By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
It would take an injury or lopsided score for former University of Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo to make his NFL debut against the Seahawks on Sunday, but he’s one step closer than he was last week.
Due to an elbow injury to Bobby Hoying, Tuiasosopo is expected to be the Oakland Raiders’ No. 2 quarterback behind starter Rich Gannon for Sunday’s game.
During Oakland’s first two games, Tuiasosopo has been inactive as the No. 3 quarterback, essentially meaning he could only play if Gannon and Hoying were to get hurt. In Sunday’s game, he will be a Gannon injury away from taking over the Oakland offense.
While the Raiders are hoping he won’t have to make his NFL debut anytime soon, they are optimistic about Tuiasosopo’s future.
“I’m really, really excited about him,” Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden said earlier this week, “not only as a quarterback, but also as an instinctive player and as a guy. He’s got great intangibles, and I think he’s got a great future.”
Tuiasosopo’s role this season is to watch and learn under his more experienced teammates – especially Gannon.
“He’s going to be a great one,” Gannon said. “I really feel like that. He’s got a great attitude. He’s got a great head on his shoulders. He’s a smart guy, a very competitive guy that the Raiders really like.”
Tuiasosopo saw limited playing time in the preseason, completing 26 of 44 passes for 246 yards with a touchdown and an interception while playing in all five games.
The Raiders selected Tuiasosopo in the second round of the April NFL draft, making him the seventh ex-Husky quarterback to be active in the NFL. That number includes Raiders tight end Eric Bjornson, who once played quarterback at UW.
Williams to start: Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said veteran Willie Williams will probably start at cornerback, along with rookie Ken Lucas, this week. Williams has been out six weeks because of a fractured forearm that required surgery. He will play with a protective pad over the forearm.
Ike Charlton, who returned to the lineup last week, will come on the field in nickel situations. That means Paul Miranda, who started the first two games of the season, will be the No. 4 cornerback.
“We’re going to go with experience more than anything else this week,” Holmgren said.
New look Silver and Black: The Raiders are essentially the same team they were last season, with a few notable exceptions.
Trace Armstrong, the AFC’s sack leader last year, adds another dimension to the defense, while the offense went across the bay to pick up free agent running back Charlie Garner and wide receiver Jerry Rice.
Garner has been a nice compliment to running back Tyrone Wheatley, and has also caught 10 passes out of the backfield. Rice, whom the Seahawks also tried to sign in the offseason, has nine receptions, including eight in the season opener.
“I saw him on film, and he’s not as fast, but those first two or three steps are explosive,” Seahawks safety Reggie Tongue said of Rice. “You watch it, you’re like, ‘Whoa, he hasn’t lost a step at all. What is he, 39? Forty?”
Rice, who actually turns 39 in two weeks, is playing a new position while Tim Brown mans the flanker position.
“It’s kind of foreign to him,” Gannon said of Rice playing split end for the first time in his NFL career. “He’s getting more and more comfortable each week. I think that you’ll see his production gradually increase each week as he gets more comfortable with what we’re doing.”
Quick slants: The Seahawks no longer have to announce their seven inactives until Sunday, but the only big name expected to be on the list is cornerback Shawn Springs, who has not practiced all week because of a hamstring injury. Springs’ injury has lingered longer than originally expected, but he could be back on the practice field as soon as next week. … Despite their recent success, the Raiders are having a similar difficulty as the Seahawks in terms of selling tickets. Sunday’s game will be blacked out in the Bay Area because there are still around 10,000 tickets remaining.
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