Gutierrez: Raiders-Chargers Pregame Notes

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Oct. 10, 2010

GUTIERREZ ARCHIVE
RAIDERS PAGERAIDERS VIDEO

Paul Gutierrez
CSNCalifornia

OAKLAND -- Greetings from the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Sunny day but lookslike the beginnings of another sparse crowd. Last weeks announcedcrowd of 32,218 was the smallest in Oakland since 1967. There arepeople, however, seated atop Mt. Davis.

The game is blacked out on local television, making it the 10thstraight blackout and 79th in 123 games since the Raiders returned toOakland from Los Angeles in 1995.

In my opinion, the rule is arcane and should be done away with as itobviously does not work and only hurts and alienates local fan bases.

Speaking of which, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is here and tweetedthat he was on his way in the Madden Cruiser. Maybe hell be availableand we can talk to him about the rule?

Nick Miller will make his NFL debut today, returning punts.

In the 2009 preseason, the undrafted Miller returned seven punts for 43yards with a long of 23 yards and lost a fumble at San Francisco.

He was inactive for 15 games last season before being put onseason-ending Injured Reserve with one game to go. This season, he hasbeen active for three of the four games, since the opener, but has notplayed.

With so many players physically unable to go, all three Raiders quarterbacks are active.

The Raiders inactives, then: RBs Darren McFadden (hamstring) andMichael Bennett (hamstring), CB Walter McFadden (hamstring), LBsTravis Goethel (back) and Thomas Howard (knee), LG Robert Gallery(hamstring), DT John Henderson (foot) and WR Chaz Schilens (hamstring).

Quentin Groves (hamstring) is active.

Raiders captainsCooper Carlisle, Tyvon Branch and Sam Williams.

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