By Jason Jones
jejones@sacbee.com
ALAMEDA - Four receptions for 44 yards.
For Darrius Heyward-Bey, those are confidence-building statistics.
The Raiders third-year wide receiver has been maligned for two seasons for not being the big-play receiver expected of the seventh overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.
And yes, his statistics still weren't eye-catching, but three of Heyward-Bey's catches were for first downs.
One helped seal the game in the fourth quarter. Another in the third quarter saw him fight for extra yards for a first down.
Heyward-Bey said he is feeling confident and things are coming together.
"That's always been the case, ever since I was 14 and started playing," Heyward-Bey said. "You put in the work, things will eventually start paying off. I'm still working. Monday was just me making plays at the right opportunity to help us win a game, and I am going to continue to do that."
Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell said Heyward-Bey's confidence is as high as he's seen it.
"Everyone has been kind of hard on Darrius, and now he's getting his turn to show what he can really do," Campbell said. "... This is his third year, and most of the time receivers really come into their own in their third year in the league. It's exciting to see what he's doing right now."
*WR Derek Hagan (calf) was inactive Monday but said he's ready to play and was ready to play against the Broncos.
"There really was never nothing wrong with it," Hagan said. "I was good to go last week for Monday. I practiced all last week, and the calf's good and ready to go for Sunday."
If Jacoby Ford's hamstring injury lingers Hagan figures to be active Sunday in Buffalo.
"I don't remember the last time I was inactive," Hagan said. "But it's just one of those things. We needed other guys. I was fine with it. I was doing what I needed to do to help this team and try to help them win the game. I was paying attention and helping the receivers out while they were out there running around."
*Richard Seymour on his attempt to throw out the first pitch at Tuesday's Oakland A's game:
"I double-bounced it. It was bad. It showed me I chose the right profession."
*The injury report is as follows (with injuries that have been previously disclosed but could change once the official report is published):
Full participation in practice:
QB Jason Campbell, DB Joe Porter
Limited in practice:
TE Kevin Boss (knee), RB Darren McFadden, DE Jarvis Moss, CB Chris Johnson (groin)
Did not practice:
WR Louis Murphy (groin), S Michael Huff (groin), WR Jacoby Ford (hamstring), S Mike Mitchell (knee), DT Richard Seymour
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