Raiders Rookie Russell Won't Start, But Will Play Sunday

One might think that the Raiders being eliminated from playoff contention Sunday would clear the way for rookie quarterback JaMarcus Russell to start the final three games. But Coach Lane Kiffin views the situation differently.

Yes, Russell will play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, Kiffin said Monday. But it has nothing to do with the Raiders having little to play for the rest of the season other than pride and gleaning information for next season.

"Since the last time he played, I planned on playing him when we got back here for this game," Kiffin said in reference to Russell's NFL debut Dec. 2 against the Denver Broncos. "He'll play in some role. The length of that role I haven't determined yet."

Russell will not start against the Colts, Kiffin said. That role probably will fall to Josh McCown (finger injury) or Daunte Culpepper (quadriceps) depending upon who is more healthy.

Russell entered the Denver game early in the second quarter and directed two eight-play drives before turning over the reins to McCown for the rest of the game.

"There's a chance he could play more and could play in different situations than he did last time," Kiffin said of Russell.

Russell was unavailable for comment Monday. However, he said after the Denver game that he is ready for whatever the Raiders throw at him.

"They came to me asking what plays I like," Russell said, "and I told them, 'Put me in and find out.'"

Bay linebacker Nick Barnett called Raiders center Jeremy Newberry a dirty player for allegedly poking him in the eye Sunday, and Packers Coach Mike McCarthy wasn't pleased with Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess for a play in which he hit quarterback Brett Favre at the knees.

"The (first time) he was in contact with the tackle and then was pushed a little, but the other one, he went low on him," McCarthy said in his weekly news conference Monday. "It was clearly evident. It was unnecessary."

The play in question came at the start of the third quarter. Burgess hit Favre as Favre threw a pass. Favre hit the ground and held his right knee but stayed in the game.

"It was one of those 'ooh' (hits)," Favre said after the game. "It didn't particularly feel good and it was an awkward way to fall for me."

Neither Newberry nor Burgess was called for a penalty.

Favre said he doesn't think Burgess had any malicious intent.

"I got hit a fair amount," Favre said. "Some seemed kind of low, but I don't think any of them were on purpose. It's kind of a vague call from a referee's standpoint. Sometimes he's either blocked into a guy or is stumbling or falling. It just happens that way, and that's what happened on that play and the other ones."

Burgess was unavailable for comment Monday. However, Kiffin came to his defense.

"There is one that you can tell he definitely slips," Kiffin said. "There's no way he was going low. I would imagine that's the one (the Packers are) specifically talking about. Being here with Derrick for a year, that's the last thing that Derrick would do. He has great respect for the game and he has great respect for the players in the game, too."

. McCown had enough to worry about playing against a rugged Packers defense, in frigid weather and with a dislocated left pinkie. He awoke Sunday morning with a severe case of the flu and received intravenous fluids twice before the game. Still, his day kept getting worse.

McCown threw two interceptions, and Barnett hit McCown on a play in which the aluminum splint on McCown's left hand drove into his injured finger.

On another play, McCown was flattened by Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins during an interception return. Jenkins was called for a 15-yard penalty for hitting McCown away from the play.

"It's part of the game so I don't get too bent out of shape about it," McCown said of Jenkins' blindside hit. "Any time you go after a guy, hit a guy who's not looking, and hit him like that, it's probably a little uncalled for, but I don't complain about it."

. Running back Justin Fargas said the rib injury sustained against the Green Bay Packers is only a bruise and nothing is broken. "I should be good for (Sunday's) game," he said.

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