Raiders try to tune out buzz after big wins

ALAMEDA - The Raiders were back at work this week, heads fitting nicely into their helmets despite the swell of positive publicity in light of their 5-4 record and having tied the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs in the loss column.

It wasn't so long ago that the Raiders, coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock were punching bags on every network football show. The negative tone is changing. No less an authority than Deion Sanders offered his praise after the weekend results were in on the NFL Network's Game Day Prime.

“I'm surprised, because after the Antonio Brown debacle, I thought that was going to leave them in a deficit, especially out wide,” Sanders said. “But it seems as though they've got it together. You've got to give Mayock and Gruden a lot of credit. (Derek) Carr, for what he's doing, he's leading his troops, and I love what they got going. The guys are young, energetic and they're making plays.”

Gruden, of course, wasn't in a self-congratulatory mood. The Cincinnati Bengals, 0-9, are up next. Gruden realizes that all the positive talk can circle the drain in a hurry.

“I don't feel like we can respond to any of that stuff. I just watched the Falcons go to New Orleans and beat 'em. And beat 'em bad. Miami goes on the road, beats Indianapolis, no one expected that would happen,” Gruden said after practice Monday. “I try not to listen to the talk shows. I was part of that for nine years. I turn the sound down.

“We're going to get what we deserve. We've got a long way to go and a lot of things to overcome and I know Cincinnati. I know those players. I know those coaches. Two of them were on my staff last year. We're going to get their best shot. And we'd better be ready to go or else.”

The first order of business is to begin adjusting to life without Karl Joseph, a starting free safety who is out for the season with a foot injury after intercepting a pass in the final moments of a 26-24 win over the Chargers Thursday night. That came just a few days after Joseph broke up a fourth-down pass by Matthew Stafford in the end zone to clinch a win over Detroit.

There is no official diagnosis. Joseph must wait for swelling to go down and see another doctor to determine the extent of the damage and whether there is a fracture or not.

Also out is nickel corner Lamarcus Joyner, with a hamstring strain. He didn't practice and isn't expected to face the Bengals.

Erik Harris, who had two interceptions against the Chargers - one of which he ran back for his second touchdown of the season - doesn't blame the outside world for being surprised by the Raiders.

“People have a right to feel the way they do coming off a 4-12 season,” Harris said. “But that was last year and this is a totally different team. Things happened (Sunday) for us but all we can do is control our own destiny and win the games we're supposed to win, one at a time.”

Four other things we learned:

Swearinger and Jordan

Safety D.J. Swearinger, wearing No. 21, got in his first practice. Dion Jordan, the defensive end and former No. 3 pick in the 2013 draft, is coming off a suspension (for Adderall) and will practice for the first time Wednesday.

With Joseph having played every snap in each of the last six games, it's a gaping hole in the deep secondary.

Swearinger will be brought up to speed as quickly as possible. There's also Curtis Riley and Dallin Leavitt. Joyner's absence could mean Nevin Lawson or Daryl Worley getting some work inside, with Isaiah Johnson building on his one-snap debut on the outside at corner.

Swearinger, 29, was actually claimed by the Raiders off waivers in the offseason but Arizona had first priority. Swearinger started four games for the Cardinals but was cut in part because of a youth movement.

He acknowledged not playing his best with the Cardinals but believes the time off served him well.

“I've been doing a lot of work for myself, body, mind and spirit,” Swearinger said. “Spending a lot of time with my family, reading a lot of books, working out a lot.

“These last weeks have been great for me. I needed this time off, to get myself together. I couldn't be more ready for this opportunity to get here and work hard.”

Regarding Jordan, whose career has been derailed by suspensions for both substances of abuse and performance enhancing drugs, Gruden said, “He's a talented guy. We liked him at Oregon. We liked his body of work in Seattle last year. We played against him. We're happy to have him and we need him, so we'll have a better piece of information after we get to see him.”

Jordan played in 17 games in 2017 and 2018 with Seattle with 5½ of his 8½ career sacks. He was inactive when the Seahawks played the Raiders in London.

Joseph hopes to stay

Joseph, hobbling about the locker room on crutches, said he knew as soon as he planted and jumped for the Rivers pass intended for Keenan Allen that something was wrong.

“If it had to happen, I'm glad it happened in a big division game going forward,” Joseph said. “We're one game behind now with the Chiefs loss. I'll be happy watching and supporting my guys.”

Joseph, with the Raiders having declined his fifth-year option, is eligible for unrestricted free agency. He is hoping to stick around.

“This is the team that drafted me. I love playing with this group of guys,” Joseph said. “I love playing for this coaching staff. I love playing in coach (Paul) Guenther's system. I think it's a great system for me, for the safeties. We'll see what happens. It's out of my control now. All I can do is try to get healthy and get better. I believe everything will work itself out.”

Harris said he and Joseph, who have been regulars since Week 4, had developed a chemistry.

Clock starts on Lee

Linebacker Marquel Lee practiced for the first time since going on injured reserve with an ankle injury, meaning no other players on the injured reserve list will be eligible to play this season. Lee's first potential game action would be Dec. 1 in Kansas City.