Wounded Raiders get offensive trio back

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

NAPA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders suddenly got a whole lot faster on offense Monday when Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford and Taiwan Jones returned from injuries.

"We got some of my toys back. I'm excited about that," coach Hue Jackson said. "Got a lot faster, got an opportunity to score more touchdowns. All those things showed up today. We're definitely headed in the right direction."

The Raiders had been slowed on offense in recent weeks because of a variety of injuries to key players. McFadden, who led the team last year with 1,157 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, broke the orbital bone in his face in a blocking drill Aug. 3.

That injury came a few days after Ford broke his left hand. Ford scored seven touchdowns as a rookie, using his sprinter's speed to become a threat as a runner, receiver and returner.

Jones, who reportedly ran the 40-yard dash between 4.27 and 4.35 seconds at his pro day, hurt his hamstring on the third day of practice and had not been back since.

All three looked like they hadn't missed a beat when they returned.

"It wasn't anything that was holding me back as far as legs or anything," McFadden said. "It wasn't like I was going to miss a step. I was just going back out there and getting back used to running plays."

The Raiders have scored just one touchdown in two preseason games, showing how much they have missed players like McFadden. While he said he would like to play in one of the final two games, he also knows there's no need to rush back into games.

Jackson said he hasn't decided whether to let McFadden play either this week against New Orleans or in the preseason finale at Seattle.

"I haven't made that decision yet," Jackson said. "I just might keep the cellophane wrap on him and let him out at another time."

Quarterback Jason Campbell watched but did not participate in practice. He was knocked out of Saturday's game after getting kneed in the helmet. Jackson said he wanted to give Campbell an extra day before he returned to practice.

"I know he was close," Jackson said. "I know I wanted him to take another day and make sure we were totally behind anything before I stick him back out there."

Defensive end Trevor Scott also practiced for the first time since tearing his left ACL last November at Pittsburgh. Scott is one of Oakland's top pass rushers with 13.5 sacks in 42 career games.

"It's one of those things you never hope happens but it's part of the game," he said. "I just took it in stride and worked hard to get back on the field."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print