Raiders uncertain at QB as Favre’s streak is about to reach 250 games

 

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) -Blame it on injuries, poor performance or JaMarcus Russell’s holdout, the Oakland Raiders have gone into nearly every week this season now knowing who their starting quarterback would be.
The team they face this week hasn’t had that kind of problem for more than 15 years. While Brett Favre is set to make his 250th consecutive regular season start this week for Green Bay, Oakland coach Lane Kiffin said Wednesday he’s unsure whether Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper would get the nod against the Packers.
Each has started six games this season and are among the 16 quarterbacks to start a game for Oakland since Favre began his streak on Sept. 27, 1992.
ames. That does comfort you, that regardless of who the starter is, they played well, and it’s a lot better scenario than trying to figure out who your starter is and both guys are playing poorly. I don’t mind the situation we’re in. It’s not perfect, but it is what it is.”
Only Atlanta and Miami with 17 quarterbacks, and Chicago with 21, have used more starters at the most important position during Favre’s record streak than the Raiders have.
Todd Marinovich started for Oakland the week Favre began his streak, going 12-for-26 for 161 yards and two interceptions in a 27-7 loss at Kansas City. Marinovich made six starts during the streak before being replaced by Jay Schroeder, who started the final seven games that season.
A litany of quarterbacks have followed, ranging from journeymen like Vince Evans (four starts) to castoffs like Rick Mirer (eight starts) to former No. 1 overall picks like Jeff George to a star like Rich Gannon.
Gannon has the most starts for the Raiders during that stretch with 74, followed by Jeff Hostetler (55), Kerry Collins (28) and George (23). The other 12 quarterbacks all had fewer than 10 starts, with Marques Tuiasosopo’s two bringing up the rear.
All the while, Favre started every game in Green Bay. Even after bruising his right elbow and separating his non-throwing left shoulder last Thursday against Dallas, Favre is expected to start again Sunday.
“I think it’s probably the coolest thing in sports to me just because consistency is the hardest thing to come by, especially in this day and age,” McCown said. “When you have a guy who’s done that, who’s done what he’s done, it’s just incredible. I really have more respect for it even now this year because I’ve gone through injuries. Up until this year I’ve never missed anything. To have missed some stuff this year and to have to deal with it, I even have a greater respect for what he’s done. I think it’s really awesome.”
McCown began this season as Oakland’s starter before missing four games with a broken toe. McCown, who has also been hampered by foot and hand injuries this season, was replaced by Culpepper three weeks ago after struggling in starts against Houston and Chicago.
Then Culpepper was sidelined with a sore right quadriceps, giving McCown the job again in last week’s 34-20 victory over Denver. Russell also played two series in that game as the Raiders groom him to become the franchise quarterback, but that process is moving slowly because the No. 1 overall pick missed all of training camp in a contract dispute.
Culpepper did not practice Wednesday because of the quadriceps injury, with McCown working with the first team and Andrew Walter and Russell splitting scout team time. Kiffin said he would make a decision on this week’s starter later in the week.
Culpepper has also missed much of the past two seasons with knee injuries in Minnesota and Miami, giving him added respect for what his former NFC North rival Favre has accomplished.
“You have to have some good fortune obviously,” Culpepper said. “I’m pretty sure there’s times that he’s been banged up but he’s a tough guy. Even though you’re banged up, you go out and still play at a high level. Hats off to him to be able to do that for a long time. I think it’s part luck but at the same time it’s the individual too.”
The other quarterbacks the Raiders have used in the streak are Walter (eight starts), Aaron Brooks (eight) Billy Joe Hobert (five), Donald Hollas (six) and Wade Wilson (three).