Panic Sweeping The Raider Nation? Not All of Us, Not All at Once

(Photo by David Paul Morris /Getty Images)

Call me the eternal optimist.

Or, call me completely delusional.

Reading through the media in the last couple days you would think the Raiders have lost the last two straight seasons 0-16 and we are resorting to calling Jeff George out of retirement.

Folks, it's been one loss.

One.

For the season, we are 1-2, in third place in the AFC West.

San Diego is 2-1 and Denver is at 3-0.

Why am I not running like a chicken with it's head cut off?

Several reasons. For one, it's only three weeks into the season. Three weeks. Predicting the playoffs or even how the teams will set up for the draft is about as scientific as throwing darts at the wall. Could any of us see Robert Gallery going down in the second week of the preseason? Or how about Chaz Schilens getting hurt in April?

The simple fact is, no one can predict when these things happen.

For the same matter, no one can predict when JaMarcus Russell will go from playing horribly to being the go-to guy for the Raiders. We've seen him at his best, and now, I hope we've seen him at his worst.

There also is the fact that all three teams will be facing a truly difficult task in the coming weeks. Who wants to go play the New York Giants? They just got done throttling the Tampa Bay Bucs so bad, they switched starters this week.

Baltimore already enjoyed on AFC West team, beating the Chargers in San Diego. The Steelers, who are 1-2, may prove to be more difficult as the season progresses.

And of course all three teams get to face Cinci and Cleveland, who Denver won against.

Oakland has it's own things to attend to. Getting JaMarcus to practice, learn and if it turns out he is no longer worth the money, get rid of the guy and bring someone in that can make this team work.

As for me, I remain loyal to the colors and the team I have followed.

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