Jon Alston is a smart guy, and not just because he's a Stanford guy. The fourth-year linebacker is listening to his body and telling the Raiders medical staff all about it. No easy task in the macho world of professional football. As such, Alston will sit out his second consecutive game Thursday with what seems to be post-concussion syndrome. He suffered a concussion in the Raiders' loss to Kansas City on Nov. 15 and was a late add to the Raiders' injury report Saturday night with what was described as "illness."
"When he showed up Saturday ill, that's when we started to figure out what's going on," coach Tom Cable said at his daily media briefing on Tuesday. "He was throwing up, (had) dizziness and things like that, so we're still looking into what's going on with that.
"For him to show up Saturday and be ill like he was and describe to us how he was feeling, that's a red flag. So you have to be wise and figure out what's going on."
****************************************************************
Defensive lineman Richard Seymour (strained lower back) practiced full Thursday and Cable said he expects him to play against the Cowboys.
"What we did was a normal, what would be a Thursday practice today," Cable said. "So in terms of what was installed and input and everything, it was like a normal Thursday...he's able to get in and out of his stance and do the drills and run to the ball, so it was good."
Seymour was injured on the third play of the Cincinnati game, Cable said.
"He just got torqued in there," Cable said, "and his back locked up."
Jay Richardson essentially replaced Seymour on running downs against the Bengals with Trevor Scott coming in on passing downs.
****************************************************************
Bruce Gradkowski told reporters Thursday he's heard from his old Tampa Bay Buccaneer buddies/Raider Nation enemies Jeff Garcia and Jon Gruden in the wake of his victorious debut as the Raiders starting quarterback.
"Yeah, I talk to Jeff every week, so I'm going to hear from Jeff, basically every day we talk," Gradkowski said. "And Coach Gruden also, he sent me a text. It was exciting. I told him he was doing a good job on that Monday Night Football... so it's good to know those guys are watching and keeping an eye out, and I'm just excited to be out here and be able to play."
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.