Jamarcus Russell

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sat out another practice yesterday because of a toe injury, making it increasingly unlikely he’ll be able to play against the unbeaten New Orleans Saints. While Ryan took part in a walkthrough, which was closed to the media, he wasn’t even at the indoor practice facility for the main 2 1/2-hour workout. Chris Redman ran the first-team offense. Even so, coach Mike Smith isn’t ready to say for sure that Ryan won’t play Sunday.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff We turned to Steve Corkran , esteemed Raiders blogger for Contra Costa Times/Bay Area News Group , to give us the lowdown on the Raiders. 1. If the Patriots can slow down the Raiders' running game, can the Raiders win? Corkran : Based on the way quarterback Jason Campbell played in such situations in 2010, no. His passer rating was through the roof in games in which the Raiders ran the ball well. His passer rating was in JaMarcus Russell territory in games in which the Raiders were forced to rely upon the pass more than...

Darren McFadden and the Raiders entered contract talks with one major goal in mind: avoid a training camp holdout. The sides accomplished that after only two days of negotiations, finalizing a $60 million, six-year contract that ensures McFadden will be in training camp on time and not repeat the protracted holdout that derailed quarterback JaMarcus Russell's rookie year in Oakland. "I'm very happy to have it out of the way," McFadden said at a news conference yesterday.

NAPA, Calif. - The Oakland Raiders used a third-round pick yesterday in the NFL's supplemental draft to select former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The team and the league announced that Oakland used the 18th selection of the round for Pryor. Oakland forfeits its third-round selection in the 2012 college draft. Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said his client was excited about going in the third round after waiting until last Thursday to find out he'd even be eligible for the supplemental draft and not working out for teams until Saturday.

The Oakland Raiders released former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell yesterday, ending a three-year tenure marked by his high salary and unproductive play on the field. The decision came less than two weeks after Oakland acquired Jason Campbell from Washington to take over at quarterback and signifies that owner Al Davis finally lost patience with the immensely talented but unproductive player he drafted first overall in 2007 against the wishes of former coach Lane Kiffin . Russell will now likely be considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, joining Ryan Leaf , ...

NEW YORK -- JaMarcus Russell barely had to wait before taking the stage as an Oakland Raider at yesterday's NFL draft. Brady Quinn was the forgotten quarterback, plummeting all the way to Cleveland at No. 22. Russell was the top overall choice, by the offense-deficient Raiders. The 6-foot-5 1/2-inch, 265-pound junior QB who can throw the ball 80 yards fits the mold for Al Davis, who loves the deep ball. Obviously, in the eyes of NFL teams, LSU players have plenty of draft-day luster.

NEW ORLEANS -- JaMarcus Russell thoroughly outplayed Brady Quinn and made a compelling case that the mammoth quarterback's next pass should come in the NFL. As for Notre Dame, it was a familiar meltdown at bowl time. The Sugar Bowl returned to New Orleans with a Cajun-style party put on by No. 4 LSU, which dominated college football's most storied program in a 41-14 rout last night that had the Superdome rockin'. It also gave the 11th-ranked Fighting Irish a most unwanted spot in the record book.

OAKLAND, Calif. - With one vicious stiff-arm, Willis McGahee pushed aside the last obstacle standing between the Baltimore Ravens and another playoff bid on his way to a career day. McGahee ran for a personal-best 167 yards and three touchdowns, pushing down Hiram Eugene on a 77-yarder, and the Ravens clinched an AFC wild-card berth by beating the Oakland Raiders, 21-13, yesterday. “We’re in the same position as last year where we had to win the last couple of games,’’ McGahee said.

Philip Rivers and the Chargers opened the season doing what they do best: beating the Raiders. Rivers answered a pair of go-ahead scores by Oakland by leading two touchdown drives, capped by Darren Sproles’s 5-yard run with 18 seconds left that gave the Chargers their 12th straight victory in this one-sided rivalry, 24-20, last night at Oakland, Calif. This might have been the toughest one of the bunch. JaMarcus Russell had given Oakland a 20-17 lead with a 57-yard touchdown pass to rookie Louis Murphy with 2:34 left.

By Greg A. Bedard, Globe Staff We turned to Steve Corkran , esteemed Raiders blogger for Contra Costa Times/Bay Area News Group , to give us the lowdown on the Raiders. 1. If the Patriots can slow down the Raiders' running game, can the Raiders win? Corkran : Based on the way quarterback Jason Campbell played in such situations in 2010, no. His passer rating was through the roof in games in which the Raiders ran the ball well. His passer rating was in JaMarcus Russell territory in games in which the Raiders were forced to rely upon the...

The Oakland Raiders always have been seduced by size and speed so it came as little surprise that they used a third-round pick Monday in the NFL's supplemental draft to select former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said his client was excited about going in the third round after waiting until last Thursday to find out he'd even be eligible for the supplemental draft and not working out for teams until Saturday. "We're tickled and thrilled that Terrelle went in the third round and to the Raiders," Rosenhaus said.

The Oakland Raiders released former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell yesterday, ending a three-year tenure marked by his high salary and unproductive play on the field. The decision came less than two weeks after Oakland acquired Jason Campbell from Washington to take over at quarterback and signifies that owner Al Davis finally lost patience with the immensely talented but unproductive player he drafted first overall in 2007 against the wishes of former coach Lane Kiffin . Russell will now likely be considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL...

OAKLAND, Calif. - With one vicious stiff-arm, Willis McGahee pushed aside the last obstacle standing between the Baltimore Ravens and another playoff bid on his way to a career day. McGahee ran for a personal-best 167 yards and three touchdowns, pushing down Hiram Eugene on a 77-yarder, and the Ravens clinched an AFC wild-card berth by beating the Oakland Raiders, 21-13, yesterday. “We’re in the same position as last year where we had to win the last couple of games,’’ McGahee said.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sat out another practice yesterday because of a toe injury, making it increasingly unlikely he’ll be able to play against the unbeaten New Orleans Saints. While Ryan took part in a walkthrough, which was closed to the media, he wasn’t even at the indoor practice facility for the main 2 1/2-hour workout. Chris Redman ran the first-team offense. Even so, coach Mike Smith isn’t ready to say for sure that Ryan won’t play Sunday.

With a ball-hawking defense and a punishing running game, the New York Jets took the pressure off struggling rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and handed the Oakland Raiders their most lopsided home loss ever. Sanchez shook off the worst start of his young career by running for one touchdown and throwing for another, fellow rookie Shonn Greene ran for 144 yards and two scores, and the Jets snapped a three-game losing streak by pummeling the Raiders, 38-0, yesterday. It was a low-pressure game for Sanchez, who started two of his first three drives for the Jets (4-3)

Louis Murphy sprinted upfield and laid out a defender with a punishing block. Not satisfied, he caught up to the play again and delivered a second block that allowed Zach Miller to cruise into the end zone on an 86-yard catch-and-run. For an offense criticized for lacking big plays, intensity, and leadership, a rookie receiver gave the Oakland Raiders all three in one play that answered the skeptics. Miller scored the only touchdown of the game in the first quarter, Justin Fargas helped control the clock by rushing for 87 physical yards, and Oakland’s defense harassed Donovan McNabb...

NAPA, Calif. - The Oakland Raiders used a third-round pick yesterday in the NFL's supplemental draft to select former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The team and the league announced that Oakland used the 18th selection of the round for Pryor. Oakland forfeits its third-round selection in the 2012 college draft. Pryor's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said his client was excited about going in the third round after waiting until last Thursday to find out he'd even be eligible for the supplemental draft and not working out for teams until Saturday.

FOXBOROUGH - Quarterback Andrew Walter blew out his right throwing shoulder in his final game at Arizona State, then was drafted by the Oakland Raiders. Both were painful in their own ways. But thankfully for Walter, he’s starting to see some light after four-plus years buried in Oakland’s “Black Hole.’’ Following the Patriots’ surprising release of Kevin O’Connell on Sunday, the 27-year-old just might be the answer to the all-important question: Who is the top backup to Tom Brady?

Philip Rivers and the Chargers opened the season doing what they do best: beating the Raiders. Rivers answered a pair of go-ahead scores by Oakland by leading two touchdown drives, capped by Darren Sproles’s 5-yard run with 18 seconds left that gave the Chargers their 12th straight victory in this one-sided rivalry, 24-20, last night at Oakland, Calif. This might have been the toughest one of the bunch. JaMarcus Russell had given Oakland a 20-17 lead with a 57-yard touchdown pass to rookie Louis Murphy with 2:34 left.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia , who was signed by Oakland in the offseason to push JaMarcus Russell and serve as a mentor to the former No. 1 overall draft pick, was among 22 players let go by the Raiders yesterday as teams met the NFL deadline to reach the 53-man roster limit. The decision to release Garcia means Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye will head into the regular season as Russell’s backups. Garcia, who has 116 starts in 10 NFL seasons, signed a one-year contract with Oakland in April and acknowledged then the idea of being a backup was tough to handle,...