Darren Waller injury: Latest update on the TE's status for Week 13
Darren Waller's Las Vegas Raiders are staying alive in the playoff hunt at 6-5 but will need a lot to go right over the next month to keep playing in January, starting with the tight end's health.
Waller suffered a knee injury during the Raiders' Thanksgiving upset of the Dallas Cowboys. Will he be available for Sunday's battle against the Washington Football Team?
Injury update for Darren Waller's knee
According to CBS Sports, Darren Waller is working through a knee strain. Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said on Monday that Waller is considered "week-to-week." Unfortunately, this doesn't appear to be the week, as the injury report has him listed as "doubtful" for Sunday's contest against the Washington Football Team.
#Raiders Pro Bowl TE Darren Waller suffered just a strained IT band in his knee, sources told me and @TomPelissero said after his MRI. Some very good news.
That doesn't bode well for the Raiders, who will be without their top two receivers. Without Darren Waller and Henry Ruggs III, the Raiders will need Josh Jacobs to put together a Derrick Henry-like month. Without it, it seems the Raiders' playoff hopes are terminally ill.
How many more Luke Combs songs are you willing to listen to if it means Darren Waller playing in the 2nd half?
I’ll go with 3.
With that said, Jacobs had his best game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys, rushing 22 times for 87 yards and a touchdown. If this was the start of an upward trending phase, it couldn't have come at a better time. The Raiders need to win out to make the playoffs. It will not happen without a Josh Jacobs explosion.
Jacobs won't need to dominate the entire month. He would only need to get hot for a few weeks before Waller can return. The Raiders have a shot if he can turn it up a notch before Waller returns. However, the Raiders also need to come to terms with their upcoming schedule.
Before all is said and done, the Raiders will need to beat most of their remaining opponents: the Washington Football Team, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and Los Angeles Chargers. In their current state, the Raiders are starting with a floor of one or two wins. They'll need to knock out at least four or five opponents to have a real shot to make the playoffs.
The Raiders can beat the Washington Football Team and have beaten the Broncos already once this season. That leaves them needing around three wins from the remaining four games. The Raiders season could come down to a game near Christmas, barring a complete implosion. One thing is for sure: to go the distance, they'll need Darren Waller.