The Las Vegas Raiders are no strangers to injuries, as the past few seasons have brought devastating injuries to the Silver and Black. This offseason and early regular season have seen the Raiders sustain various levels of injuries and physical ailments among some of their best players.
Las Vegas has done the best it can to move through the season with those injuries, as every team deals with injuries once the season starts. Week 7 is shaping up to be another Sunday of the Raiders facing a team with just as many, if not more, injuries than they do.
In total, Las Vegas had 11 different players on the injury report through Thursday, but it appears to be getting healthier overall. Friday will be the true test for the team's overall health.
Brock Bowers, Spencer Burford, Folorunso Fatukasi, Kolton Miller, Segun Olubi, Carter Runyon, Dont'e Thornton, and Trey Zuhn all fully participated in Thursday's practice. Tonka Hemingway and Quay Walker participated in practice on a limited basis on Thursday.
Washington Missed Practice After Earning More Reps
When asked if running back Mike Washington earned more reps, Kubiak stated, "Yes," he had. Washington was listed on the injury report as a limited participant on Wednesday and did not practice on Thursday afternoon. This could be bad news for the Raiders.
Or it could be precautionary, since Bowers missed Friday's practice before his first start of the season, and Jeanty did not practice late in Week 5 before Las Vegas faced the New England Patriots, but he still played that Sunday. Washington averaged about five carries per game before last Sunday.
It is unclear how much Washington's injury will affect the Raiders' game plan, since Jeanty isn't listed on the injury report and is presumably nearly as healthy as he has been this season. This is only the second time this season that Jeanty has not been listed on the injury report.
Next Steps for the Unit
Heading into Week 6, Jeanty averaged nearly 18 carries per game before that number was cut in half last Sunday, as Washington carried the ball double his season average per game. If Washington is out on Sunday against the Rams, Jeanty's health and durability will be tested.
Las Vegas' injury list is filled with primarily offensive players. The unit's long list of injuries only add to the deficiencies the unit has when healthy. Luckily, the list is long, but most of the players on it practiced on Thursday and should be good to go on Sunday.
The Raiders' coaching staff must maximize the talent that is on the field this Sunday. It will not matter how well Las Vegas' defense plays if their offense waits until the fourth quarter to take and execute shots downfield. Raiders' offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko shed light on the staff's mindset.
“You’re always looking for different ways to create explosives, and each game, each series is different. So, if there’s a way to exploit something with the defense in a certain manner, we try to get that and just try to put our players in the best position to make plays at any time in the game, asking them to use their specific skills, run game, pass game,” Janocko said before Thursday’s practice.
“And then that allows our coaches to develop those guys, and I think our coaches do a great job, whether it’s in the receivers room with Zach [Azzanni], Steck [Luke Steckel] in the tight ends room, Omar [Young] developing Mike [Washington Jr.] as he goes along."
"But those guys just being able to maximize their players’ talents, and Klint [Kubiak] and I being able to put the guys in the best position possible.”
The Raiders face a talented Los Angeles Rams team on Sunday, but LA will be without several of its best players. However, the Patriots were missing even more players than the Rams are and thoroughly outplayed the Raiders. Las Vegas has no room for error on Sunday.
The Raiders can end one streak and start another by beating the Rams on Sunday, with a winnable game against their old quarterback, Geno Smith, and the New York Jets on the road in Week 8. First, Las Vegas must take care of home after dropping their last two games at Allegiant Stadium.
Add us as a preferred source on Google