Approximately four weeks ago, the Oakland Raiders lost their quarterback Jason Campbell(notes) to a broken collarbone for the rest of the year. Now the Raiders will face a team who has just lost their quarterback; possibly for the rest of the season as well. Jay Cutler(notes) of the Chicago Bears broke the thumb on his throwing hand against the San Diego Chargers on November 20. Although things are looking down, the Bears are confident that Cutler will return this season. However, that won’t matter much in the November 26 matchup between the Raiders and Bears in Oakland, CA.

The Raiders replaced Campbell with proven veteran Carson Palmer(notes) four weeks ago, while the Bears will turn to their backup quarterback Caleb Hanie(notes). Hanie made an appearance last year in the NFC Championship game and nearly brought the Bears back for a win over the Green Bay Packers – who went on to win the Super Bowl. On November 26, Hanie will make his first start of the 2011 season in place of Cutler, and to be honest, I don’t think the Bears will miss Cutler all that much.

The Raiders will look to disrupt Hanie, much the same way the Kansas City Chiefs disrupted both Kyle Boller(notes) and Carson Palmer in their first game after Campbell’s injury. Let’s look at how these two teams matchup:

Offense

As far as the Bears’ offensive strengths go, there are two key components to that equation; ‘Matt’ and ‘Forte’. Matt Forte(notes) is the most versatile and complete running back in the NFL right now. And when I say complete, I mean he can run the ball and catch the ball and be equally as explosive. The Raiders have an explosive back of their own; Michael Bush(notes). Bush is playing in place of injured running back Darren McFadden(notes) who will miss yet another game with a strained foot. Bush has been having huge games as of late but it’s the veteran quarterback that gets his team the edge here.

Edge: Raiders

Defense

The main difference between these two teams on defense is pretty simple. The Bears give up just over 100-yards rushing per game, while the Raiders give up just over 130 yards. Both running backs will look to have a big game, but I think the Bears will stop Michael Bush before the Raiders stop Matt Forte.

Edge: Bears

Special Teams

Any other week, I would say the Raiders’ kicking squad of Sebastian Jankiowski and Shane Lechler(notes) give them the edge automatically. However, everyone knows the Bears’ return team features a human highlight reel in the form of Devin Hester(notes). To avoid the wrath that is Hester – who is averaging 21.2 yards per punt return – Lechler will just have to kick it away from him. I just hope Shane Lechler isn’t too proud to kick it out of the reach of Hester. As for Janikowski, he can kick touchbacks all day, probably even from the opposite end zone if he had to. If the Raiders can keep the ball out of Hester’s hands, they hold the advantage; otherwise, I give it to the Bears.

Edge: ????

Prediction: Bears 31- Raiders 24

David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where they post fresh content daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.

You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp .

Sources:

NFL.com. Raiders vs. Bears Game Preview. NFL 2011.

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If there’s any team that knows what the Chicago Bears are going through after losing starting quarterback Jay Cutler to a broken thumb, it might be the Oakland Raiders.

It was just last month that Oakland’s promising season hit a speed bump when starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. The Raiders lost back-to-back games as they adjusted to new quarterback Carson Palmer before responding with wins the past two weeks as Palmer found his rhythm.

The Bears (7-3) are now in a similar predicament heading into Sunday’s game in Oakland against the Raiders (6-4), with backup Caleb Hanie set to get his first career start one week after Cutler broke his thumb trying to make a tackle on an interception return.

The emotions in Chicago are quite familiar to the Raiders. The initial shock followed by the understanding that the team must rally behind the new quarterback or otherwise the entire season would go to waste.

“The QB is the leader,” Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. “He’s the face of the team. When you lose a good one, and everything’s going like the Bears have had, winning five in a row, it’s a shock wave. But the dude they’ve got backing up played last year in the NFC championship game. He didn’t play all year last year and he came right in and picked it up. You can’t go in thinking there’s going to be a big drop-off. You just have to take care of business.”

While Hanie’s last start was for Colorado State against Wyoming four years ago and he has not even thrown a pass all season, his performance in last season’s NFC title game against Green Bay opened eyes in Oakland, and among his own teammates.

After Cutler went down with a knee injury and Todd Collins was ineffective in two series, Hanie came into the game with the Bears trailing the Packers 14-0 late in the third quarter. He led the Bears to a touchdown on his first drive, threw an interception that was returned for a score later in the fourth quarter and then threw a TD pass to cut the deficit to 21-14.

Hanie then drove Chicago into Green Bay territory before throwing an interception in the final minute to send the Packers to the Super Bowl. He finished that game 13 for 20 for 153 yards with one TD and two interceptions on a huge stage with no preparation.

The Bears hope that makes this week’s task a little bit easier.

“That helped him a lot. This week he knew he was the guy right away. He’s able to take all the reps in practice to really get himself ready to play the best possible game he can,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He’s not a rookie around here. Caleb’s been around here for a while. Our players all know him, they have confidence in him. Outside it’s a big story, but on the inside we’re just carrying on. It’s always next guy up.”

When the Raiders lost Campbell on Oct. 16 in a win against Cleveland, the next man up was Kyle Boller. But they quickly decided they needed an upgrade and immediately traded a 2012 first-round pick and conditional 2013 second-rounder to Cincinnati for Palmer.

The risk did not pay off immediately. Boller and Palmer combined to throw six interceptions as Oakland lost its first game without Palmer to Kansas City. Palmer threw three more interceptions the following game in a loss to Denver.

But he has bounced back the past two games, going 31 for 43 for 463 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 120.6 as the Raiders have won two straight to take over first place in the AFC West.

“That’s why I went and got the guy,” coach Hue Jackson said. “He’s a tremendous football player. He’s growing each and every day. The sky’s the limit. What he has to do is just keep working. It’s a testament to him. All of a sudden you’ve played four games now and your body, you go from the couch to playing, and at some point in time you’re looking for him to slow down and hit a wall, but not this guy. He keeps working and pushes right through it and on he goes.”

The Bears are putting their hopes in Hanie’s hands until Cutler returns, possibly before the end of the regular season. They reportedly made a waiver claim on Kyle Orton, who was claimed by Kansas City, and signed Josh McCown as a backup.

But if they are going to make it back to the postseason, Hanie will be the quarterback to get them there. He has plenty of help with running back Matt Forte, who leads the league with 1,391 yards from scrimmage, big-play returner Devin Hester and a defense that is tied for second in takeaways with 23.

“We lost our leader for a few weeks here so we’ve got to pick it up a little bit and everyone’s got to try and do more if that’s even possible,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “It’s hard to do that in the NFL and we’ve just got to try and find a way to make some more plays.”

OAKLAND, Calif. – If there’s any team that knows what the Chicago Bears are going through after losing starting quarterback Jay Cutler to a broken thumb, it might be the Oakland Raiders.

It was just last month that Oakland’s promising season hit a speed bump when starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone. The Raiders lost back-to-back games as they adjusted to new quarterback Carson Palmer before responding with wins the past two weeks as Palmer found his rhythm.

The Bears (7-3) are now in a similar predicament heading into Sunday’s game in Oakland against the Raiders (6-4), with backup Caleb Hanie set to get his first career start one week after Cutler broke his thumb trying to make a tackle on an interception return.

The emotions in Chicago are quite familiar to the Raiders. The initial shock followed by the understanding that the team must rally behind the new quarterback or otherwise the entire season would go to waste.

“The QB is the leader,” Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. “He’s the face of the team. When you lose a good one, and everything’s going like the Bears have had, winning five in a row, it’s a shock wave. But the dude they’ve got backing up played last year in the NFC championship game. He didn’t play all year last year and he came right in and picked it up. You can’t go in thinking there’s going to be a big drop-off. You just have to take care of business.”

While Hanie’s last start was for Colorado State against Wyoming four years ago and he has not even thrown a pass all season, his performance in last season’s NFC title game against Green Bay opened eyes in Oakland, and among his own teammates.

After Cutler went down with a knee injury and Todd Collins was ineffective in two series, Hanie came into the game with the Bears trailing the Packers 14-0 late in the third quarter. He led the Bears to a touchdown on his first drive, threw an interception that was returned for a score later in the fourth quarter and then threw a TD pass to cut the deficit to 21-14.

Hanie then drove Chicago into Green Bay territory before throwing an interception in the final minute to send the Packers to the Super Bowl. He finished that game 13 for 20 for 153 yards with one TD and two interceptions on a huge stage with no preparation.

The Bears hope that makes this week’s task a little bit easier.

“That helped him a lot. This week he knew he was the guy right away. He’s able to take all the reps in practice to really get himself ready to play the best possible game he can,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He’s not a rookie around here. Caleb’s been around here for a while. Our players all know him, they have confidence in him. Outside it’s a big story, but on the inside we’re just carrying on. It’s always next guy up.”

When the Raiders lost Campbell on Oct. 16 in a win against Cleveland, the next man up was Kyle Boller. But they quickly decided they needed an upgrade and immediately traded a 2012 first-round pick and conditional 2013 second-rounder to Cincinnati for Palmer.

The risk did not pay off immediately. Boller and Palmer combined to throw six interceptions as Oakland lost its first game without Palmer to Kansas City. Palmer threw three more interceptions the following game in a loss to Denver.

But he has bounced back the past two games, going 31 for 43 for 463 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 120.6 as the Raiders have won two straight to take over first place in the AFC West.

“That’s why I went and got the guy,” coach Hue Jackson said. “He’s a tremendous football player. He’s growing each and every day. The sky’s the limit. What he has to do is just keep working. It’s a testament to him. All of a sudden you’ve played four games now and your body, you go from the couch to playing, and at some point in time you’re looking for him to slow down and hit a wall, but not this guy. He keeps working and pushes right through it and on he goes.”

The Bears are putting their hopes in Hanie’s hands until Cutler returns, possibly before the end of the regular season. They reportedly made a waiver claim on Kyle Orton, who was claimed by Kansas City, and signed Josh McCown as a backup.

But if they are going to make it back to the post-season, Hanie will be the quarterback to get them there. He has plenty of help with running back Matt Forte, who leads the league with 1,391 yards from scrimmage, big-play returner Devin Hester and a defence that is tied for second in takeaways with 23.

“We lost our leader for a few weeks here so we’ve got to pick it up a little bit and everyone’s got to try and do more if that’s even possible,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “It’s hard to do that in the NFL and we’ve just got to try and find a way to make some more plays.”

Even with injuries to players like Darren McFadden(notes), Jason Campbell(notes) and Jacoby Ford(notes), the Oakland Raiders have managed some important wins and sit atop the AFC West division. There are four key reasons that the Raiders will continue to thrive and eventually win the division once the season is over. Fans will get to see the black and silver in the postseason once again.

Running Backs

Darren McFadden’s foot injury has left him side-lined, but Michael Bush(notes) has filled the spot nicely. He can provide a quick rushing game on offense and allow Carson Palmer(notes) room to run play actions and open up the field.

Once McFadden does return, the combination of the two will provide a power running game that could lead the Raiders into the end zone on nearly every possession.

Carson Palmer’s Quarterback Skills

As Palmer gets used to the Oakland Raiders system he continues to improve every week. During the November 6 game against the Denver Broncos, Palmer threw three interceptions, but in the two weeks following he has had better control with only one interception in the win against the San Diego Chargers and no turnovers against the Minnesota Vikings.

Palmer needs to keep connecting with receivers like Kevin Boss(notes) and Denarius Moore(notes). Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes) is another deep threat for the Raiders as long he stays healthy and heals from a terrible tackle he received against the Minnesota Vikings.

Future Games

The Raiders’ final six games are far from easy for the team. First up is a home game against the Chicago Bears. With Jay Cutler(notes) out due to a thumb injury, the Oakland Raiders defense needs to step up and wreck havoc on Caleb Hanie(notes). If the running game can get past the powerful Bears defense then Oakland should get the victory.

Other tough opponents in upcoming weeks include games against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. These late season challenges will have more impact for the team if the division title and a playoff spot are at stake.

Currently, the Denver Broncos are in second place and their schedule looks a lot easier than the Raiders, so the team cannot fall behind or the division will be at stake. Once defenses figure out a way to stop and contain Tim Tebow(notes), the Broncos will falter and the Raiders will rise.

If the Oakland Raiders were 100% healthy, there would be no question that they would win the division, but even through all of the injuries, they have proven themselves to be a playoff worthy team.

Alan Donahue has been an Oakland Raiders and New York Giants fan all his life. He attended high school with Matt Shaughnessy(notes) and follows his career with the Raiders.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Oakland Raiders wide receiver, Denarius Moore(notes), was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for the second time this season for his efforts in the game against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday night, November 10.

Denarius Moore
Wikimedia Commons

I believe that every time the Raiders’ have had a player up for the award, they’ve been selected as the winner. It’s got to say something for not only the players, but the NFL fans who are voting for them. Much to the chagrin of fans of those other NFL teams who continue to insist that the fans of their respective teams are the more passionate ones. The Raider Nation knows better.

Not only did Denarius Moore receive the well deserved recognition, but Michael Bush(notes) was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his awesome performance in the same game.

But back to Moore. The gentleman that head coach Hue Jackson frequently uses the word “wow” to describe, has really exceeded everyone’s expectations this year, and he’s likely the best bargain that any team in the NFL could have possibly received.

In the game during week ten, the rookie receiver made an incredible 46-yard catch from Carson Palmer(notes) and had a total of five catches, 123 yards and two touchdowns. The first time he received the award this season was in week two against the Buffalo Bills where he had a total of 146 yards and an amazing 50-yard catch for a touchdown thrown by quarterback Jason Campbell(notes).

What’s also significant about his recognition, is that in ten weeks, there have now been three in which rookies on the Silver and Black have been selected for the honor. The third time was offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski in week three for his efforts in the game against the New York Jets. Last season, over 17 weeks in 2010, there was only one week in which an Oakland rookie was recognized, and that was wide receiver Jacoby Ford(notes) who was selected in week nine in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Prior to Ford’s selection last year, the Raiders hadn’t had a rookie player selected for the honor since 2002, when Cornerback Phillip Buchanon was named NFL Rookie of the Week in both week’s four and five. With so many young players standing out for the Silver and Black recently, I think it really shows the turnaround the team has made, and the fact that they are headed back on the right road to excellence.

As always as Coach Jackson likes to say, “It’s a great day to be an Oakland Raider!” And, I’d like to add, it’s always a great day when you’re an Oakland Raiders fan.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan from the time she could walk. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett . Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter or on Twitter @kcdermody.

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Read More: Jason Campbell (QB – OAK), Richard Seymour (DT – OAK), Michael Huff (FS – OAK), Sebastian Janikowski (K – OAK), Michael Bush (RB – OAK), Darren McFadden (RB – OAK), Jacoby Ford (WR – OAK), Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings

The Oakland Raiders will be looking to improve on their season this Sunday when they take on the Minnesota Vikings, but it won’t be easy as the Bay Area team will take to the Metrodome without one of its best players. The Raiders released their final injury report of the week on Friday and, as suspected, starting running back Darren McFadden has been ruled out due to a foot injury.

The Raiders still have a capable running back in Michael Bush backing up McFadden, but their backfield isn’t quite as daunting without McFadden running behind the offensive line. The Raiders also listed wide receiver Jacoby Ford, cornerback Chris Johnson and quarterback Jason Campbell out for Sunday afternoon’s game.

Among the other injuries including on Friday’s report are defensive end Richard Seymour (questionable with a knee injury), safety Michael Huff (questionable due to an ankle injury) and kicker Sebastian Janikowski (probable with a left hamstring injury).

The full injury report can be found on the NFL’s injury page.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden and wide receiver Jacoby Ford missed practice Monday, leaving both questionable for this weekend’s game in Minnesota.

McFadden continues to make progress from the mid-foot sprain that has kept him out of the Raiders’ past two games but has yet to resume full workouts. Ford is wearing a protective walking boot after injuring his foot in last Thursday’s win over San Diego.

Neither player even attended Oakland’s first practice since a two-day break, and coach Hue Jackson declined to say what the chances were for McFadden or Ford being available for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.

“We have a team of doctors that handle that,” Jackson said. “They’re normally going to tell me when a guy can play and I trust their judgment and what they do. Nobody’s been ruled out as of now, so we’ll go through the week and see where we’re at.”

The way backups Michael Bush and Denarius Moore played in Oakland’s 24-17 win over the Chargers, it might not matter much.

Bush ran for a season-high 157 yards and a touchdown and had another 85 yards in receptions. The 242 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Raiders player since Bo Jackson had 235 against Seattle on Nov. 30, 1987, and the fourth-most in franchise history.

Moore nearly outdid him.

The rookie receiver from Tennessee caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns and repeatedly gouged San Diego’s secondary for big gains. Included in Moore’s night was a remarkable 46-yarder that he caught with his fingertips wrapped around the point on the ball after the pass from quarterback Carson Palmer sailed over Moore’s head.

That win, coupled with Denver beating Kansas City on Sunday, gave Oakland sole possession of first place in the AFC West. It’s the first time since 2002 that the Raiders have had the outright division lead this late in the season.

Jackson has had to juggle his lineup most of the year due to players being hurt.

In addition to McFadden and Ford, quarterback Jason Campbell, center Samson Satele, fullback Marcel Reece, tight end Kevin Boss and reserve wide receiver Louis Murphy have all missed playing time as a result of injuries.

McFadden has not practiced since getting hurt against Kansas City on Oct. 23. He limped through the locker room with the aid of crutches and his right foot in a boot the following day and has made slow progress since.

“I know we’re getting closer to getting him back out here,” Jackson said. “I know he’s working his tail off. When I saw him this morning he looked good. Until we get closer later on in the week and we know exactly where he is, I don’t want to speculate.”

Ford, who doubles as Oakland’s kick returner, went down with a similar foot injury against San Diego on Thursday. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI over the weekend but the results were not yet available.

Moore, who filled in on offense when Ford got hurt, will also replace him on special teams if the second-year wide receiver is unable to play against Minnesota.

“We’re going to know more as we move through the week,” Jackson said. “By [Tuesday] when we really start laying all the foundation for a game plan, I have to know who has a possibility of playing, at least.”

Even without two of its best offensive players, Oakland still had little problem moving the ball and scoring against San Diego, thanks to big nights from Bush and Moore.

It was the type of night that would have made late Raiders owner Al Davis proud, seeing two of his lower-round draft picks flourish despite playing in backup roles most of the season.

“We have a whole bunch of talent on the offense and defense, where if one goes down we have another to step in and take his place,” Moore said Monday. “We all have faith in our teammates.”

Three defensive starters were also absent from practice: defensive tackle Richard Seymour, safety Michael Huff and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)—Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden(notes) and wide
receiver Jacoby Ford(notes) missed practice Monday, leaving both questionable for this
weekend’s game in Minnesota.

McFadden continues to make progress from the mid-foot sprain that has kept
him out of the Raiders’ last two games but has yet to resume full workouts. Ford
is wearing a protective walking boot after injuring his foot in last Thursday’s
win over San Diego.

Neither player even attended Oakland’s first practice since a two-day break,
and coach Hue Jackson declined to say what the chances were for McFadden or Ford
being available for Sunday’s game at Minnesota.

“We have a team of doctors that handle that,” Jackson said. “They’re
normally going to tell me when a guy can play and I trust their judgment and
what they do. Nobody’s been ruled out as of now, so we’ll go through the week
and see where we’re at.”

The way backups Michael Bush(notes) and Denarius Moore(notes) played in Oakland’s 24-17
win over the Chargers, it might not matter much.

Bush ran for a season-high 157 yards and a touchdown and had another 85
yards in receptions. The 242 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Raiders
player since Bo Jackson had 235 against Seattle on Nov. 30, 1987, and the
fourth-most in franchise history.

Moore nearly outdid him.

The rookie receiver from Tennessee caught seven passes for 143 yards and two
touchdowns and repeatedly gouged San Diego’s secondary for big gains. Included
in Moore’s night was a remarkable 46-yarder that he caught with his fingertips
wrapped around the point on the ball after the pass from quarterback Carson
Palmer(notes) sailed over Moore’s head.

That win, coupled with Denver beating Kansas City on Sunday, gave Oakland
sole possession of first place in the AFC West. It’s the first time since 2002
that the Raiders have had the outright division lead this late in the season.

Jackson has had to juggle his lineup most of the year due to players being
hurt.

In addition to McFadden and Ford, quarterback Jason Campbell(notes), center Samson
Satele(notes), fullback Marcel Reece(notes), tight end Kevin Boss(notes) and reserve wide receiver
Louis Murphy(notes) have all missed playing time as a result of injuries.

McFadden has not practiced since getting hurt against Kansas City on Oct.
23. He limped through the locker room with the aid of crutches and his right
foot in a boot the following day and has made slow progress since.

“I know we’re getting closer to getting him back out here,” Jackson said.
“I know he’s working his tail off. When I saw him this morning he looked good.
Until we get closer later on in the week and we know exactly where he is, I
don’t want to speculate.”

Ford, who doubles as Oakland’s kick returner, went down with a similar foot
injury against San Diego on Thursday. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI over
the weekend but the results were not yet available.

Moore, who filled in on offense when Ford got hurt, will also replace him on
special teams if the second-year wide receiver is unable to play against
Minnesota.

“We’re going to know more as we move through the week,” Jackson said. “By
(Tuesday) when we really start laying all the foundation for a game plan, I have
to know who has a possibility of playing, at least.”

Even without two of its best offensive players, Oakland still had little
problem moving the ball and scoring against San Diego, thanks to big nights from
Bush and Moore.

It was the type of night that would have made late Raiders owner Al Davis
proud, seeing two of his lower-round draft picks flourish despite playing in
backup roles most of the season.

“We have a whole bunch of talent on the offense and defense, where if one
goes down we have another to step in and take his place,” Moore said Monday.
“We all have faith in our teammates.”

Three defensive starters were also absent from practice, including defensive
tackle Richard Seymour(notes), safety Michael Huff(notes) and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke(notes).

Read More: Lito Sheppard (DB – OAK), Chris Johnson (CB – OAK), DeMarcus Van Dyke (CB – OAK), San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders know that they won’t have Darren McFadden at their disposal on Thursday night. But they have even more significant losses in the defensive backfield, which could make all the difference against the potent San Diego Chargers offense.

Cornerback Lito Sheppard is going to start alongside Stanford Routt, reports Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Sheppard was signed last week by the Raiders, but has been bouncing around the league lately and just hasn’t returned to the Pro Bowl form he flashed early in his career. However, the Raiders have precious little cornerback depth, as both Chris Johnson and DeMarcus Van Dyke have been ruled out for Thursday’s game.

This mean it’s going to be Sheppard’s job to contain one side of the field against the Chargers pass attack, and Phillip Rivers will likely be picking on him early and often. Keep that in mind if you have the Raiders defense this week on your fantasy team.

Here’s a list of Raiders and Chargers injuries.

Oakland Raiders Injury Report

OUT: QB Jason Campbell (collarbone), CB Chris Johnson (groin, hamstring), RB Darren McFadden (foot), CB DeMarcus Van Dyke (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE: T Khalif Barnes (shoulder), CB Chimdi Chekwa (hamstring), S Michael Huff (ankle), K Sebastian Janikowski (left hamstring), LB Rolando McClain (ankle), S Michael Mitchell (ankle), S Chinedum Ndukwe (knee), C Samson Satele (knee), DT Richard Seymour (ankle)

PROBABLE: RB Rock Cartwright (calf), S Matt Giordano (neck), QB Carson Palmer (quadricep), RB Marcel Reece (shoulder)

San Diego Chargers Injury Report

OUT: DE Luis Castillo (tibia), G Kris Dielman (concussion)

DOUBTFUL: WR Malcom Floyd (hip), LB Shaun Phillips (foot)

PROBABLE: LB Antwan Barnes (calf), LB Donald Butler (illness), LB Na’il Diggs (knee), WR Richard Goodman (groin), S Steve Gregory (thigh), RB Ryan Mathews (groin), LB Takeo Spikes (biceps)

For more on the Raiders, head to Silver and Black Pride. For more on the Chargers, check out Bolts from the Blue.

Chargers’ next opponent

Oakland Raiders (4-4)

5:20 p.m., Thursday at Qualcomm Stadium

First off, with all their other troubles, the Raiders shouldn’t feel especially bad about having lost to Tim Tebow. The Chargers came within one completed pass of losing to him, too, and Tebow only had one half to try to beat San Diego.

If they (or at least their fans) didn’t despise each other so much, the Chargers and Raiders could commiserate about all sorts of stuff, and not just because they’re two-thirds of the three-way tie atop the four-team AFC West at .500. The Raiders have had season-long issues with their quarterback – albeit entirely different sort of issues than San Diego – and can’t seem to keep their best running backs healthy.

The injury to Darren McFadden’s foot two Sundays ago was a crippler. Of course, the Raiders aren’t going to let on much between now and Thursday night about whether he’ll be healthy enough to play against the Chargers, but the sense in the Bay Area is that it’s unlikely.

A year ago, the Raiders used McFadden and the NFL’s top running game to sweep their six division games, yet still managed to finish third among the four. Two days ago, Oakland not only let Tebow get away for 117 yards rushing, but allowed Broncos back Willis McGahee to run for 163 yards. Opponents’ running backs are averaging 5.2 yards per carry this season. That alone might expedite the healing process on the groin injury that’s sidelined Ryan Mathews.

More than anything, Chargers mistakes played a huge role in both their 2010 losses to Oakland. As blunder-prone as the Chargers have been again this season, the Raiders have been even worse, including a total of 29 infractions that cost them 250 yards in penalties over the past two games.

Oakland averages 10.5 penalties per game for 91.2 yards per game, putting the Silver and Black on pace to break the single-season records for penalties (158) and yards (1,304), both set by the 1998 Kansas City Chiefs.

Said first-year head coach Hue Jackson: “We’re not a very intelligent team right now.”

Three players to watch

Carson Palmer, QB: Until a few weeks ago, he was biding his time around Del Mar, seeing if he could hold his breath longer than the Cincinnati Bengals. Finally traded to Oakland a few weeks back, Palmer’s already thrown six interceptions in six quarters, but he also had three touchdowns among some fairly nifty passes in the Denver game. Not surprisingly, the most success he’s had has been throwing to Oakland’s backs, including …

Michael Bush, RB: In each of the past two seasons, McFadden missed one of the San Diego games with injuries, and he wasn’t doing the Chargers that big of a favor. Bush is particularly nettlesome to the Chargers as a receiver, having caught 13 passes for 129 yards against them, rushed for 95 yards in one game last season and scored in three of the last four Chargers-Raiders games.

Jacoby Ford, KR/WR: Palmer’s been around enough to know the importance of speed, and in his first Oakland start, he hit the previously under-utilized Ford with five passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Ford’s also rated second in the NFL with his kickoff return average of 32.2 yards, including a 101-yard score.

Familiar faces

Norv Turner is a former head coach of the Raiders (2004-05) and Oakland’s offensive coordinator, Al Saunders, is a former head coach of the Chargers (1986-88). Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens played at San Diego State.

Series history

The Raiders lead 57-44-2. Having lost 13 straight to San Diego, Oakland turned things around in a big way last year, sweeping the Chargers (and the rest of the division). In one of those special-teams disasters of 2010, the Chargers lost 35-27 at Oakland, then the Raiders took advantage of two San Diego turnovers and won 28-13 with McFadden and Bush combining for 192 yards rushing.

Injury report

In addition to McFadden and quarterback Jason Campbell – out for the season — cornerbacks Chris Johnson and Chimdi Chekwa were inactivated Sunday due to injuries.

Did you know?

Until their 23-20 defeat of the Broncos in the first “Monday Night Football’ game of this season, the Raiders had lost 11 straight prime-time games, including a 34-7 rout by the Chargers on Dec. 4, 2008.

Quote:

“”We could be sitting here 5-3, going to San Diego. They’re they’re coming off a loss, sore. Boom, we go down there and we’re 6-3, two-game lead. But you know, like always, we gotta make it hard on ourselves.” — Raiders defensive lineman Tommy Kelly in the San Francisco Chronicle.

If the Denver Broncos can keep running the ball like this, they won’t need to rely much on Tim Tebow’s arm to win games.

Eddie Royal returned a punt 85 yards for the tiebreaking score, Willis McGahee ran for 163 yards and Tebow threw two touchdown passes to lead the Denver Broncos to a 38-24 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

McGahee had a 60-yard touchdown run that tied the game on the first play after Carson Palmer threw his second interception for the Raiders (4-4) and then added a 24-yarder to ice it in the closing minutes.

The Broncos (3-5) didn’t allow the Raiders’ offense to generate anything in the fourth quarter and won for the second time in three games with Tebow as the starter.

Tebow did much of his damage with his legs, rushing for a career-high 117 yards on 12 carries on many of the same type of option keepers that made him so successful in college. But he did enough damage with his arm to keep the Raiders honest, throwing touchdowns to Eric Decker and Royal.

Tebow finished 10 for 21 for 124 yards, but didn’t need to do much on a day Denver ran for 298 yards — its highest total since a 300-yard game against Seattle in 2000 and the Broncos’ most ever against the Raiders.

Palmer looked much better in his first start with the Raiders than in his debut two weeks ago in a relief effort against Kansas City when he threw three second-half interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown in a 28-0 loss five days after he joined the team.

With a bye week and this past week to get acclimated to his new team, Palmer showed why Oakland dealt a 2012 first-round draft pick and a conditional 2013 second-rounder to Cincinnati to acquire Palmer after starter Jason Campbell broke his collarbone.

Palmer was 18 for 34 for 312 yards with three touchdowns. But he threw three more interceptions, including one that provided a sudden change of momentum in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

With the Raiders in Denver territory, Palmer threw high to Denarius Moore and Chris Harris intercepted the deflected ball. McGahee then ran through a big hole up the middle and outraced the Oakland defense for a 60-yard score. It tied the game on his longest run since a 77-yarder in Oakland in the 2009 season finale for Baltimore.

The Broncos then took the lead in the fourth quarter after Oakland punted on fourth-and-inches from its 29. Royal caught Shane Lechler’s punt at the 15 and ran untouched to the end zone to give the Broncos a 31-24 lead with 5:53 remaining.

Tebow did little in the first half besides two big plays on one drive. First he ran 32 yards on an option keeper when former teammate Jarvis Moss bit on a fake. Then Tebow hit Decker on a 27-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-3. Tebow missed his share of open receivers but didn’t miss Decker, who badly beat Michael Huff on a post route.

The Raiders capitalized on a botched punt to regain the lead. Britton Colquitt couldn’t handle the low snap from Lonie Paxton and threw the ball away to avoid a sack in the end zone. That gave the Raiders a first down at the Denver 14 and Palmer found Michael Bush on an 11-yard score for his first TD with the Raiders.

Palmer bounced back from an interception later in the second quarter with his best pass as a Raider, threading a 40-yard touchdown pass to fullback Marcel Reece, who was tightly covered by linebacker D.J. Williams.

There was an ugly finish to the first half. Oakland’s Taiwan Jones committed penalties on back-to-back field goal tries. Matt Prater missed the first from 53 yards when Jones was offside, and then made a 48-yarder before Jones was called for roughing the kicker. Denver coach John Fox took the points off the board to have first down at the 20 with 17 seconds remaining.

But Prater missed wide left from 43 yards and Denver trailed 17-7 at the break.