Russell’s chance of getting starting job back is still small

Throwing the game-winning touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in a 20-19 victory over the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell apparently got the springboard he need to win his starting job back. However, the Raiders Coach Tom Cable still consider him the last choice to start at quarterback for this week’s game in Cleveland.

Cable’s No.1 choice remains Bruce Gradkowski if he would wear back his Raiders jersey after fully recovering from his two sprained knees, and the second choice would be Charlie Frye, who sustained a concussion during last Sunday’s game and left Russell the chance to lead the comeback.

Cable is still waiting and declined to give a sure answer to question about whether Russell’s game-winning drive proved that he can still be the quarterback to lead the Raiders in the future.

Raiders QB Russell is unlikely to start again

When quarterback JaMarcus Russell put on his No.2 Raiders jersey after signing a six-year deal with $30 million of guarantee money in 2007, he might be expecting a star career to begin.

As the No. 1 overall pick in the draft that year, Russell had the reason to believe that he was a sure thing. But things don't seem to be what he had been expecting. Charlie Frye is getting the starting job for this weekend’s game against the Denver Broncos. Russell did not make good use of his chance when he was named the starter for last weekend’s game to replace injured Bruce Gradkowski but he only gave a poor performance, which caused the team to turn to Frye.

And Gradkowski has not been put on injured reserve yet, although the team described his injury as torn MCLs. And it seemed that the team is planning to have him return by Dec. 27 and start against the Cleveland Browns. With Gradkowski getting back his starting job, it is just even more unlikely that Russell could be starter again.