National Football League

After long wait, punt-returner Miller gets his chance;RAIDERS

Published Oct. 14, 2010 10:16 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Raiders' Nick Miller couldn't be himself on the football field last year, and he didn't want to be himself off it, either.

Not only was the receiver/kick returner not playing - he was inactive for 15 games - but Miller was the worst player in the league, according to the Madden NFL 2010 video game. Actually, his 38 rating was tied with free-agent punter Eric Wilbur's.

Finally, after four more games of walking the sidelines this season, Miller made his debut Sunday and had a 46-yard punt return in the 35-27 win over the Chargers. Of course, for someone who has said he has "learned to be patient," the opportunity to get his hands on the ball didn't come right away.

With Miller back deep, the Raiders blocked San Diego's first two punts of the game, and had a free kick go out of bounds.

"When the first one got blocked, I was, 'I'll get this one.' There's no way they're going to get two and then, Two! How can you get mad about that? It was awesome," Miller said. "Two big plays for us. It was exciting."

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound receiver was kept on the roster last season, but was inactive for 15 games with a broken shin. This year, he was inactive for Week 1 and didn't play despite suiting up the last three - before he was told he was getting a shot to return punts.

"It was a long time coming," Miller said. "It just felt good to get out there. In my mind, I wanted to be nervous, but I wasn't really. I felt like I've done it before."

He did it well enough at Southern Utah that he was named the 2008 Great West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year. Miller led the nation in all-purpose yards 2,140 with 993 yards on kickoff returns, 763 receiving and 384 on punt returns.

He was signed by the Raiders in May 2009 and the rest is slow history.

"Coaches kept telling me to wait my turn," said Miller, who took the job after Yamon Figurs and Johnnie Lee Higgins faltered.

Special-teams coach John Fassel wants aggression, and he got it from Miller.

"You gotta catch it, get possession first, make one guy miss, and go vertical," Fassel said. "And he did it. It was good for him to get some confidence, and also for the rest of the guys to know that they're blocking for a guy that has a chance to get big returns and a score. The level of fierceness goes up."

Campbell for now: Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski sat out Wednesday's practice with an injured right shoulder. Jason Campbell says he is practicing as if he's the starter against the 49ers, and coach Tom Cable said he should have a better idea about Gradkowski's status today.

Briefly: Guard Robert Gallery hamstring practiced for the first since Sept. 12, and running back Darren McFadden hamstring also returned. Cable said there's a good chance that both will play, but that McFadden probably will back up Michael Bush because McFadden is not 100 percent. ... Safety Michael Huff was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for causing the Philip Rivers fumble that iced Sunday's win.