A 12-game road losing streak fell under the collective strength of an
Oakland offensive line which powered its way to a 35-17 win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday as the Raiders rushed for 299 yards on 49 carries.
All three rushing touchdowns came on short runs by quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who subbed for a injured starter Josh McCown and ended up scoring
three times and passing for two more.
Fifth-year running back Justin Fargas, who never had more than 90 yards
in a game in his career, subbed for an injured LaMont Jordan and gained 179
yards on 22 carries. He had just four carries for seven yards when Jordan
went out just before halftime.
Jordan, who has been nursing a back injury, had to be helped from the
field and afterward needed the help of crutches to walk. He declined comment
as he painfully lowered himself into a chair.
There was no definitive diagnosis or prognosis, but it didn't look good.
Jordan, who had 74 yards on 15 carries at the time of his injury, has 424
yards last season -- just 10 yards shy of what he gained in nine games last
season before going down with a knee injury.
The game against Miami marked the end of a four-game suspension for
running back Dominic Rhodes, who was found in violation of the NFL's policy
on substance abuse.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin thought the ability to carry on without Jordan
spoke well of the system the club has instituted.
"I think when you get a team going, you can plug people in, and it
doesn't necessarily matter who," Kiffin said. "When you believe in a system,
and you start rolling, if someone goes down, that next guy goes in. That's
what you need, a team that prepares that way, just in case."
Culpepper completed 5 of 12 passes for 70 yards. His touchdown passes
were of seven and 27 yards to Jerry Porter. He was sacked just once and
threw no interceptions.
Kiffin stuck with McCown as his starting quarterback through the first
two games, one of which McCown was serviceable against Detroit and one in
which he was awful against Denver.
Culpepper took over at halftime of a Week 3 win over Cleveland, and
Kiffin still wouldn't name him the starter against Miami until Friday.
Following the win over the Dolphins, Kiffin said Culpepper was the
starter "today," but wouldn't commit any further.
When asked if there would be a quarterback controversy, he joked, "I'm
sure there will be."
With McCown nursing a broken toe, it seems likely Culpepper will retain
the job -- health permitting -- for the foreseeable future.
And Culpepper said his health is just fine.
"I think it's been about 22 or 23 months since I had my first major
surgery and I feel good," Culpepper said. "Every day I am working out twice
a week on that leg and I'm getting stronger and stronger."