Few things are better than Monday Night Football. Then again, it might be a different story for Las Vegas Head Athletic Trainer Chris Cortez.
Prior to Monday's tilt with the Atlanta Falcons, some important updates regarding the Raider's injury concerns were brought into the spotlight. Heading into the Week 15 contest, Las Vegas will have five players on the inactive list.
Outside of being without the services of star defensive end Maxx Crosby due to undergoing ankle surgery, other notable names that won't square off against Atlanta include OL Andrus Peat, DE Charles Snowden, and CB Sam Webb.
The plot thickens with growing uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. As kickoff approaches, backup QB Desmond Ridder is expected to start, while the injured Aidan O'Connell will serve as the third-string emergency quarterback. O'Connell suffered a knee injury in the 28-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and had to be carted off the field.
In limited action this season, Ridder has completed 28 of 44 passes for 239 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions. As an Atlanta Falcon last fall, he appeared in 15 games and posted a 40.8 QBR. Will Ridder find extra motivation facing his former team? Only time will tell.
At 2-11, the future of the Las Vegas Raiders organization is obviously the talk of the town, but for now, the team's focus will be putting its best foot forward under the lights of Monday night.
