Silver and Black Report

Darrius Heyward-Bey takes aim at the Cowboys secondary

• Mike Mitchell will not see action tonight versus the Dallas Cowboys. The rookie safety is out with an injured hamstring, the same that kept him out a month during the off-season. “Disappointing,” Raiders coach Tom Cable declared yesterday at Napa. “It is a strain so it’s going to be a little while. How long, we don’t know. You’ve just got to deal with it, rehab and get him back.”
• At strong side linebacker, Jon Alston is questionable with a foot injury. Ricky Brown will start at that spot along with Thomas Howard on the weak side and Kirk Morrison in the middle.
• Speedster Darrius Heyward Bey saw limited action this week in practice, but Cable stated that the first round draft choice will be ready to go and possibly play a half on Thursday night.
• Chris Morris will play in place of Robert Gallery, who is still recovering from his appendectomy.
• Wide receiver Louis Murphy is having a solid camp along with Chaz Schilens, and both will be depended on to revitalize a passing attack that ranked 32^nd (148.1 yards per) in 2008. Nick Miller has a good character, solid work ethic and refuses to let up also during camp. So in every pre-season game, focus on the receiving corps, as there are a few battles for a couple of spots.
• Quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett has been a solid presence in camp this summer. He is constantly quizzing his unit, grading the game plan for that session up or down and really utilizing each passer’s abilities to fit what they are trying to accomplish. With Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye battling for the third string job, Hackett will focus on how each moves their unit tonight, how they are composed and whether or not they are absorbing what he is preaching during camp. JaMarcus Russell will only play a quarter, and Jeff Garcia will sit out due to a calf injury.
• The three-headed monster of Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will see action in the opening half. Coach Cable wants to incorporate all three this season and use their best attributes seamlessly in the game plan. Louis Rankin, a strong performer last pre-season, will have to duplicate his output from last year if he plans to stick around. The fullback battle has been a quiet one, but if Lorenzo Neal stays healthy and strong, show some vitality and longevity, it will be hard to unseat his presence and the return of the bulky Oren O’Neal. Luke Lawton figures to be the odd man out at this point.

Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist