Newly appointed head coach Tony Sparano is very optimistic. The Oakland Raiders are hoping that a change at the coaching position will spark some momentum into the team that is in danger of winning just a small handful of games this season as they sit 0-4 on the year. The Raiders have struggled on both ends of the ball as injuries begin to mount on their best players. After sending a number of players to injured reserve, Sparano is hoping a healthy quarterback and some free agent signings are just what Oakland needs to get their first win of the season.
The first step in the new Sparano era in Oakland is getting Derek Carr healthy. The quarterback suffered a sprained ankle and knee in the loss in Week 4. The team is coming off their bye week and the rookie is reportedly healthy and expected to play against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. Carr has been practicing all week as he told media it would take a lot for him not to be on the field come Sunday.
That is good news for the Raiders as Matt Schaub and Matt McGloin have done very little to inspire confidence as backups. If Carr was unable to play, either one of the other quarterbacks would have to start. Schaub dealt with an elbow injury to start the season while McGloin has been buried on the depth chart after starting a good portion of 2013 for the Raiders. Sparano told media (via ESPN.com) that he is fully committed to Carr as the quarterback for the team and he was confident the rookie was healthy enough to play.
"Derek's DNA is he wants to go out there and do that, he wants to be the leader," Sparano said, via the Contra Costa Times. "We had a really good conversation and he knows he has to wear that hat. He knows that it comes with the position."
Carr might be healthy, but not too many other players are. Nick Roach was just placed on injured reserve along with wide receiver Rod Streater. Marcel Reece has been limited in practice which will hurt the already non-existent run game of the Raiders. Khalif Barnes did not practice after suffering a quad issue. The Raiders brought on both Kenbrell Thompkins and Vincent Brown to help the wide receiver corps, but Sparano believes it is Denarius Moore who could be the offensive x-factor going forward.
Moore did not have the confidence of Dennis Allen, but he has it from Sparano. The head coach told the media that Moore was getting a "clean slate" from the coaching staff after he was a healthy scratch in Game 4 following a dropped pass that was intercepted against the Patriots. Having those three along with James Jones could give Carr a lot to work with if everyone plays to their talent level.
