Raiders to start Scott at linebacker again

Trevor Scott will make his second straight start at weakside linebacker when the Raiders travel to Pittsburgh this weekend but that doesn’t mean Thomas Howard is completely out of the defensive mix.

Oakland head coach Tom Cable made official Thursday what everyone had assumed was coming when he named Trevor Scott the team’s starting weakside linebacker for Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh.

Scott, who spent the first 26 games of his NFL career as a pass-rushing down linemen, also started at linebacker in place of Thomas Howard during Oakland’s Thanksgiving Day loss to the Dallas Cowboys and had his best overall game with two sacks, three quarterback hurries and a team-leading five tackles.

Howard, the team’s starter on the weakside ever since getting drafted in the second round in 2006, moved to the strongside spot for little while against the Cowboys, splitting time with Sam Williams.

But Cable said Thursday that Howard will now start on the strongside when the Raiders play Pittsburgh.

“It’ll give us a chance to have what we want in terms of (pass) coverage and have what we want versus the run,” Cable said, noting there isn’t many differences between the two linebacker positions.

Scott said he’s still learning the nuances of playing the weakside linebacker but likes the change.

“I’m just going to continue to grow and get better, if this is the position where I’m going to stay in for the remainder of the season,” he said. “But I’ll pretty much play wherever they put me, really.”