Richie Incognito will not play versus the Baltimore Ravens due to injury.
The Las Vegas Raiders will be without one of their best players on Monday night. Due to injury, starting guard Richie Incognito will officially miss the Monday Night Football contest against the Baltimore Ravens.
G Richie Incognito (calf) is officially ruled out and S Roderic Teamer (shoulder/ankle) is doubtful. For the Ravens, DE Derek Wolfe (back/hip) is out and OLB Daelin Hayes (knee) and CB Jimmy Smith (ankle) are questionable.
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) September 11, 2021
When did this injury occur, you may wonder? It happened in last month’s joint practice sessions with the Los Angeles Rams. Since then, the injury has not improved. For Las Vegas, this is a significant loss against a pressure-heavy Ravens defense. But, above all, this places even more pressure on his replacement.
John Simpson must hold his own against Baltimore’s defense…
The Raiders’ 2020 fourth-round pick, John Simpson, will assume duties at one of the guard positions in Richie Incognito’s absence. For Simpson, he showed flashes of brilliance as a run blocker for the Raiders in his rookie season.
https://twitter.com/CJErrickson_NFL/status/1308614499272982529
The team will undoubtedly need him to pave the way for the Silver and Black rushing attack. But, more importantly, they will need him to provide consistency as a pass-blocker. The Ravens’ aggressive defense is akin to when sharks smell blood in the water. If there is a weakness, they will attack it relentlessly. Last season, the former Clemson Tiger showed that he could be a liability in pass protection. But, on the other hand, he showed that he has the potential to be an effective pass protector.
4th & 1 and #Raiders G John Simpson left no doubt about his man not getting to the ball. That's how you finish! pic.twitter.com/tEFRyVRrR3
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) October 27, 2020
Above all, the second-year guard is in a position that isn’t ideal.
Lack of depth on the offensive line hurts the Raiders
The offseason departures of the following players have ultimately put the Raiders in a precarious position:
- Trent Brown
- Rodney Hudson
- Gabe Jackson
- Sam Young
Las Vegas lacks both depth and experience along the offensive front. With Incognito being thirty-eight years old and recently coming off an injury last season, the Raiders have placed immense pressure on the entire offensive line. In addition, the organization’s personnel gamble has thrown both inexperienced and young players upfront into the fire. Above all, the Silver and Black will face yet another uphill battle caused by themselves.
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*Top Photo: D. Ross Cameron/Associated Press