Raiders Could Be Ready for Prime Time

“Prime Time” or prankish tease?

Deion Sanders is talking about coming out of retirement for a playoff run with the Raiders and said he recently discussed the matter with team officials.

“I may come back to a playoff team,” he said Sunday on CBS Sports’ “NFL Today,” where he’s a studio host. “I’ve made contact, I’ve spoken with my attorney, we have spoken to the Oakland Raiders.”

Raider executive Bruce Allen neither confirmed nor denied the report, but did say Sanders “is having way too much fun with this” and a “fit of imagination.”

Sanders is the latest in a line of TV analysts flirting with a return to the game. It started when Cris Carter left HBO to become a Miami receiver. Then, Troy Aikman’s name surfaced as a potential quarterback in Miami or Philadelphia. Now, Bill Parcells has confirmed he has had conversations with Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, who reportedly is on the verge of firing Coach Dave Campo.

The Raiders would need to get some help from Washington in order to sign Sanders, 35, who played one season for the Redskins and currently is on their reserve/retired list. That means the Redskins have retained his rights and would need to waive him in order for another team to sign him.

Sanders said he has no reservations about his ability to step in and contribute.

“Like I’ve always said, I could roll out of bed tomorrow morning, and be able to cover,” he said. “That will never go away. What was missing was my desire to do it. I mean, I left the game on my own [terms], because the fire wasn’t there. But here’s a team in the playoffs, with a real chance to go to the Super Bowl, and an owner who always wants to win. I always felt like I might look good in black and silver, you know?”

The Raiders could use the help. Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson is playing sparingly on a broken leg, cornerback Tory James is sidelined because of a similar injury, and rookie cornerback Phillip Buchanon is out for the season with a broken wrist.

“We need help,” Woodson said. “Everybody in our secondary’s banged up. If it’s true they’re trying to get ‘Prime Time’ to help us win the Super Bowl, why would I have a problem with that?”

SAM FARMER

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Nick Luchey, who scored two late touchdowns in Cincinnati’s 20-13 win over New Orleans, isn’t exactly a household name.

Even people in Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium were confused as Luchey led the Bengals to victory. With the public-address announcer mispronouncing his name after each carry, Luchey (it’s LOO-chee, not loo-SHAY) ran eight times for 52 yards on the winning drive.

Luchey, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound running back who changed his name from Nick Williams before the season, finished with 59 yards in 12 carries. He also did an impromptu “Ickey Shuffle” after his second career touchdown put the Bengals ahead. “That was my shout-out to Ickey,” he said. “I wear his jersey number [30], and he’s a friend of mine. I respect what he and [Tim] Krumrie and Boomer [Esiason] and guys like that did for this franchise 10 to 12 years ago.”

Coach Jim Haslett said the Saints -- who had only one timeout left -- let Luchey score on the final run so they’d have a chance to get the ball back. See, Luchey gets no respect at all.

-- From Associated Press