INDIANAPOLIS — Two key starters were late scratches for the Raiders because of knee injuries Sunday.
Another’s absence remains a mystery after the team’s ugly 40-6 loss to the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Starting linebacker Germaine Pratt did not travel to Indianapolis for non-injury related reasons. Coach Pete Carroll did not provide additional details after the game.
“We just decided to go with the other guys,” Carroll said.
Pratt’s absence was compounded by cornerback Eric Stokes and star tight end Brock Bowers being unable to suit up Sunday. Carroll said Friday he expected Bowers to play, but the 2024 first-round pick couldn’t make it through Saturday’s walkthrough without pain. The Raiders decided to hold him out after.
Bowers suffered his knee injury Week 1 against the Patriots but played through it the next three games. Stokes’ knee was hurt in last week’s loss to the Bears.
“We were going to rest (Bowers) all the way through the week and he thought — we all thought — that that was going to make a difference,” Carroll said. “But as he got down to it on Saturday, he couldn’t feel it. He couldn’t get right.
“Kind of happened to Stokes, too. He practiced during the week and got through it, but his knee didn’t respond well enough to feel like he can go 1,000 miles an hour out here on game day.”
Carroll said he was unsure if Bowers would remain out next week.
“I have to talk to the guys about that,” Carroll said. “We just couldn’t get there today.”
New role for Carlson
Kicker Daniel Carlson punted for the first time in his professional career Sunday after punter AJ Cole suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter.
Carlson’s punt went 30 yards and was not returned.
“The main thing is catching (the snap),” he said. “I don’t have to do that very often. I like to think I’m a decent athlete. I can catch a football. But it’s different when there’s a rush coming and you’re doing something you haven’t done in a while. So you just want to catch it, then just try to get it off and see what happens.”
Carlson, despite not punting in high school, punted his freshman year at Auburn in 2014. He averaged 42 yards per attempt, but was strictly a kicker his final three seasons in college.
“I don’t think it helped much,” Carlson said. “You just do it periodically to get a little refresh just in case. Obviously I hate this for AJ and just hope he’s back soon, but we chatted a little about it before (my punt). You don’t have much time for technique or anything. It’s kind of like riding a bike in that it comes back to you, but you’re really just trying to not fall off.”
Cole remained in the game as the Raiders’ holder. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett would have taken over if Cole couldn’t perform those duties.
There was no update on Cole’s injury after the game.
Streak snapped
The Raiders defense failed to record a sack Sunday after having at least one in their previous 39 games.
That was the second-longest streak in franchise history. The Raiders had a sack in 58 straight games from 1984 to 1987.
Colts coach Shane Steichen praised his offensive line for the job it did to limit defensive end Maxx Crosby and keep quarterback Daniel Jones clean.
“Our thing going into this game, which I’m sure (is the same for) every opponent that plays the Raiders, is stop (Crosby),” said Steichen, a former UNLV quarterback. “Because we know he’s a huge problem, and it’s a credit to our guys going out and executing the game plan.”
Seeing red
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished with 109 total yards, lamented the Raiders’ inability to finish drives Sunday.
The team failed to score a touchdown on four trips inside the Colts’ 20-yard line. The Raiders entered Sunday ranked 22nd in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage.
“We’ve just got to get better and capitalize in the red zone,” Jeanty said. “Right now, I think we’re probably one of the worst teams in the red zone, so we’ve got to get better. On third down, fourth down, we’ve got to be better. I can’t say there’s a specific answer. We’ve just got to go back, watch the film, everybody look in the mirror and see how we can get better.”
Backup plan
The Fox broadcast crew had to call in a late replacement after analyst Mark Sanchez was stabbed and later arrested following a confrontation in downtown Indianapolis onSaturday.
Former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn, who called Michigan’s win over Wisconsin on Saturday, flew into town and filled Sanchez’s role on the broadcast.
Sanchez, a former NFL quarterback, played for Carroll in college at USC.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.