The Oakland Raiders allowed three passing touchdowns and 374 passing yards to Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in Week 3, but could be in more trouble moving forward as cornerback Tracy Porter went down with a concussion on Monday night, according to Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area.
Raiders CB Tracy Porter suffers concussion against Broncos
Porter’s injury could force the Raiders to rely on a rookie that hasn’t looked too good to start his NFL career.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
In the third quarter, Porter was working to bring down Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas when Lamarr Houston's knee made contact with Porter's helmet. The blow left Porter down on the turf, and he didn't return for the remainder of the game.
With Porter out of the game, the Raiders were forced to push Mike Jenkins inside to play in the slot, leaving Phillip Adams and rookie D.J. Hayden on the outside.
Against teams that don’t pass as much as the Denver Broncos, the Raiders will likely be able to stick with Jenkins and Hayden on the outside, but relying on the rookie is tough for the Raiders just a few games in to his NFL career.
Even more so with safety Tyvon Branch out for the foreseeable future. Branch's replacement, Brandian Ross, has already racked up a -4.7 grade on football analytics site, Pro Football Focus, with Hayden just behind him at -4.6.
A timetable for Porter's return has not yet been given, but if he is unable to play in Week 4, the Raiders will be in a difficult position to stop the Washington Redskins pass attack.
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