Offense needs to pick up slack if Moss doesn't play Sunday

ALAMEDA -- Five games into the most anemic start on offense in franchise history, the Oakland Raiders are facing life without their most explosive player.

Wide receiver Randy Moss was listed Wednesday as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills at McAfee Coliseum, a designation which in almost every instance for the Raiders has led to the player being inactive.

Being "doubtful" in NFL injury terminology means a 25 percent chance of playing, but only in the rarest instances has a player with the Raiders been termed doubtful on Wednesday and then ended up playing on Sunday.

"That's the way he's listed, and we'll see each day," Raiders coach Norv Turner said. "If he recovers and can run full speed, we'd love to have him."

Given that Moss' injuries are bruised ribs, a groin strain and a pelvic bruise, full speed may not be in the immediate future. Turner wouldn't discuss a length of time Moss could be out but did say, "I wouldn't put it into a month category."

Moss was injured Sunday while leaping for a pass in the second quarter and getting hit by San Diego cornerback Sammy Davis and safety Terrance Kiel.

With Moss almost certainly out of the mix this Sunday, the question for the Raiders is how best to put some life into an offense that for the first time has yet to score more than 20 points in five regular-season games.

Oakland's leading wide receiver at the time of his injury with 19 receptions for 466 yards, Moss has since been passed (in number of catches) by Jerry Porter, who has 21 catches for 260 yards.

Porter is part of the equation when it comes to replacing Moss, who at times was split wide, in the slot or in motion to try to create various mismatches.

Porter, like Moss, can function all three ways, as can Alvis Whitted. Doug Gabriel, who had five receptions for 84 yards against San Diego, plays almost exclusively on the outside and is closest to matching Moss in terms of a deep threat.

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