WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

December 06, 2018 at 1:12 am.

–Rookie wide receiver catching on: With the Raiders trailing the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, 33-23, Oakland rookie wide receiver Marcell Ateman lined up on the 9-yard line and then ran a fade route, jumped up and caught his first NFL touchdown. At 6-4, he had a decided advantage over 5-11 cornerback Steven Nelson, which is the reason quarterback Derek Carr threw in that direction.

And based on the results, expect that to happen more often.

“It was big, just because it was a crucial time of the game,” Ateman said. “If we would’ve got that stop down there on third-and-5, anything could’ve happened. We were moving, we were moving the ball on them, man, and we’ve just got to keep pushing.

“I just got to keep going because I missed the (touchdown) in the back of the end zone (earlier), and I just didn’t get myself down. I told myself, ‘I’m going to have to come back and make a play.’ That’s what Jordy (Nelson) preaches to me, that’s what all the veterans tell me, ‘just keep playing, keep playing.’ Derek (Carr) gave me another shot to make a play, but we just got to keep going.”

Head coach Jon Gruden thinks the young receiver is showing improvement.

“I think he’s getting confident,” Gruden said. “You get acclimated to the game speed the more you play. It’s his third start now. I thought he had a couple chances to make some signature plays I would like to see him make, but he did make the big touchdown reception to make it 33-30. It’s kind of neat seeing these young guys gaining confidence. I think the more they play, the more they get truly acclimated to the speed of this game. It’s a lot faster than what they are used to, but he’s getting more and more comfortable. He played two positions yesterday and he helped us out. We did some good things offensively.”

–Signings: The Raiders signed running back C.J. Anderson, a former Cal star and defensive end Kony Ealy, who was with the team previously this year.

Anderson twice surpassed 1,000 yards rushing. In 2017 with the Denver Broncos, as he started in all 16 games and totaled 1,007 yards on 245 touches with three scores on the ground and one receiving.

Anderson’s Pro Bowl honor in 2014 features a campaign that holds career highs in rushing touchdowns (eight), receptions (34), receiving yards (324) and receiving touchdowns (two). In 2018 he has been in nine games for the Panthers, making one start, rushing 24 times for 104 yards.

Gruden on Anderson: “He’s been a good player for a long time. Doug Martin hurt his knee and we’re not 100 percent sure about his status for the game, although we think he’ll be good to go. We can’t take any chances. We’ve got four games left to play and the Steelers blitz almost every play. We needed a back. Fortunately for us, C.J. Anderson was available and we’re happy to have him.”

Ealy is a former second-round pick (60th overall) of the Carolina Panthers in the 2014 draft. At 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, he played in 62 games over his career with the Panthers and Jets. He started 19 times and totaled 90 tackles (53 solo), 15 sacks, two interceptions, 14 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In the postseason, Ealy appeared in five contests and made one start, getting 11 stops (five), three sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

–Making room: The Raiders placed three players on injured reserve – wide receiver Martavis Bryant (knee), safety Reggie Nelson (shoulder) and linebacker Shilique Calhoun.

In Bryant’s on-again off-again work with Oakland this year, he played eight games with two starts and caught 19 passes for 266 yards.

Nelson signed as a free agent in 2016 and started all 32 games in his first two seasons with Oakland, appearing in 43 games. Over his 12-year career, he has appeared in 181 contests and made 164 starts, recorded 830 tackles (605 solo), 6.5 sacks, 38 interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 93 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.

His 38 interceptions lead all active players in the NFL.

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