After missing all of the preseason with a broken hand, second year standout Jacoby Ford finally got a chance to put on the Silver and Black this year in the opener against the Denver Broncos.
Coach Hue Jackson, who scripted the majority of his first half plays, did not waste time in trying to get the ball in Ford’’s hands. In the first two series of the game for the Raiders, Jackson called three plays which were written specifically to get Ford the ball with room to run.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, Ford was only able to pick up 22 yards on three catches before he was forced to leave the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.
As a rookie, Jacoby Ford showed his ability to be a game breaking player. However, in order to make game changing plays, you have to be in the game. With his second injury this year, Raiders fans might start to be reminded of another promising young wide receiver who was once touted to be the next number one receiver in Oakland. Now, Chaz Schilens is a role player who is just trying to stay healthy.
While a hamstring injury is normally not very serious in terms of its long term implications, it can be serious enough to keep a player off of the field for a number of games. For a Raiders offense that continues to struggle to find success in the passing game, this could be a huge blow if Ford misses much time.