This Raiders team is probably so energized after their big win over the Chiefs they could get back out there and play another game right now. Or at very least get back out there in a week.
That’s not going to happen because they are heading into their bye week. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden may not be happy about his team’s mid-season break.
“I’m not a big fan of the bye weeks, I never really have been,” Gruden said Monday. “I’d like to keep playing. I like to play doubleheaders sometimes.”
Gruden may not have been entirely serious, but either way, the bright side is it means they have a week to enjoy their big win before they begin to prep for the Buccaneers.
There are other bonuses than just the ability to bask in their latest victory.
As is often the case, the bye weeks seems to come at a good time. It’s often the bye week when players are able to either return from injury or simply rejuvenate their bodies for the stretch run. Gruden surely sees the value in that.
“It will give Trent Brown an additional couple days to respond to his first game. we’re hoping Richie Incognito can come back, obviously. Maurice Hurst, Maliek Collins, Damon Arnette, Bryan Edwards…we’ve got a lot of guys that are still on the mend, so I’ll take this bye week this year at this time”
Should all those players return, the Raiders would have all their week one starters back as well as Hurst who was having a great season over the first four games before being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Other players who are on eligible to return from IR this season include QB Marcus Mariota, LB Tanner Muse, and DT Daniel Ross.
Mariota returned to practice after their week three-game, opening the team’s 21-day window to activate him off IR. That is 21 days is up prior to the Bucs game.
“We’re going to have a practice on Wednesday, it won’t be for everybody,” Gruden said. “We’re going to go outside and work on fundamentals and continue to work with some of our young players and we’ll get Marcus out there with Nate Peterman and throwing the ball quite a bit and see where Marcus is. We like what we’ve seen on the practice field that last seven or eight days. . . we’ll see where Marcus is health-wise on Wednesday.”
Getting guys like RT Trent Brown, WR Henry Ruggs III and LB Nick Kwiatkoski back was big in their win over the Chiefs on Sunday. Getting all or most of these players back as well could be big with Tom Brady and the Bucs coming to town in Week 7.
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