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PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Shell: Skrepenak Will Get Job Back

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The Raiders can’t seem to strengthen the weak link at right tackle.

They began the season with Bruce Wilkerson, a starter on the offensive line for all but three games of the previous three seasons. When Wilkerson couldn’t do the job, the Raiders switched to Greg Skrepenak after six games.

Last Sunday, with Skrepenak ineffective against the Denver Broncos, Coach Art Shell replaced him with Robert Jenkins in the second quarter.

Nothing seemed to work offensively against the blitzing Broncos, who recorded five sacks against the Raiders, equaling the season high surrendered by them.

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But Shell says he’ll go back to Skrepenak at right tackle for this Sunday’s game against the Seahawks at Seattle.

“He was struggling a little bit,” Shell said of Skrepenak’s performance, “and it seemed like it was snowballing. I didn’t want him to lose confidence. I had intentions of putting him back in, but I made a decision at halftime to finish the game with Rob. But Strep will be back in there as a starter this week.”

With center Don Mosebar playing on a twisted ankle for several weeks, Shell has been pulling him late in games and going with Dan Turk, the long snapper. Although he has started 88 consecutive games and his ankle has improved, Mosebar might have to continue to give up some of his fourth-quarter time to let the rested Turk play.

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Defensive end Anthony Smith is donating 300 tickets to underprivileged children from the Los Angeles area for the Mighty Morphin Power Ranger Live Tour tonight at the Universal Amphitheatre.

Smith will give out the tickets as mentor ambassador for the City Housing Authority’s Youth Mentor Program.

One of Smith’s main functions is to attract volunteers to work with the 350 kids, age 8-14, enrolled in the city’s Community Service Center Youth Gang and Drug Diversion Program.

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