The Raiders are entering their most joyous bye week in nearly a decade. It will be interesting to see where Campbell and Ford fit in when Oakland returns Nov. 21 at Pittsburgh. Campbell was playing for the fourth straight game because Bruce Gradkowski has a shoulder injury. Ford was starting because Louis Murphy is out with a lung injury. There is a good chance both Gradkowski and Murphy can return against Pittsburgh.
Ford has to stay on the field. He was the first rookie since 1979 to have a kickoff return for a touchdown and more than 100 yards receiving in the same game. He had six catches for 148 yards. Murphy has been better than Oakland’s other starter, 2009 No. 1 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, so perhaps Ford will eat into Heyward-Bey’s playing time. Heyward-Bey had no catches Sunday after having five catches for 105 yards last week. He has not been consistent at all.
And how do you take out Campbell after he has led the team to three straight wins? Campbell, the original starter in Oakland after being acquired in a trade from Washington in April, struggled early, but he did come through with big plays Sunday. Oakland coach Tom Cable has maintained that Gradkowski will be the starter when he is healthy. Sunday, however, he said he’s not going to think about it right now, perhaps a signal that Campbell could remain the starter.
Campbell should keep the job. Oakland has a good thing going. It shouldn’t be messed with.
That's usually not how the NFL works so it could be coach-speak. Three-straight wins should be enough to allow Campbell to continue to be the starter, but the Raiders have a couple of weeks to sort it out.
