Jason Campbell Injury: Are the Raiders Better Without Him?

The broken collarbone of Jason Campbell might just be the best thing that could happen to the Oakland Raiders.

According to ESPN.com, Campbell will miss the rest of the season with the injury, leading many to question the future for the Raiders.

Will Terrell Pryor play? Will the team go after David Garrard? Is Kyle Boller the answer?

The question everyone should be asking is this: Are the Raiders actually better without Campbell?

The question is incredibly fair, especially when one looks at Campbell’s numbers this year. He’s averaged less than 200 passing yards per game, has thrown four interceptions and has barely completed 60 percent of his passes.

Those numbers are solid, don’t get me wrong, but they pale in comparison to that of other teams. The Raiders are a tough-nosed team that runs the ball and plays solid defense.

However, a good passing game is always helpful and often necessary in today’s NFL. Which begs the question, are the Raiders better without Campbell?

Boller played well at the position in Campbell place, going 8-for-14 for 100 yards in a close victory. However, that’s about as impressive as Campbell probably would have been. The Raiders are not better with Boller.

Terrell Pryor is an option, but he’s just going to be a rookie that hasn’t been able to play yet. He’s already behind, and thrusting him into game situations at this level would probably stunt his growth more than help it.

Plus, he’d make the team even worse, which is more important since the Raiders have a shot at a playoff berth. The Raiders are not better with Pryor.

The only option that would make them better would be to go out and get Garrard. Garrard played very well in Jacksonville, even beating the Steelers in the playoffs one year.

Although Garrard’s stats aren’t much better than Campbell’s, he’s still a better player. In Oakland, he’d have more talent than he ever had in Jacksonville. He’s also a guy that can make plays with his legs.

Ultimately, the Raiders are only better without Campbell if they can get Garrard. Otherwise, they will get worse.