ALAMEDA – There’s a real prospect the Raiders face the New York Giants next week without their two best receivers.
Head coach Jack Del Rio can’t control the odds.
Amari Cooper’s in the concussion protocol following a violent collision with Broncos safety Darian Stewart. He injured an ankle on the same play.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The league office will determine Michael Crabtree’s availability. Crabtree could be suspended for his part in a huge brawl early in Sunday’s 21-14 victory over Denver.
Crabtree was accused of throwing a punch to Chris Harris Jr.’s gut one play – it’s somewhat clear on All-22 film -- and mixing it up with Aqib Talib after his chain was snatched for a second straight season. In a humorous twist, ESPN reported that Crabtree tape his chain to himself and Talib still ripped it off.
The second incident escalated quickly, and Crabtree and Talib eventually took swings at each other in open field.
NFL Network reported Monday that suspensions are possible due to the extended length, especially with the second round including overt fisticuffs.
NFL
The league is reviewing the incident and should have a decision soon.
Del Rio doesn’t think Crabtree deserves further punishment.
“That’s for the league to decide,” Del Rio said. ‘I would hope not. Based on what I saw, I wouldn’t think there would be that type of reaction.”
Right guard Gabe Jackson was also ejected for making contact with an official in the melee, where he charged into a crowd of Broncos scuffling with teammates. The contact with an official looks inadvertent on video, and Del Rio believes his right guard should be back right away.
“All I can go off of is the game tape and nothing showed up on game tape,” Del Rio said. “So, I don’t sit and surf the web or whatever, I’m not looking for any of that kind of stuff. If there’s an issue, the league will bring it to my attention. Gabe is a pretty mild-mannered guy. He’s a pretty powerful guy so if he was going in a path over that way and you got in front of him, he could run you down accidentally but he wouldn’t be trying to do that. I don’t have anything to add on that. I think Gabe is pretty pure. I don’t think he would intentionally do anything like that.”
Del Rio and Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said the brawl was unacceptable, especially with good players on both sides being ejected. Joseph said there would be no internal punishment for Talib, and understood somewhat how things could escalate.
“I’m not going to speak for the Raiders, I’m going to speak for our guys,” Joseph told Denver reporters. “I told our guys I don’t want it, but once it happens, how does a guy not defend himself? Punches are being thrown and helmets are off—I don’t want it to happen, but if it does happen you can’t blame a man for defending himself. I want our guys to simply defuse and walk away. That’s what I want.”