Injury bug bites, new faces every week.

[RaiderInNY]

Who are these Raiders?
November 24, 2003
By: Victor Cotto, Raiderfans.net Staff Columnist



Injury bug bites, new faces every week.

The Raiders this season has suffered through a year of injuries to key players. These injuries have placed the likes of Eric Johnson, Sean Gilbert and Lorenzo Bromell into the starting line-up over the past few weeks, leaving Raider fans saying,”Who are these Raiders?”

You can say it started back in August 5th, when the Raiders placed tight end and special teams contributor Mondriel Fulcher on injury reserve, forcing his inactivity for the rest of the season, before the year even started. Since then, the Raiders have had injuries to the likes of Barret Robbins, who didn’t play his first game until week 4 versus the San Diego Chargers and Jerry Porter, who was limited during the opening game at Tennessee. Porter’s absence hurt their productivity on offense early on. His surgery to repair a sports hernia kept him out until the October 20th Monday night meeting versus the Chiefs. His inactivity placed guys like Ronald Curry and Alvis Whitted on the spot to help out the struggling offense.

Robbins’ injury forced the Raiders to play former 1st round draft pick Matt Stinchcomb at center, a position he struggled to adjust to, further hampering the team consistency on offense. Ultimately, Stinchcomb himself landed on the injured reserve list on November 12th, finishing his season early.

Even one of the most durable players in the history of the NFL couldn’t avoid the injury bug this season. Linebacker Bill Romanowski, who played 243 consecutive games, the fifth longest streak among active players and has started 131 consecutive games, had to sit out the game versus the San Diego Chargers due to lingering symptoms of a concussion. Since then, Romanowski has been placed on injury reserve, retroactive October 23rd. His replacements seldom used Travian Smith and Safety Eric Johnson. Smith was able to replace his teammate with admirable efforts but, on November 19th, he himself was placed on injured reserve ending his season.

Other defensive starters such as, Dana Stubblefield, John Parrella and Trace Armstrong (place on injured reserve) have missed significant time while, rookie defensive end Sam Williams and Safety Keyon Nash were placed on injured reserve. Safety Rod Woodson also missed a couple of games this season due to a knee injury.

With all these injuries, Raider fans have needed a weekly program to follow who is playing out there for the Silver and Black. Over the past few weeks, the Raiders have signed and started defensive linemen Sean Gilbert, Lorenzo Bromell and have activated Akbar Gbaja-Biamila and Shurron Pierson.

On offense, the story doesn’t get any better. Last years NFL Most Valuable Player, Rich Gannon, suffered a season ending injury that catapulted young back-up Marques Tuiasosopo to the starting role. That was short-lived, as Tuiasosopo the following game suffered a season ending knee injury. The quarterback know…well traveled Rick Mirer who has played well in relief with back-ups Rob Johnson and Tee Martin in waiting. The running backs weren’t able to avoid the injury bug either. Rookie Justin Fargas was placed on injured reserve on November 19th, a day in which the Silver and Black placed 4 players on that list. Also, starting running back Charlie Garner missed last weeks game versus Minnesota due to a back injury suffered in the game against the New York Jets.

With all these injuries, the Raider organization has kept their trainers and medical staff very busy. The fans on a consistent basis are following the injury report with more attentiveness and players that wouldn’t get the chance otherwise, are getting the playing time due to the injuries.

These injuries have affected the Raiders in many ways. The offense was hindered early missing their leader up-front and their lone deep threat. Nowadays, the defense is struggling to put out a competitive line-up and with an injury this weekend to Derrick Gibson, the Raiders will continue to plug away and fans will go on with their studying of the injury report and waiver wires.


(Sources: Raiders.com, Raiderfans.net)

[BK]

Nice read RINY, you're right, every week it seems like there is a new player 'filling' in here and there....

[Mr.Murder]

'Temps are us' is what the trainers' room morale poster says by now...

[Rhode Raider]

Can you imagine the medical bills for all of this

[Raiderrooter]

Well whoever the yare at least there playing hard. Gave K.C. quite a scare for thier homefiled advantage.

[mattparry]

there playing quite well though aren't they - i think crazy looked good at lb

[crizpynutz]

Damn, we could field an entire team witht he players we have injured....

[silvernblack10]

crazy got worked...especially the TD at the end of the 1st half

[liebo84]

Originally posted by mattparry
there playing quite well though aren't they - i think crazy looked good at lb

Man, you saw him, I got his helmet a few times, but the rest was Tony Richardson blocking the hell out of him.

[RaiderInNY]

Originally posted by crizpynutz
Damn, we could field an entire team witht he players we have injured....

If you wouldve known that Porter, Parrella, Gannon, Stubby, Romo and others will miss significant time...What wouldve you said our record will be?!

[Raider_wifee]

If I had known all these injuries would plague the Raiders then I would say we would be right where we are now 3 - 8..

Final - 5-11

[bgrn]

Wifee how long with that UGLY sig?

[Raider_wifee]

Just till tomorrow Bgrn.. 24 more hours and I can rid of this ugly avatar!!

[bgrn]

Originally posted by Raider_wifee
Just till tomorrow Bgrn.. 24 more hours and I can rid of this ugly avatar!!

Good. it's an eye sore

[Raiderrooter]

Originally posted by crizpynutz
Damn, we could field an entire team witht he players we have injured....

Uh weren't those players on the field at some point LOL Oh well lets just get this season over with and start fresh already. Whens training camp 2004 open?