Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden has been sitting on the sideline for a month since spraining his foot in week seven against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders have called it a foot sprain, but naturally some are skeptical of the full extent of the injury. In his Monday press conference, Hue Jackson told the media that there was nothing being hidden with the injury and the team simply wanted to make sure McFadden was 100% before returning to the field.
Given how well Michael Bush is performing as the feature back, it is not surprising the team is prepared to take its time getting McFadden back on the field. Bush rushed 30 times for 109 yards against the Minnesota Vikings and has proven to be a workhorse back for the Raiders in recent weeks.
One slight wrinkle is the fact that Taiwan Jones pulled his hamstring against the Vikings and his status is unknown for Sunday against the Bears. Rock Cartwright would fill the backup role if Jones could not play on Sunday. It should not be a particularly big problem given how much of the load Bush is handling, but it is still worth noting.
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