Game Summary Here by Sac D

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December 13, 2009	Photo by Sac D

Game Summary Here

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/50s f/3.6 at 7.4mm iso80 hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	13-Dec-2009 09:35:08
Make	Panasonic
Model	DMC-FZ30
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	7.4 mm
Exposure Time	1/50 sec
Aperture	f/3.6
ISO Equivalent	80
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Mode	matrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program	program (2)
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Sac D		14-Dec-2009 07:30
Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski tore ligaments in one knee on the fifth play of the game, then partially tore ligaments in his other knee just before halftime. Without their starting quarterback, the Raiders had no leg to stand on Sunday. All Raiders head coach Tom Cable could do after the game was look at the stat sheet, tear it in two, then drop it in the trash can. Redskins 34, Raiders 13, the numerical story read Sunday. Just like that, the Raiders' resurgence developed a staggering limp and a 4-9 record. "Very disappointed," Cable said, as well he should be. That makes it four times this season his Raiders followed a breakthrough victory with a three-score loss. If there's a bounce-back to be had, it likely will be without Gradkowski, who won two of three starts in place of JaMarcus Russell before his dual injuries Sunday. Meniscus ligaments don't require surgery, but they do need rest when torn. Gradkowski concedes he won't play Sunday at Denver. He'll know more beyond that after a medical follow-up today. "It's tough because the past couple weeks, I felt we had great, positive attitudes and energy, and then this happens," Gradkowski said. The Raiders had just become his team. The hometown kid won the previous Sunday at Pittsburgh, coming from behind three times with touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to slay the defending Super Bowl champions 27-24. Gradkowski rallied to beat the AFC North-leading Bengals in his first start, and nearly did the same coming off the bench against the Chiefs last month. Now, the Raiders must turn to the quarterback they deemed the problem all along, as evidenced by his midseason benching while the rest of the members of the NFL's 31st-ranked offense kept their jobs. "Bruce was our quarterback coming in, so anytime your quarterback goes down, it's a blow to the team," said starting running back Justin Fargas, who ran nine times for 21 yards, with a 1-yard touchdown plunge in the second quarter. "But as professionals, we have to be able to respond and there shouldn't be any letdown." Shouldn't be, but there was. The Raiders trailed 17-10 at halftime. The way Gradkowski saw it, they had the Redskins right where they wanted them. He had completed 10 of 18 passes for 153 yards, on pace for a second straight 300-yard game. After all, frantic comebacks are what Gradkowski does best. Fittingly enough, his game ended in a two-minute drill just before halftime. "I felt good," Gradkowski said. "I felt like we were moving the ball well. It felt like our attitudes were good. It was going to be a good game. I knew we'd find a way to win this one." He got the Raiders from their 14 to their 46 with 16 seconds left, having scrambled twice for 16 yards. Keep in mind, all this with a meniscus he tore on the game's opening drive. "On the first sack, I kind of felt it pop but I didn't think (anything) of it," Gradkowski said. "I just put a brace on it and kept going." Gradkowski was on the move again when Redskins rookie Brian Orakpo grabbed him from behind, twisting him to the ground just as he underhanded a 6-yard pass to Fargas. There was another pop. There was no toughing through this one. "I tried taping it up for the second half but it wasn't happening." Here's what else wasn't happening: a second-half comeback. Not with the run game stuffed - it finished with 65 yards. Not with Oakland committing 14 penalties for the second time this season. And, not with the offensive line giving up eight sacks for 65 yards. "We didn't protect either of them," tight end Zach Miller said. "You can't do that. You've got to give him time to throw." Didn't happen. During one third-quarter drive that began near midfield, Russell was sacked twice, both times when left tackle Mario Henderson was beaten on the edge. In between sacks, right guard Cooper Carlisle had a false start and right tackle Cornell Green was whistled for being ineligibly downfield during a pass. The drive: eight plays, minus-2 yards, five minutes of game clock they'd never get back. By Russell's fourth sack, he was yelling at his offensive linemen, a stark mood change for the even-keeled No. 1 draft pick. "It made a big difference because we knew JaMarcus was a pocket guy," said Orakpo, who had four sacks. "He wasn't a running threat. So I was able to let loose with all kinds of moves to get to him." Russell was 10-for-16 for 74 yards and one interception in his first appearance since getting benched four games ago. Cable hopes the team didn't have a letdown when Russell replaced Gradkowski, especially now that the Raiders need Russell again. "Whoever goes in there, we all have to rally around him," Cable said. "They have to go in there and do their jobs."

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