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i love the teaser oak to bills, however raiders OL very banged up and garner gimpy too ... still, i think oak has enuff, but not as enthusiastic as I woulda been ....
Callahan bemoans Raiders' health
by
David Bush, Chronicle Staff Writer Tuesday, October 8, 2002
The Raiders are undefeated, have the top-rated offense in the NFL and are facing a team that hasn't won since last season. What is there for coach Bill Callahan to worry about? Plenty, according to him. Putting aside the usual coach-speak of the team "having a long way to go," Callahan does have some legitimate concerns. For example, will he be able to find 11 healthy guys to put on the field at one time?
"Yesterday's game took its toll," Callahan said grimly at his weekly news conference Monday following the 49-31 victory in Buffalo. "We are really banged up on both sides of the ball." The offensive line, its ranks already thin going into the Bills game, is the area of the greatest worry. Starting right tackle Lincoln Kennedy and guard Mo Collins did not play in Buffalo and are by no means certain for Sunday in St. Louis. Now left tackle Barry Sims and versatile backup lineman Brad Badger have turf-toe injuries.
Things aren't much better in the backfield. Both starting backs, Charlie Garner and Jon Ritchie, are on the injury list, as is backup Randy Jordan. The defense has its own problems, particularly at linebacker. This might be the right time to play an 0-5 team such as the Rams. "We're going to have to keep juggling the lineup and patchworking the (offensive) line," Callahan said. "Right now, the way we look at it, we have two starters out in Lincoln Kennedy and Mo Collins. And if Barry doesn't play, Langston (Walker) may have to go to left. Brad we're hoping to get back, but we're possibly moving (Chad) Slaughter into an active status. There's a lot of mixing and matching that we're going to have to do."
Walker, the second-round draft choice from Cal, replaced Kennedy, who sustained a concussion the week before. Callahan said Kennedy was "better, but still a little bit symptomatic in terms of his headaches; we'll be very watchful on that." Collins, who hasn't played at all, is "progressing."
Callahan said that besides giving Slaughter more work, the Raiders might bring in offensive-line reinforcements by signing new players. Garner, of course, has been a key to a Raiders offense that averages 461.5 yards and 40.5 points per game. He injured his hamstring on his 69-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter. Callahan said he is "very questionable." Ritchie, the rugged blocking fullback, has what Callahan described as a "mid-foot strain."
Then there's Jordan, who has a tender groin. "We're going to have to amend what we're doing," Callahan said. "We're going to have to take a look at our backfield and see what we're capable of doing with Tyrone (Wheatley). . . . We're going to have to accelerate Terry Kirby's reps and get him ready to play a little bit more than he has." Callahan also moaned about his ailing linebacker corps, but that situation might not be so dire. Outside linebacker Eric Barton made the list with a groin strain. Barton begged to differ. "I'm not hurt, I'm sore," he said. "I'll definitely play Sunday."
Rookie middle linebacker Napoleon Harris has a knee sprain that was being analyzed in an MRI exam on Monday. Should he be unable to play on Sunday, Callahan said Barton might see some time in the middle or the Raiders could change their basic defensive alignment. A five-man line is a possibility, as is the "nickel" package with five defensive backs. One bit of good news came from defensive lineman Roderick Coleman, who has missed Sunday's game with a knee injury. He said he would play on Sunday. "He just wants to get in there because he doesn't like it that the linebackers are getting all the sacks," Barton said.
How did you ever manage to get one wrong?
