Wounded Raiders Look to Rebound
After Sunday Charger Defeat

ALAMEDA — It won’t be the same defensive line-up that had Oakland charging 4 – 0 towards the Super Bowl. Raiders coach Bill Callahan, looking at a long injury list after Sunday’s 27 – 21 overtime defeat by the Chargers, is still not sure who will man the team’s crippled secondary.

The players are just hoping the injuries sustained on Sunday won’t be a crippling defeat for the entire team, now in third place at 4 –2 in the AFC West. The mood in the locker room the next day was subdued by optimistic.

“The team that overcomes adversity fastest is the team that wins it,” said safety Rod Woodson following Monday’s workout. “This is a team sport and we have to play better as a team on defense.”

The team has no choice but to regroup and recover, because the injuries sustained by corner-back Phillip Buchanon and running back Terry Kirby have both players down for the rest of the season.

The 32-year old Kirby, who fractured both his right tibia and fibula, may be out for more than just a season. He spent Sunday and Monday nights at Summit Hospital in Oakland.

Though the injury was devastating, Kirby’s team mates weren’t in a mood to consider it career-threatening. “We won’t know anything until Thursday,” said running back Tyrone Wheatley, seated in a towel atop a folding chair in from of his locker at Raider headquarters, himself on the injury list because of a hamstring.

Coach Callahan admitted that last Sunday’s other major set-back, when Buchanon broke his left wrist, also came as a shock. “We never anticipated an injury of this magnitude to a rookie player,” said Callahan at Monday’s press briefing.

Buchanon, who was a first round pick in the 2002 draft, is now looking at eight weeks of rehab after doctors put pins in his fractured forearm on Sunday.

Callahan has still not decided whether or not to keep Buchanon on active status, and there was no word about who might replace him.

“I don’t know who it’s going to be,” said Rod Woodson. “Whoever plays the corner better play well.”

Callahan said the leadership in the locker room was very strong, with players attitudes overall positive. “Our players are looking forward to Kansas City next week.”

After facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders will go up against the 49ers at home before going to Denver.

“This is a very long season,” said tight end Roland Williams as he dashed out of the locker room and headed for a team meeting with quarterback Rich Gannon, “and the only thing that matters I show you end the season, not how you start it.”