Head coach Gary Kubiak spoke to the media Friday afternoon after practice.
Head coach**Gary Kubiak**
(on clapping at huddle after practice) "Just announcing our captains for the week. They are (T) Ephraim (Salaam) on
offense, (CB) Dunta (Robinson) on defense and (LB) Shantee Orr on special teams.
We had a good practice, a really good practice."
(on coordinators picking captains) "Yeah, they suggest them to me and we go from there. But I think it's been good. I think it puts a guy on the spotlight starting right now until we hit the field on Sunday. I think I've seen some guys that have been put on that situation really rise to the occasion and I think that's important for where we're going. Players see a guy take on a little bit more of a role when he knows when he leaves the stadium here on Friday that he's a captain for the week. I think that's pretty important."
(on running back situation) "That'll depend on, (FB) Jameel (Cook) will be a game time decision. So if Jameel is unable to go we'll probably have all our guys, all our backs up and Jameel will be a game time decision we're working out on Sunday."
(on anymore game time decisions) "I thought I had one like that with (DE Antwan) Peek, but I think he looked good today so he should be fine and ready to go. And then (WR) Jerome (Mathis) will be up, he's ready to go. He'll be back there returning kicks and he will play some offense. That's encouraging, he's had a good week."
(on DE Mario Williams' foot a factor) "It's a factor. He's not 100%, that hasn't changed. I don't think it's gotten any worse; as a matter of fact it might have gotten a little better in the last two weeks. But it's hindering what he's doing, but he played really well last week as I told you all and I would expect him to continue to do the same."
(on further concerns with kicking and punting game) "They've had their days when it hasn't been as good. There's been a lot of those situations on the football team. You look at (P) Chad (Stanley) last week, he drops that ball and it's a factor in the game, it's a points play, it chances field position. It can't happen; he didn't try to make it happen. He didn't punt the ball well last week. I thought he kicked the ball well, I thought (K) Kris (Brown) kicked the ball well, but those two guys just need to continue to get better just like everybody else around here."
(on Raiders' giving up sacks) "They've had a lot of problems up front as far as change in people that they played and they lost (T Robert) Gallery, it looks like he's unable to play again this week. They've had some problems from that standpoint. The division they play in, they play in San Diego a couple of times a year, that's about as tough a team to protect against as you can find. I'm sure they're going to have a new spark, they've got a little change and I'm sure they're going to do some things different. We're going to have to adjust and I would expect them to play well."
(on winning two games and losing close ones) "Yeah, they have. They had Kansas City beat on the road, gave up a late touchdown and had an opportunity to score one themselves and had a turnover on the end zone. They have played well this year, every time they play at home this year their defense has had them in the football game. They beat Pittsburg at home, they beat Arizona at home so they're going to play well. They're going to play good defense, that's how they've been playing all year. We're going to have to protect the football and play good defense ourselves."
