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RAIDERS NOTEBOOK
Routt will start at corner
WASHINGTON SLOWED BY HAMSTRING INJURY
By Bill Soliday - MediaNews
Stanford Routt will replace Fabian Washington at left cornerback Sunday when the Raiders face the 49ers.
Washington aggravated a hamstring injury Sunday against Cleveland, and although he finished the game, the Raiders are being careful about sending him back out.
``We felt he had gotten over it,'' Coach Art Shell said Thursday. ``But you never know. When you push that gas pedal because you're asking for something extra, sometimes it's not as sound as it needs to be. So he asked for something the other day and it didn't happen.
``He's such a tough guy, he still wants to go. But we have to be smart enough to sit him and not let this thing become a nagging problem.''
Washington was the Raiders' first-round draft pick in 2005, and Routt was taken in the second round. Washington's strength is his quickness, and while Routt has excellent straight-line speed, his forte is his size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, compared with Washington at 5-11, 185).
``I don't want to start comparing talent . . . quickness, speed and all that stuff,'' Shell said. ``But he is comparable. That's why he was taken with (Oakland's) second pick.''
Shell noted that Routt made a number of plays in last season's 9-7 loss to Cleveland.
``With a whole year under my belt, it's going to be more comfortable,'' Routt said. ``Things slow down for you.''
Routt has played right corner in the nickel defense, but he said he has no preference for either sides. He leads the Raiders' special teams with five tackles but will get a reprieve this week as gunner on kick returns in order to stay fresh.
• The Raiders rank last in the league in total offense, but Shell isn't ready to capitulate on the subject of the playbook or offensive coordinator Tom Walsh.
``I don't feel I have to defend anything,'' he said. ``We're going to do what we think is best. This offense is not so much different from a lot of offenses in this league. But when you lose, people have a tendency to pick on you. That goes with the territory.
``But when we start winning -- and we will -- then the tone will change. And you'll wonder why, (since) we'll be doing a lot of the same things we've been doing.
``You can't be concerned about what others think outside this building. If I live by that, then I'll be up and down, all over the place. I'm not going to do that.''
• Quarterback Aaron Brooks (pectoral) and Washington remain listed as out, and linebackers Grant Irons (back) and Ike Ekejiuba (shoulder) are still questionable. None of the four practiced Thursday. Others listed as questionable are defensive end Lance Johnstone (knee), running back Reshard Lee (neck), defensive end Kevin Huntley (foot), running back Zack Crockett (knee) and tackle Robert Gallery (shoulder).
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15691992.htm
Routt will start at corner
WASHINGTON SLOWED BY HAMSTRING INJURY
By Bill Soliday - MediaNews
Stanford Routt will replace Fabian Washington at left cornerback Sunday when the Raiders face the 49ers.
Washington aggravated a hamstring injury Sunday against Cleveland, and although he finished the game, the Raiders are being careful about sending him back out.
``We felt he had gotten over it,'' Coach Art Shell said Thursday. ``But you never know. When you push that gas pedal because you're asking for something extra, sometimes it's not as sound as it needs to be. So he asked for something the other day and it didn't happen.
``He's such a tough guy, he still wants to go. But we have to be smart enough to sit him and not let this thing become a nagging problem.''
Washington was the Raiders' first-round draft pick in 2005, and Routt was taken in the second round. Washington's strength is his quickness, and while Routt has excellent straight-line speed, his forte is his size (6-foot-1, 195 pounds, compared with Washington at 5-11, 185).
``I don't want to start comparing talent . . . quickness, speed and all that stuff,'' Shell said. ``But he is comparable. That's why he was taken with (Oakland's) second pick.''
Shell noted that Routt made a number of plays in last season's 9-7 loss to Cleveland.
``With a whole year under my belt, it's going to be more comfortable,'' Routt said. ``Things slow down for you.''
Routt has played right corner in the nickel defense, but he said he has no preference for either sides. He leads the Raiders' special teams with five tackles but will get a reprieve this week as gunner on kick returns in order to stay fresh.
• The Raiders rank last in the league in total offense, but Shell isn't ready to capitulate on the subject of the playbook or offensive coordinator Tom Walsh.
``I don't feel I have to defend anything,'' he said. ``We're going to do what we think is best. This offense is not so much different from a lot of offenses in this league. But when you lose, people have a tendency to pick on you. That goes with the territory.
``But when we start winning -- and we will -- then the tone will change. And you'll wonder why, (since) we'll be doing a lot of the same things we've been doing.
``You can't be concerned about what others think outside this building. If I live by that, then I'll be up and down, all over the place. I'm not going to do that.''
• Quarterback Aaron Brooks (pectoral) and Washington remain listed as out, and linebackers Grant Irons (back) and Ike Ekejiuba (shoulder) are still questionable. None of the four practiced Thursday. Others listed as questionable are defensive end Lance Johnstone (knee), running back Reshard Lee (neck), defensive end Kevin Huntley (foot), running back Zack Crockett (knee) and tackle Robert Gallery (shoulder).
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15691992.htm
