Well now…for all of you who are misinformed, the tally now stands at
“3 more losses to unlock Jamarcus Russell from the bench.”
Damn, do I hate to think or say that..
As having the duty and obligations as my alias; Darth Raider, Lord of the Sith, Master of all evil, I am required to always be positive, energetic and always enthusiastic to the masses….
but I also keep it the F$## real.

For the record, it was not Daunte Culpepper’s fault this time.
Lane Train?
“Daunte wasn’t false starting,” Kiffin said. “Daunte wasn’t hitting people in the back. Daunte wasn’t holding. Daunte didn’t drop a pass. There are some things Daunte did well.”

With all due respect Coach, that pick in the 4th Quarter was pretty whack though.
On one of the few times Culpepper looked deep down field, the Titans came up with an interception at their own 9-yard line as the pass was short of Jerry Porter.
The only difference this time was that we got the ball back afterwards with 2:12 left and 53 yards to go to win the game.
How did you feel right about then, Nation?
For me, the light side of the Force told me Daunte and his offensive crew were in fact, capable, determined and eager to get this win in Tennessee.
The dark side of the force told me to suit up the game’s TV Announcer, Mr. Rich Gannon.

Then came the 27-yard strike to Curry, tackled at the Tennessee 26-yard-line at the 2-minute warning. I felt reasonably hopeful..
The Raiders then worked their way to the 30 on fourth-and-14, with Mike Williams dropping a Culpepper pass near the first down marker.
Mike, Mike, Mike…you get the fall guy award. Congratulations, you win more bench time!!

But we all know by last week, it takes more than one person to lose a damn game.
The defense was still getting ran over more often than a Speed bump. LenDale White had a career high gaining 133 yards. At the time, I’m feeling even a Running Back in a wheelchair could pour through our Defense..ouch.

Also, the Oakland offensive line could not give QB Daunte Culpepper enough time to complete a pass. And when Culpepper had time to throw, he and his receivers didn’t seem to be on the same page.

As a Unit, the Raiders also hurt themselves with a season-high 14 penalties for 100 yards.
So, to put it all in deep perspective, we’re losing because:
We can’t protect
can’t Pass
can’t run a hundred yards
can’t catch
can’t stop the run
can’t follow League rules.

But Ehhhhhh, at least we CAN:
Punt far (Thanks Shane!)
Hold a Quarterback to 42 yards (Thanks D!)
run for 77 yards (Is Justin Fargas now better than Lamont Jordan? hmmmm)
Kick Field Goals (uh, for now…but THANKS JANO!!!! NOTE: Sebastian Janikowski took sole possession as the Raiders’ all-time field goal leader, nailing three against the Titans to break a tie with former kicker Chris Bahr.)

Can we beat the Texans next week? Well, you know….
the light side of the force tells me can beat any team by committing to the run, playing great D, not forcing Turnovers, getting to the Quarterback and catching the ball when it hits us in the chest.
The Dark side of the Force?
You don’t want to know…
Peace and Progression,
DR

The world was a better place back in the day. Chrissst, how old do I sound?

There was no war, no repetitive music, no worries and the Raiders were beating AFC West opponents like if they were playing Pee Wee teams.
Jim Otto and Freddy B would have a beer with you after a game…
Players were getting drunk, Players were winning games drunk, Players and fans celebrated…while getting even more drunk…
The kind people of Oakland took you in, winked at you, laughed with you, fed you for free…
and the world was a better place.
It’s just too bad I was too young at the time to fully appreciate it.
It’s also too bad I wasn’t an older age to appreciate the last Oakland Raider Super bowl win.

All these years, since 95′, I’ve witnessed joys that came from the top of the mountain..
to screams of displeasure that came from the bottom of the hill…
and losing to the Chiefs still gets me….
How could it not if you’re a real Oakland Raider fan?
From time to time a curious fan asks me what team do I hate the most?
I always tell them my answer is forever interchangeable..
Whatever AFC west opponent we play next?
That’s who I hate the most.

2 big plays..that’s all they gave us.
2 big plays…
the rest of the Herman Edwards playbook was weak and countered easily.
We’ve been waiting for a solid performance from our Defense for a while now..
and THIS is how our new “Hybrid” Offense rewards them???????
With a lack of Playbook creativity?
With the wrong decision on 4th and 1, while in Field Goal range?
With a poor performance by our Linemen (once again) and Running back core group?
With the Wide Receivers not running full speed, the right routes or creating separation?
With a Quarterback who makes bad decisions when the game matters the most?

Thank Heaven for a little sun, beer and a fat burger and fries this late afternoon/evening to get me through this damn day…
I also want to thank God for giving me family and friends for getting my mind off this bullshit loss..
(Leonard, Mom & Dad,Tabs, Chad, Pan, Dwonch…this means you)

Sometimes I wish it didn’t matter that much to me..
Like there would be a Monday where I wouldn’t HAVE to read the Oakland Tribune…
Where I wouldn’t HAVE to check Insidebayarea.com for fan insight…
Where I wouldn’t HAVE to watch for Lane Kiffen’s team address meeting..
but here I am….consumed. Sorry for getting a little off topic…back to “ugh”…

It’s another one of those tough pills to swallow,” running back LaMont Jordan said. “It’s just another game that you look at and you say to yourself, ‘Hey, we should have won, we could have won, and we didn’t.’ It’s been that way since I’ve been a Raider. It’s one of those things that I’m really sick of. It’s not something that you can really talk about and change. It’s just something you have to go out there and make it happen. We are close. We are better. But we can’t keep preaching that we’re better, we’re close. We have to go out there and just get the job done. For the past two weeks, we haven’t gotten it done.”

That about sums it up. But here’s more since I’m a glutton for punishment (or Raider jabber)..

Kansas City’s biggest pass play of the game a 58-yard a strike from Damon Huard to Dwayne Bowe, came when Warren Sapp literally let the Kansas City quarterback off the hook.
“I had him by the facemask. I had to let him go or else I would have gotten a penalty,” Sapp said. “When he ducked, I hooked his facemask. It’s just one of those things where you’re damned if you do, damned it you don’t.”
Earlier in the game, Sapp had his first sack of the season, No. 95.5 of his career.
Yeah, I’m sure he really gives a shit right about now…

Stuart Schweigert ; after his first real hit that would make Jack Tatum say “daaaaaamn!”…
“Gonzalez doesn’t drop too many balls and he’s one of the best tight ends to ever play the game, so when you have an opportunity to blow a guy like that up, I’m going to take it,” Schweigert said. “I looked down at him and his eyes were kind of rolling back in his head. I just didn’t know what to expect. I was just staring at him to make sure he was all right.”
Stu, that guy wouldn’t give a shit if it was you, kid… you sleep tight, sir.

“We’ve got to start having more winning plays than losing plays,” Daunte Culpepper said. “Today we had a lot more losing plays than winning plays.”
– Culpepper said he simply forced a pass to Curry when he shouldn’t have on Page’s game-clinching interception.
“(Page) fell off the inside receiver and I was trying to stick it in there to the outside slant, and he fell out and made a play. Wish I could have it back, but I can’t, so that’s something I’ve got to learn from.”
Uhhh, how many years do you have to be in this league to truly learn from your mistakes?
Yeah, I can already hear the Russell chants from inside of my steaming hot Helmet…
Does that sound perverted?

– When Curry was asked what happened on the last Offensive play, he said, “The interception?”
Yeah, that’s the one.
“He intercepted it,” Curry said.
Wow…. such mindful insight.
But in this day and world we live in…are there truly any words to make us feel any better today?
“Hell the F###@ no. You just have to execute or be executed…and If it’s the latter? I’m lifting another Patron shot and hoping for next week” -Darth Raider
Well said.
Night, Empire. Peace in your hood,
-DR

So this is what and where we are after today’s battle, Nation…
2 Touchdowns away from being a true contender..
2 Touchdown’s away from ESPN finally showing an entire Oakland Raider highlight reel..
2 Touchdowns away from receiving compliments from other Football fans at work ( like if Darth Raider actually played Running Back..)
2 Touchdowns away from being a force to be reckoned with..
2 Touchdowns away from beating the reining AFC west champion
2 Touchdowns away from being worth a damn in today’s NFL.

“What happened today is we came out and played like really bad football teams play,’’ Kiffin said. “We turned the ball over. We gave up sacks . . . it’s very easy to see how the game got out of hand. You know, maybe we were lucky it wasn’t’t worse because they went right down the field on us.’’ -Lane Kiffen, after the game

Honestly Coach, this game was good for making us realize our true potential against a high powered opponent. Cliche time: You have to walk before you must run and as we make that transition; we improve.
Can we get better? The Force says of f^%$n course.
Will we get better? No doubt about it…as long as we all take responsibility for the negatives and learn from them..
Starting with…

Daunte Culpepper: Those were some good balls you threw today, sir. 230 yards is not an easy task against a fierce Charger defense. But you and I both know the key to ANY game is not turning the ball over. The two INT’s you threw were right to the defender. Tighten up, number 8. You’re our starter for a reason..
I can sense Oakland Raider fan’s thoughts from here..
“At least it’s not Josh McCown”.
Oh, that and “PUT IN # 2!!!”

O-Line: Pep’s fumble was caused by Right Tackle Cornell Green who couldn’t hold his block. Come to think of it, there were a lot of those..
6 Sacks brings our team back to the dark days of last year….
and we’re simply much better than that.
Everyone knows we’ve improved since Mr. Cable came aboard.
For what it’s worth, this was not the 27-0 thrashing the Bolts gave us in last years opener; where pretty much every Defender gained a sack stat…including that freak, Marion.
Hey, you don’t think they’re using the juice or the cream again, right?? hmmmmmmm…
Bottom Line…. Sims, Gallery,Newberry, Carlise and Green must STOP with the penalties, holding and lack of passion. All of the Linemen know by now how to make it work….(we’ve all seen it)
just get back to basics, biggies.
I’m sure we’ll all observe that O-Line Dominance we are all accustomed to seeing more than a few times this year.
RB’s: Way to show heart, Lamont and Fargas..I know it’s not easy against that San Diego brick wall.
Can someone tell me where in the hell was Dominic Rhodes? I seen one carry, a few yards and he’s MIA again? We’ve waited how long for this guy and Kiff only gives us a half of a taste? I’m still thirsty, damnit!!!!
WR’s? There were some nice catches made by Ronald Curry but Jerry Porter is now being placed on a Milk Carton…At least Mike Williams showed up…Zach attack too..
The Oakland Raider Defense. What can ya say? It’s f*%*ing LT. The guy just does what he does and you can only hope to contain him. He’s been dominating our Defense’s for years. If there was way to stop him, we would have found the answer by now, so our only hope is to keep him under a 100 yards.
Sapp, that was nice pressure to make Rivers throw that gift to Thomas Howard. Gates only had 58 yards, but that was still more than enough, Mike Huff (The assigned defender).

Guys, we will get better as long everyone still buys into the system.
I believe the next step toward progression has to start with a AFC west divisional opponent.
Hey, what do you know? The Chiefs are in town next Sunday..
and you know what I think? I now believe we FINALLY have what it takes to beat those bastards. LJ did have a big game today..but I know we can contain this guy, maybe even stop him this time.
Tend to your Bruises, wrap and Ice your wounds, Raider Nation..it’s going to be a hard battle that lies ahead in Oaktown. I’ll keep the lights on for ya, boys. Welcome back home.
Till next week,
DR

ps I’d like to send all of my prayers and best wishes to Mr. Dark Raider, Mike and his family. I’m glad to hear your wife is doing much better and hope to see you again at the Coliseum soon. May God be with you, sir.