The game of football is complex. There are many variables, some deterministic and some stochastic and probabilistic. Who can say which outweighs the other?

One thing we know: one man can not be blamed for systemic failures in the Oakland Raiders franchise.

A thing we need to monitor are the decisions made after certain trends are determined.

Is it a coaching problem? Is it a quarterback problem? Is it a multiple of interrelated problems, multivalued and multivariate in nature?

Let's study the data

The arithmetic mean for shutout score is 27.44

The mode (most frequently occurring) is 27, showing up four times.

The median is 27, which is at the 50 percentile.

The maximum shutout was 0-55, in 1961.

The minimum shutout was 0-12.

The distribution for shutouts is almost a normal distribution.

The questions that this research prompts us to ask:

1. What past coaching or player decisions followed occurrences of shutouts?

2. Were those decisions based on emotions, pride, or on facts?

3. As we look back on the history of quarterbacks, coaches, etc. with the Oakland Raiders who tended to suffer more from shutouts: coaches, the whole team, quarterbacks or other?

4. There have only been 16 shutouts in exactly 747 games (as of Oct. 26, 2009) during the 50-year history of the Oakland Raiders franchise. That is about .021 or 2.1 percent.

5. The first two shutouts occurred in 1961.

6. Three shutouts occurred in 1981.

7. The shutout on Oct. 25, 2009 was above the mean by 11 points.

8. Three shutouts occurred in 2006. What decisions were made then, and at what level?

9. One shutout occurred in 2008. Again, what decisions were made?

10. You add your observations or questions in the comment section.

Can there be more questions which you should pose? I started the forum because I have a motto, taught to me by parents: Tell the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

So, shake off adversity and false assumptions, and step it up, and focus on forging forward. And remember, some of us are looking and booking and we say, with a strong voice, "Not on our watch...Tell the truth and look at the complex situation!"

 Legend: Series 1 - occurrence; Series 2 - Oakland's score; Series 3 - Opponents score

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