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2B – Daily News – Thursday, October 14, 2010 Gradkowski sits out practice with shoulder injury Oakland Raiders ALAMEDA (AP) — Oakland Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski sat out prac- tice Wednesday with an injured right shoul- der that could sideline him for this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. With Gradkowski nursing the injury, Jason Campbell is approaching this week as if he will start. Campbell came in late in the first quarter last week after Gradkowski was knocked out with a hard hit by San Diego’s Shaun Phillips and led the Raiders to a 35- 27 win. Gradkowski had an MRI on Monday and the Raiders (2-3) hope to have a better idea about his status against the 49ers (0-5) on Thursday. ‘‘We have a pretty good idea,’’ coach Tom Cable said. ‘‘Obviously he didn’t prac- tice today and I think he’s pretty sore so we’ll see what kind of progress we make in the next 24 hours.’’ Gradkowski’s injury could give Camp- bell a second shot at being the starting quar- terback for the Raiders. He got benched just six quarters into his career with the team, but did not mope about his misfortune, choosing to do a ‘‘self-evaluation’’ about his own shortcomings. ‘‘Coaches made a decision and as a play- er the only thing you can do is just go out there and keep competing, not get down on yourself and think you’re not worthy of being a starter or being a great player,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘It’s just a decision that was made. You do everything you can to support your teammates and you keep fighting for- ward, and when the time comes again, just make the most of it.’’ Campbell did that, completing 13 of 18 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in his first career relief appearance. He led the Raiders on touchdown drives of 97 and 73 yards in the second half, helping Oakland snap a 13-game losing streak against San Diego. Both of Oakland’s wins this season have come from backup quarterbacks, with Grad- kowski rallying the team to a win over St. Louis after replacing Campbell in the home opener. That prompted Cable to harken back four decades to when George Blanda fre- quently relieved starter Daryle Lamonica late in games and led the Raiders to victory. ‘‘It’s great because we have two guys MCT photo Bruce Gradkowski is blind-sided during Sunday’s game against San Diego. who are proven starters, two guys who will go in there and get the job done,’’ running back Rock Cartwright said. ‘‘If one guys goes down, the other guy has to step in and make plays.’’ While the Raiders run essentially the same offense with both quarterbacks, the results are different. Gradkowski does a bet- ter job extending plays with his feet and get- ting the ball downfield to the receivers. Campbell is more apt to check down to safer options, with 53 of his 70 passes going 10 yards or less downfield, according to STATS LLC. He is just 5-for-17 for 140 yards and an interception on passes longer than 10 yards. Gradkowski has more than twice as many attempts down the field, with 16 com- pletions for 294 yards and two touchdowns on his 38 attempts of at least 10 yards. ‘‘You can’t get discouraged if the ball is not getting to the outside a lot because there will come a time when it will get on the out- side,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘You can’t really get caught into who’s catching it and who’s not catching it.’’ The Raiders acquired Campbell in a draft-day trade with Washington and anoint- ed him the starter before the beginning of training camp. The first signs of trouble came when Campbell was knocked out of the exhibition game against the 49ers with a stinger and a sore wrist after a hard hit from Travis LaBoy. Gradkowski came in and threw two touchdown passes, once again delighting the fans he won over the previous year with his performance in place of JaMarcus Russell. Campbell then struggled at the start of the regular season, leading the Raiders to just 16 points before being benched at halftime of the second game of the season. Campbell admitted that he wasn’t com- pletely healed when he came back and that could have been a factor in his early season play. ‘‘It’s always in the back of your mind,’’ he said. ‘‘Just because it was still there. It wasn’t 100 percent yet. Right now, I feel 100 percent. Injuries always play a part in the back of someone’s mind. But it’s over now.’’ Notes: RB Darren McFadden was back at practice in a limited fashion after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injury but would likely back up Michael Bush this week if he’s good enough to go. ...Cable is optimistic OL Robert Gallery can return for the first time since injuring his hamstring in the season opener. Singletary still sees upside amid 0-5 start San Francisco 49ers SANTA CLARA (AP) — Mike Singletary sees the San Francisco 49ers’ 0-5 start as the biggest challenge he has ever faced as a coach. But he continues to focus on the upside of his predicament as the 49ers prepare for a must- win game Sunday against Bay Area rival Oakland. ‘‘It’s a tremendous opportunity that we have as a team,’’ Singletary said Wednesday. ‘‘So I’m excited about where we are. When I look at the first five games we’ve had, a lot of differ- ent things have tran- spired, but through those things I think we have become a better football team. And as time goes on, we will show that.’’ The 49ers, however, are rapidly running out of time to reach their goals of a playoff berth and finishing the season with a winning record for the first time in eight years. San Francisco is 0-5 for just the fifth time GIANTS (Continued from page 1B) all draft pick by the Phillies in 1998. ‘‘There were a lot of expectations, I remember, but no more than I put on myself,’’ Burrell said. ‘‘I had some years when I struggled and I had some good years. It was never up to me to decide if I lived up to the expectations. My job was to go play and be accountable for it. I felt like I did that.’’ Burrell joined the Tampa Bay Rays last season and they released him this spring. Burrell has made the most of his second chance way out West. The 34-year-old Burrell batted .266 with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs in 96 games for the Giants, play- ing a key role in the club ending a six-year playoff in the franchise’s 65-year history. Only one other 49ers team started 0-6. How Singletary responds to his latest challenge probably will determine if he keeps his job with the team beyond this season. It’s the same situation for several 49ers, partic- ularly embattled quarter- back Alex Smith, as San Francisco fights to remain alive in the weak NFC West. No NFL team has ever started a season 0-5 and reached the playoffs. But the pressure is on the 49ers to become the first after team President Jed York earlier this week sent a text message to an ESPN reporter stating that San Francisco would still win the division. ‘‘I don’t know if he’s trying to send a message or what, but I kind of took it as some swag- ger,’’ Smith said. ‘‘This team is the most talented and most mature that I’ve been on, and it’s unfortu- nate that we’re in this sit- uation. But we’ve made this bed and we’ve got to get ourselves out of it.’’ drought. Bochy and all the playoff first-timers on this team are counting on Burrell’s insight at this stage. Playing in Philly is one of the tough- est stops in baseball, right up there with Boston’s Fen- way Park. ‘‘He’s been there, he’s been there with Philly. Sure, he can give them some advice,’’ Bochy said. ‘‘He’s great about that. He’s not just a talent on the field but he’s been great to have in the clubhouse.’’ Bochy didn’t anticipate any lineup changes, though the teams have until Satur- day morning to set their ros- ters. There weren’t any indi- cations that struggling $126 million lefty Barry Zito would be added for the NLCS after being left off the 25-man roster for the first round. The Giants brass planned to meet later Wednesday about such tough decisions. Smith must first get out of a personal rut. The sixth-year veteran has committed five turnovers the past two weeks in narrow losses to Atlanta and Philadelphia and has thrown two interceptions in four of San Francis- co’s five games. He leads the NFL with nine picks and his 71.6 passer rating ranks 27th in the league. Smith’s lost fumble early in the fourth quar- ter was the pivotal play in last week’s 27-24 loss to the Eagles. With the 49ers driving near mid- field, Smith lost the ball without even being hit, and safety Quintin Mikell returned it 52 yards for a touchdown that gave Philadelphia a commanding 24-10 lead. That led to an embar- rassing moment for the 49ers later on the side- lines, when Singletary was captured on national television chewing out his struggling quarter- back. There have been sev- eral other incidents already this season when it has appeared Single- tary has lost his control The Giants leave early Thursday for the East Coast. San Francisco won two of three from the Phillies at home back in April with a roster far differ- ent from its current one, then dropped two of three in Philadelphia from Aug. 17- 19. The two defeats were by scores of 9-3 and 8-2. ‘‘They’ve got tremen- dous talent — pitching, a great offense,’’ Bochy said. ‘‘You’ve got to play your best ball to beat them. I like where we’re at. I like the way the guys are playing.’’ Runs should be at a pre- mium this pitching-focused series. The Giants won three one-run games against Atlanta to advance. San Francisco is trying to reach its first World Series since slugger Barry Bonds led the Giants there and fell just short in 2002 to the wild- card Angels. Will Burrell be greeted with a standing ovation in and control of the team. ‘‘I don’t really get caught up in my image,’’ Singletary said. ‘‘Depending on who you’re talking to, my image is going to change every day. The most important thing for me is, as I see issues arise, that it’s important that I deal with them and not be concerned with what other people think about that.’’ Among the several issues Singletary is deal- ing with this week is turnovers. The 49ers had five against Philadelphia and San Francisco’s turnover differential of minus-10 ranks last in the league. No other team is worse than minus-6. While the offense began to hit its stride last week in its second game under new coordinator Mike Johnson, San Fran- cisco’s defense was gouged repeatedly by the Eagles in key sequences. The 49ers have yet to play a consistent game on both sides of the foot- ball. Newcomer Ted Ginn, his old stomping grounds? ‘‘Well, I don’t know,’’ Burrell said. ‘‘It was great going there the first time this year. I think some of that is going to help to get past all that. But now it’s a little different time of year. It’s all business.’’ NCAA Today’s Top 25 game No.25 West Vir.vs.S.Florida, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Today’s other televised game Kansas State at Kansas, 4:30 p.m., CSNB Dallas Kings who provided a spark in the return game and passing game last week, is one 49ers player who has been through all this before. Ginn was a rook- ie with Miami in 2007, when the Dolphins lost their first 13 games on the way to a 1-15 season. Ginn knew that team was finished at 0-5. He says it could be different for the 49ers. ‘‘It’s hard, but we don’t look like an 0-5 team,’’ Ginn said. ‘‘The goal is to change it around and make some- thing different, go out and continue to get bet- ter, work hard, keep your team up, stay a family NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE Pacific Division WL OT Pts GF GA 2 0 0 4 9 7 2 1 0 4 6 5 SHARKS 10 1 3 5 5 Phoenix 1 1 0 2 5 5 Ducks Central Division Detroit 0 3 0 0 2 13 WL OT Pts GF GA 2 0 1 5 11 7 St. Louis 2 0 0 4 7 2 Nashville 2 0 0 4 7 3 Chicago 1 2 1 3 11 13 Columbus 1 1 0 2 5 5 Northwest Division WL OT Pts GF GA Edmonton 2 0 0 4 7 2 Colorado 2 1 0 4 11 11 Vancouver 1 0 1 3 3 3 Calgary 1 1 0 2 3 5 Minnesota 0 1 1 1 4 6 EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division WL OT Pts GF GA Philadelphia 2 0 1 5 8 6 N.Y. Islanders1 1 1 3 11 11 New Jersey 1 2 1 3 7 14 N.Y. Rangers 1 1 0 2 10 9 Pittsburgh 1 3 0 2 10 11Northeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA Toronto 3 0 0 6 12 6 Montreal 1 1 1 3 8 9 Buffalo Boston Ottawa 1 2 1 3 8 12 1 1 0 2 5 5 0 2 1 1 4 10 Southeast Division WL OT Pts GF GA Washington 3 1 0 6 14 9 Carolina 2 0 0 4 6 4 Tampa Bay 2 0 0 4 9 6 Atlanta Florida MLB ALCS Best-of-7 Friday’s Game 1 New York (Sabathia 21-7) at Texas winner (TBD), 5:07 p.m. Series tied 0-0 NLCS Best-of-7 Saturday’s Game 1 San Francisco (Lincecum 16-10) at Phila.(Halladay 21-10),4:57 p.m. Series tied 0-0 ————————————————— Wednesday’s results Nashville 3, Chicago 2 New Jersey 1, Buffalo 0, OT Tampa Bay 4, Montreal 3, OT Toronto 4, Pittsburgh 3 Washington 2, N.Y. Islanders 1 Vancouver at Anaheim, late Today’s games Carolina at Ottawa, 4 p.m. Tampa Bay at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., VERSUS St. Louis at Nashville, 5 p.m. Detroit at Dallas, 5:30 p.m., NHLN Edmonton at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. Florida at Calgary, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday’s late result Los Angeles 3, Atlanta 1 1 2 0 2 8 10 0 2 0 0 3 5 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. and push forward. That’s all you can do, because we still gotta finish out the season.’’ ODDS Glantz-Culver Line For Oct. 14 MLB Playoffs Friday New York -140 Saturday at Philadelphia-170 SanFrancisco +160 NCAAFootball Tonight Kansas St. 2.5 (50.5) Cincinnati Miami Saturday 19.5 (58.5) at Syracuse 1 (44) Rutgers-x 7 (43) 5.5 (51) atKansas at West Virginia10.5 (43) South Florida Friday 3 (58) at Louisville atDuke Pittsburgh Army at Cent. Michigan13(50.5) Miami(Ohio) at Clemson 15(47.5) Maryland at Michigan St. 7 (51) at Purdue N.C. State at Georgia Illinois Minnesota 7(67) at East Carolina 15 (48) Vanderbilt South Carolina 5 (54.5) at Kentucky at Florida at Alabama 21 (55) at Oklahoma 24(58.5) at Temple at Ball St. at Ohio Baylor at Colorado St. 3 (51) 7.5 (47) MississippiSt. Mississippi Iowa St. 20 (54) Bowling Green 14 (55) 17 (48) at Notre Dame 24 (52) W.Michigan at N. Illinois 14.5(50) North Carolina 6.5 (48) at Navy 1.5(53.5) at Southern Cal 2.5(53.5) at Nebraska 9.5 (46.5) at Florida St 21.5 (45.5)BostonCollege Iowa 3.5(53.5) atMichigan at Washington Pk (60) Oregon St. at Virginia Tech 22.5(56.5) Wake Forest Idaho at TCU at UAB Arizona Utah at Toledo 1(56) atLouisianaTech 29(48.5) 2.5 (61) BYU UTEP 23.5(62) atWashingtonSt. 20.5 (53) atWyoming 2.5 (45) at Texas Tech 3.5 (69) Oklahoma St. at Texas A&M 3.5 (55.5) Southern Miss. 14.5 (48.5) atMemphis Houston at Tulsa Ohio St. 9.5 (63.5) 18.5 (55.5) at Auburn Boise St. Air Force at Indiana Arkansas Kent St. Missouri at Rice Tulane 4 (49.5) atWisconsin 3.5 (60) 39.5 (56) at SanJose St. 1 (53.5) atSanDiegoSt. at Fresno St. 31(56.5) NewMexicoSt. Nevada 7 (74) at Georgia Tech 18.5 (56.5) MiddleTenn. at W.Kentucky at Troy 18.5(59.5) La.-Lafayette Fla. International 5 (48.5) atNorthTexas x-at East Rutherford, N.J. NFL Sunday San Diego 8.5 (45) at Houston 4.5 (44) Kansas City at New England 3 (44.5) 6.5 (37) New Orleans 4.5(43.5) atTampaBay at Philadelphia 3 (41.5) at N.Y. Giants 10(44.5) at Chicago at Green Bay OFF(OFF) 3 (41.5) at San Francisco 6.5(41) at Minnesota 1.5 (43.5) Tennessee Off Key Green Bay QB questionable NHL at Philadelphia-170 TampaBay +150 at Ottawa -145 at Nashville -120 Detroit -135 at Minnesota-145 at Calgary -160 Carolina +125 St. Louis +100 at Dallas+115 Edmonton +125 Florida+140 at Pittsburgh 13.5 (37) Cleveland N.Y. Jets Indianapolis 3 (43.5) atWashington Monday 3 (45) atJacksonville at St. Louis Baltimore Atlanta Detroit Seattle Miami atDenver Oakland Dallas at Hawaii 12 (66) ArkansasSt. 2(50) Louisiana-Monroe Buffalo atVirginia SMU California Texas E.Michigan Akron 1 (54.5) at Colorado UNLV at Texas +130