OMEN
09-27-2007, 09:35 AM
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -- Josh McCown missed practice Wednesday with a broken big toe on his left foot, meaning Daunte Culpepper will probably get the chance to start at quarterback for Oakland on Sunday against the team that released him in July.
Coach Lane Kiffin said he wanted to wait until later in the week to decide who will start this week against the Miami Dolphins. McCown said doctors told him he'd likely miss a couple of weeks, but he would try to make it back soon enough to practice this week.
For now, it's Culpepper getting the practice time with the first team.
"I'll be prepared no matter what my role is," Culpepper said. "If that's to start the game and be ready to play, I'll be ready."
The timing couldn't be any better for Culpepper, who had a difficult one season in Miami. The Dolphins acquired Culpepper before the 2006 season, but he still had lingering effects from a season-ending knee injury the previous year in Minnesota and struggled with his mobility.
He was sacked 21 times in the first four games last season before he was shut down for the year. New coach Cam Cameron acquired Trent Green to be his starter in the offseason and was unable to trade Culpepper. The team eventually released him in July, one day before a breach-of-contract grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on Culpepper's behalf was scheduled to be heard.
Kiffin said Culpepper was pointing to this game the second time the two met, hoping to extract a measure of revenge.
"Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to play healthy in front of the people down there in Miami," Culpepper said. "But other than that I feel like now I get a chance to show them who I am healthy."
Culpepper signed with the Raiders on July 31 and has been catching up to learn the offense ever since. Despite playing well in the exhibition games, Culpepper lost out to McCown for the starter's job to begin the season. He got his first chance to play in last week's 26-24 victory over Cleveland.
He was 8-for-14 for 118 yards and led two scoring drives in the second half to help Oakland snap an 11-game losing streak. After not practicing with the first team during the week, Culpepper had a limited playbook against the Browns.
"One day like this is really valuable to a quarterback," Kiffin said. "To not have to split reps or just run the service team. He took all the reps and that will make him more comfortable with our offense."
It's been a rough start to the season for McCown, who was hoping to make the best of his starting role after spending last year as a backup in Detroit. He injured his right foot in the opener against the Lions, but stayed in the game until the end. He broke his right index finger on the final play of that game and was initially expected to miss two to three weeks.
Instead, he started the second game at Denver despite being listed as doubtful after missing most of practice. He spent part of last week in a walking boot on his right foot before starting against Cleveland.
He then broke the big toe on his left foot during a scramble in the first quarter. He left for one play before finishing out the opening half. Culpepper took over to start the third quarter.
"It's uncharted waters for me because I've never missed anything throughout my entire football life," McCown said. "So for me, to have back-to-back weeks, and really since Week 1, it's been three weeks to be really battling stuff that you can't play through. I've played through a lot of things before, but to get something finally you can't play through is kind of frustrating."
McCown has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 494 yards and four touchdowns. But he also has thrown five interceptions.
Associated Press
Coach Lane Kiffin said he wanted to wait until later in the week to decide who will start this week against the Miami Dolphins. McCown said doctors told him he'd likely miss a couple of weeks, but he would try to make it back soon enough to practice this week.
For now, it's Culpepper getting the practice time with the first team.
"I'll be prepared no matter what my role is," Culpepper said. "If that's to start the game and be ready to play, I'll be ready."
The timing couldn't be any better for Culpepper, who had a difficult one season in Miami. The Dolphins acquired Culpepper before the 2006 season, but he still had lingering effects from a season-ending knee injury the previous year in Minnesota and struggled with his mobility.
He was sacked 21 times in the first four games last season before he was shut down for the year. New coach Cam Cameron acquired Trent Green to be his starter in the offseason and was unable to trade Culpepper. The team eventually released him in July, one day before a breach-of-contract grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on Culpepper's behalf was scheduled to be heard.
Kiffin said Culpepper was pointing to this game the second time the two met, hoping to extract a measure of revenge.
"Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to play healthy in front of the people down there in Miami," Culpepper said. "But other than that I feel like now I get a chance to show them who I am healthy."
Culpepper signed with the Raiders on July 31 and has been catching up to learn the offense ever since. Despite playing well in the exhibition games, Culpepper lost out to McCown for the starter's job to begin the season. He got his first chance to play in last week's 26-24 victory over Cleveland.
He was 8-for-14 for 118 yards and led two scoring drives in the second half to help Oakland snap an 11-game losing streak. After not practicing with the first team during the week, Culpepper had a limited playbook against the Browns.
"One day like this is really valuable to a quarterback," Kiffin said. "To not have to split reps or just run the service team. He took all the reps and that will make him more comfortable with our offense."
It's been a rough start to the season for McCown, who was hoping to make the best of his starting role after spending last year as a backup in Detroit. He injured his right foot in the opener against the Lions, but stayed in the game until the end. He broke his right index finger on the final play of that game and was initially expected to miss two to three weeks.
Instead, he started the second game at Denver despite being listed as doubtful after missing most of practice. He spent part of last week in a walking boot on his right foot before starting against Cleveland.
He then broke the big toe on his left foot during a scramble in the first quarter. He left for one play before finishing out the opening half. Culpepper took over to start the third quarter.
"It's uncharted waters for me because I've never missed anything throughout my entire football life," McCown said. "So for me, to have back-to-back weeks, and really since Week 1, it's been three weeks to be really battling stuff that you can't play through. I've played through a lot of things before, but to get something finally you can't play through is kind of frustrating."
McCown has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 494 yards and four touchdowns. But he also has thrown five interceptions.
Associated Press