Raiders, Chargers Try to Stay Healthy Tonight
It will be the third game in 12 days for the Raiders. The San Diego Chargers played Monday night, chasing San Francisco quarterback Steve Young from end to end, so you know they are thrilled about tonight’s final exhibition game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.
The game is important for selected rookies and veterans fighting to make the final 47-man roster. Thirteen players from each team must be trimmed Monday, when regular-season rosters are set.
For those who have secured jobs, tonight’s 7 p.m. game is a matter of self-preservation, especially given a dose of NFL scheduling that doesn’t exactly take the players’ interests to heart.
“It’s physically demanding,” Raider quarterback Jay Schroeder said of the schedule. “Your body never really has a chance to bounce back. Everybody’s going to play hard for as long as they can, but if you see a guy getting tired, you want to get him out. You want to play hard, but the bottom line in this league is not getting anybody hurt.”
The game won’t provide much insight into the regular season, either. The Raiders and Chargers will play twice for keeps as AFC West divisional opponents, so don’t expect an unloading of the playbooks. In fact, this will probably mark the last exhibition game between the teams. Proximity is nice, but members of both organizations would rather not play a third game against a divisional foe.
As the opener approaches, the Raiders are still fitting the final roster pieces together. Starting defensive tackle Scott Davis ended his holdout Thursday, solidifying the defensive front. Davis is expected to play tonight.
The Raider backfield situation, once clouded, became more clear this week when Greg Bell was released after an injury settlement. Rookie Nick Bell is still hobbled with a hamstring pull, leaving Marcus Allen and Roger Craig to share the tailback position.
The offensive line is set, from left to right, with Bruce Wilkerson, Steve Wisniewski, Don Mosebar, Max Montoya and Steve Wright.
