If injuries have played a role in the Raiders’ sloppy play over the last two weeks, it sounds like good news is just around the corner.
According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, the Raiders anticipate Trent Brown, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram returning to the lineup on Sunday against the Colts.
“While coach Jon Gruden is being tight-lipped about whether Brown, running back Josh Jacobs, safety Johnathan Abram and cornerback Damon Arnette will play Sunday against the Colts, The Athletic has learned that the Raiders expect the first three to play,” Tafur reported on Wednesday evening. “And Arnette (concussion/neck) hasn’t been ruled out yet.”
The team has apparently received encouraging reports on Arnette, but the last thing the Raiders rookie first-round pick needs is to suffer a head injury in three consecutive weeks. So it will be something to watch as Arnette’s status updates throughout the week.
At the moment, the Colts are 3-point favorites to win on Sunday, but it will be interesting to see if that changes now that the Raiders are expected to be close to full strength.
The 8-4 Colts are the toughest opponent the Raiders have remaining on the schedule and Indianapolis enters week 14 with the 10th-ranked scoring offense in the league (Raiders are 11th). Where the balance shifts is on defense where the Colts have the 10th-ranked scoring defense compared to the Raiders 28th-ranked scoring defense.
Safe to say, the Raiders will have their hands full this week regardless of who returns to the lineup.
twitter: @raidersbeat
They need to play much better than the last two weeks. That is not the play of a team trying to make the playoffs and will get steam rolled by the colts.
Getting those 3-4 guys back this week will show that we’re a playoff team when we upset the colts.
Defense: Crosby and Beasley at DE, Ferrell and Hankins at tackle, Mullen and Lawson at CB, Abraham and Heath at S, Joyner at SB until Worley is cleared and then Joyner moves to FS, Kwaitowski and Morris at LB. Backups at DE are Nassib and Smith until McKinley gets back, Hurst and Irving T, Nixon and Arnette at CB, Johnson at SB, McMillan and White at LB, Leavitt and ? at S. Our defense from here on out will make or break this team…we must put up the good fight and win against all odds!
Offense is fine with the current rotations and hopefully Jello Pudding…Trent Brown can finally get in shape and earn his 1.3 million per game salary. Best advice for all the Raiders including Jon Gruden and all his staff…You gotta always be prepared, determined, and nasty as hell; against every opponent, at all times, without any exceptions! No more excuses and negative force spearheaded by bad coaching. Time to man up and nut up, and show the world who we are. Raider Nation that has no fear and will never concede to defeat.: Go Raiders…just win baby!
Al Davis brand…put RESPECT on his **** name and the Nation!
Coach L
” Just Win.. Baby !!🤟🤟🤟
If they get at least some of these players back next week . . I think the Raiders win against the colts!
Hopefully Gruden will learn from his own tape that you cannot sit on a 13 point lead. Two drives stalled in the 3rd qtr because he got conservative. Ruggs fumbles after two scoring drives from the Jets and suddenly your season is circling the drain….As nice as that dime was that Carr dropped on Ruggs to end it he missed Agholor 3 times and Whaler once all with separation and all for potential six….as good as he has been…… to beat the Colts he will have to be better if the Raiders don’t have Jacobs.