PLAYER NOTES
–LG Kelechi Osemele missed practice Wednesday (knee).
–C Rodney Hudson was limited in practice Wednesday (ankle).
–LT Kolton Miller was limited in practice Wednesday (knee).
–WR Marcell Ateman was moved from the practice squad to the active roster, numerically replacing Amari Cooper.
–OL Denver Kirkland was promoted from the practice squad to add some depth to a front line depleted by injuries.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: K Daniel Carlson. Head coach Jon Gruden used trading of first-round players as a smokescreen to hide his really devilish work – giving kickers the boot. The most recent kicker to be kicked off the roster was undrafted rookie Matt McCrane, signed in Week 4. In three weeks, he missed four field goals and had touchbacks on only three of a dozen kickoff attempts. So Tuesday he sailed between the uprights of the exit door. He followed, in no special order, Sebastian Janikowski, Giorgio Tavecchio and Eddy Pineiro (on injured reserve). Carlson’s NFL experience includes missing three field goals for Minnesota in a tie with Green Bay.
GAME PLAN: With the offensive line still battered, the Raiders should run the ball to keep pressure off quarterback Derek Carr. With Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch gone – on injured reserve (groin) – the Raiders have a viable option with hard-running Doug Martin.
Thus far, Martin has carried only 27 times for 99 yards and added four receptions for a net of five yards. But Wednesday, head coach Jon Gruden called Martin the “feature back” on a rushing offense that is 24th in the league with an average of 92.5 yards a game. Three seasons ago, with Tampa Bay, Martin rushed for 1,402 yards. Not sure what he has in the tank now, though.
The Raiders’ leaky defense (398.5 yards a game) will face an improving two-pronged attack by the Colts, with quarterback Andrew Luck apparently recovered from that forever shoulder surgery and running back Marlon Mack averaging 6.1 yards a carry (41 for 249).
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Raiders CB Daryl Worley vs. Colts WR T.Y. Hilton. Since returning to action after coming off suspension, Worley is one of the few positive things on a Raiders defense that has been pushed all over the field. Hilton has always been QB Andrew Luck’s favorite deep target.
–Raiders TE Jared Cook vs. Colts S Mike Mitchell. Cook is the key to the Raiders passing game as he creates size/speed mismatches, depending on whether he draws a defensive back or a linebacker in coverage – sometimes both. He leads the Raiders with 32 catches for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Mitchell has the speed of a safety and the toughness of a linebacker. His ability to handle Cook may dictate if the Colts can take on wide receivers with single coverage.
