The Oakland Raiders are hoping that wide receiver Amari Cooper will return from injury in time to play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The performance sticks out like a sore thumb on the season.
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper’s performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 is an anomaly in a down year in which the former first round pick hasn’t shown anything against anyone—save for that single game.
On a Thursday night in October, Cooper broke a frustrating streak of drops and missed opportunities and instead put up a highlight reel of 11 receptions for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. It was a late coming out party and a ray of hope that the Raiders offense would find yet another gear as the team headed into the second half.
Little did anyone know at the time that it would remain the lone bright spot in Cooper’s entire season. The second most productive game from Cooper on the season is the 62 yards he managed against the Tennessee Titans to open the year. For further perspective, there are four games in which Amari Cooper has less than 10 yards total. That’s four games of single digit production.
Cooper enjoyed 43 percent of his total receiving yards of the season against the Chiefs the first time. Maybe that’s why he’s reportedly trying hard to make it back for the second game. Unfortunately for the Raiders, Cooper is working through a couple issues to make that happen.
Raiders WR Amari Cooper has yet to clear concussion protocol, per team official. Also known to be still nursing left ankle injury.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 5, 2017
If he is able to play, the ankle injury should give Chiefs corners a bit of a step on him, but given his performance the first time around, even a limited Cooper is still something to be feared. (Let’s also remember, for a counterpoint, that the officiating was awful.)
The Raiders injury report will tell all as this week of practice wears on.