The Washington Redskins will enter Sunday night's matchup with the Oakland Raiders with a full list of injured players. The team will be facing a 2-0 Raiders team in primetime that is among the league's best. The Redskins will be looking to keep the playcalling as close to 50-50 with rushing the ball versus passing it as the team continues to fine-tune its identity regarding this year's offense.

Final injury report

Redskins head coach Jay Gruden spoke with several members of the media on Friday and fully addressed the Redskins injury report at his daily press conference.

“We’ve got five guys questionable. Jordan Reed (rib sternum) will be questionable. Rob Kelley (rib), Mason Foster (shoulder), Montae Nicholson (shoulder) and Josh Norman (shoulder) all are questionable. We’ll probably wait until Sunday to make the decisions on all five.”

Besides the five players Gruden spoke on, the Redskins also have six other players that were also listed on the injury report this week. Safety Deshazor Everett (knee), tackle Morgan Moses (shoulder/knee), receiver Josh Doctson (hamstring), center Spencer Long (knee), runningback Chris Thompson (back), and Ty Nsekhe (groin) were all listed as full participants in Friday's practice.

If they can't play

Just like any other type of situation, the Redskins have already thought out a backup plan in case one or more of these five players can't suit up for Sunday night's game. In fact, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden spoke about that exact topic at his press conference Friday.

“Yeah, there is a chance. Mack Brown is ready to go.

Jeremy Sprinkle is ready to go if Jordan can’t go. Josh Harvey Clemons is ready to go if Mason can’t go, and the rest of them we have backup plans.”

Even though Gruden brought up rookie Jeremy Sprinkle in terms of a tight end who could be part of the roster if Reed can't play, it's not to say that Sprinkle wouldn't still be third string at best.

With Vernon Davis and Niles Paul already on the gameday roster virtually every week since they joined the team (barring injuries), he's just not talented enough to get higher on the list. Still, it's nice to see the team have some depth at a position that is obviously of massive importance in Gruden's offensive system.

With some Redskins fans the subject of Mack Brown is one for the ages that goes right up there with the "he does no wrong but gets no chances" Colt Brennan conversations of preseasons past...many referred to this group of fans as the "Cult of Colt." Redskins fans seem enamored by the thought of Brown being a success despite his being left off the 53-man roster several times in recent history without any other teams in the league showing an interest in signing him in the aftermath.

In their defense, Brown has only received chances in situations where it was impossible to take his success that serious in terms of what his competition was. He has shined in preseason and week 16 last year against the hopeless Chicago Bears. Fans of Brown believe that he will eventually prove the naysayers wrong and emerge as an every-down NFL star.

Redskins coaches currently have Brown listed as the team's number four option, but if Rob Kelley does not play this weekend, he would essentially bunny-hop third-down back Chris Thompson and fill the backup role behind rookie Samaje Perine. With the Redskins likely using a backfield by committee approach perhaps some fans will finally get their chance to say I told you so regarding Brown's ability as an NFL runningback after Sunday night.
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