Dawson out, McCrane kicks for Arizona Cardinals on Sunday
By Scott Allen
The Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders announced their inactives prior to Sunday afternoon’s game at State Farm Stadium
This time around, Phil Dawson couldn’t avoid missing the game. A few weeks ago he was hurt but was good enough to play. On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals kicker has been ruled out against the Oakland Raiders.
Dawson will give way to Matt McCrane. He was with the Cardinals in training camp/preseason. He spent a little time with the Raiders this season as well.
Other players inactive for the Cardinals include safety Budda Baker. He was ruled out on Friday. Safety Rudy Ford also has been ruled out. He was questionable heading in to the game after being limited in practice on Friday.
Receiver Chad Williams was also ruled out on Friday and will miss Sunday’s game. Now here’s the real shocker, defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, a game-time decision, has been ruled out. Time to move on from there. Enough.
Also inactive are two Cardinals offensive linemen. They include D.J. Humphries and Colby Gossett.
Certainly the depth on the offensive line will be tested once again. They’ve been nursing injuries all season. Mike Iupati, who has been injured off and on, will play. Of course they lost Justin Pugh for the season this past week.
As for the Raiders, they will be without two receivers, Martavis Bryant and Jordy Nelson. They were both ruled out on Friday as well.
Other inactives include defensive end Fadol Brown, offensive tackle Justin Murray, linebacker Emmanual Lamur, offensive linemen Ian Silberman and Denver Kirkland.
The Cardinals should consider themselves as lucky at this point that it is the Raiders on the other side of the ball. The injuries continue to pile up.
No one will feel sorry for them but they need to find guys here soon that can hold up consistently over a season on both lines. The losses of Humphries and Nkemdiche on Sunday are frustrating for fans to see.