculation that Russell might see his first action of the season. With Culpepper suffering from a strained right quadriceps and McCown having fractured his left pinkie in a freak accident Wednesday, Russell could get some playing time in Sunday's home game against the Broncos.
Will he start? Will he be the backup? Or will he be a sideline observer again?
No one seems to know -- or if they do, they're not telling -- including Russell himself.
"I don't have the slightest idea," Russell said after practice Thursday. "Your guess is as good as mine."
One would think that if Russell was going to start, he would have known this late in the week. But the Raiders are not the most forthcoming team when it comes to disclosing information. Coach Lane Kiffin was non-committal about the playing status of his quarterbacks and, in fact, didn't even tell reporters about McCown's injury.
Culpepper, who has started six of the last eight games, apparently injured his quadriceps during last Sunday's 20-17 victory in Kansas City but wasn't bothered by it until after practice Wednesday. Although he was limited in Thursday's practice -- McCown and Russell took most of the snaps with the first-team offense -- Culpepper wasn't ready to declare himself out for Sunday.
"I feel right now like I can play, but I'm not going to push it," he said. "We'll see how I feel tomorrow."
McCown, sitting in front of his locker with a plastic ice bag wrapped around his left hand, joked that he cut his hand while peeling potatoes at home on Thanksgiving. "I don't know if they want me telling y'all that I'm hurt," he said. Actually, it happened Wednesday while throwing a football with Walter. McCown caught a pass awkwardly, dislocating the top two joints in his left little finger.
"Basically, the end of my finger was like a 'Z,' " he said. "Then I turned it over and there was blood coming down and the bone was sticking out. They reset it, stitched it up and it's good to go."
So will it be Culpepper, McCown or Russell taking the field Sunday at McAfee Coliseum for the 3-8 Raiders. We may not know the answer to that question until kickoff.
As for Russell, he says he is not frustrated that he hasn't played and that he actually is enjoying his rookie season.
"It's been a lot of fun aside from not winning much," he said. "I've got a chance to see new cities and see guys I watched on TV as a kid. Now I'm across the sideline from them."
If Culpepper and McCown can't go Sunday, Russell may get up close and personal with some of those players he used to watch on TV.
i wouldnt mind seeing him play culpepper and mccown both injured
Posted: November 30, 2007
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- When you walk into the Raiders' locker room at their practice facility and turn right, you see that the first three lockers belong to quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown and Andrew Walter. That's been the pecking order this season. Culpepper has started six games, McCown has started five and Walter has been active for four games but hasn't played.
Across the aisle is the locker of JaMarcus Russell. You remember him, don't you? The guy who supposedly can uncork a 70-yard pass on his knees. No. 1 pick overall in last April's draft. Held out until after the opening game of the regular season, when he agreed to a six-year contract that included a guarantee of $31 million or $32 million.
Russell has been 3A on the depth chart all season. Hasn't taken a snap in a game yet. In the eight games since he was added to the active roster, he has been inactive or designated as the No. 3 QB.
But now there is speculation that Russell might see his first action of the season. With Culpepper suffering from a strained right quadriceps and McCown having fractured his left pinkie in a freak accident Wednesday, Russell could get some playing time in Sunday's home game against the Broncos.
Will he start? Will he be the backup? Or will he be a sideline observer again?
No one seems to know -- or if they do, they're not telling -- including Russell himself.
"I don't have the slightest idea," Russell said after practice Thursday. "Your guess is as good as mine."
One would think that if Russell was going to start, he would have known this late in the week. But the Raiders are not the most forthcoming team when it comes to disclosing information. Coach Lane Kiffin was non-committal about the playing status of his quarterbacks and, in fact, didn't even tell reporters about McCown's injury.
Culpepper, who has started six of the last eight games, apparently injured his quadriceps during last Sunday's 20-17 victory in Kansas City but wasn't bothered by it until after practice Wednesday. Although he was limited in Thursday's practice -- McCown and Russell took most of the snaps with the first-team offense -- Culpepper wasn't ready to declare himself out for Sunday.
"I feel right now like I can play, but I'm not going to push it," he said. "We'll see how I feel tomorrow."
McCown, sitting in front of his locker with a plastic ice bag wrapped around his left hand, joked that he cut his hand while peeling potatoes at home on Thanksgiving. "I don't know if they want me telling y'all that I'm hurt," he said. Actually, it happened Wednesday while throwing a football with Walter. McCown caught a pass awkwardly, dislocating the top two joints in his left little finger.
"Basically, the end of my finger was like a 'Z,' " he said. "Then I turned it over and there was blood coming down and the bone was sticking out. They reset it, stitched it up and it's good to go."
So will it be Culpepper, McCown or Russell taking the field Sunday at McAfee Coliseum for the 3-8 Raiders. We may not know the answer to that question until kickoff.
As for Russell, he says he is not frustrated that he hasn't played and that he actually is enjoying his rookie season.
"It's been a lot of fun aside from not winning much," he said. "I've got a chance to see new cities and see guys I watched on TV as a kid. Now I'm across the sideline from them."
If Culpepper and McCown can't go Sunday, Russell may get up close and personal with some of those players he used to watch on TV.
i wouldnt mind seeing him play culpepper and mccown both injured
