Should Oakland Raiders Fans Worry About the Preseason?

Well, the circus in now open. Grab your tickets and come see the amazing football team!

No, it's not that bad. Trust me, it could be worse.

First of all, Lane Kiffin, showing that there are no strings attached to his back or arms, stated it pretty plainly: There's not a lot of depth and because of this, some subpar players will probably be able to hang onto the club...because there's no one else to do the job.

Take Higgins for example. One week he is hailed, and the next week he is barbecued. Who would replace him? There aren't enough healthy bodies to fill in the CB spots half the time. Who is going to return kicks?

Ah....but that is a problem that can be fixed. First of all, you need a couple key players to get healthy, like DeAngelo Hall or Tyvon Branch. Hey, if Louis Rankin can catch, stick him back there and let him get a full head of steam.

The next sideshow is the incredible tower of one. That would be Miller, our tight end with hands of glue. If you don't believe me, check out the TD he caught last week. I've been saying it over and over, and I'm standing by it: He's the best TE since Todd Christensen played for us in L.A.

Our other WRs, with the exception of Ronald Curry, have been, well, a vanishing act. Curry had three catches for Russell, while Walker missed two for sure, and Higgins, again, looked lost, turning the wrong way on one such play.

As far as the games have gone, I've seen several good things.

First of all, we have a running game. Even if the defense puts 10 in the box and sells out to stop the run, that might not do it. After all, with Bush, McFadden, and Fargas taking turns punching, those linemen will get tired in a hurry.

Secondly, if teams are foolish enough to try and stonewall with us, it leaves a slant-pass open, or the TE can spring loose...and it seems Russell/Miller is a combo that will work for years...enjoy the sights.

Also, I need to mention that our defense, at the outset last week, looked pretty good while running blitz packages. As the game wore on, a lot of the players had to get acclimated to different run styles.

One thing that having a good running game will aid in is that our defense will only need to be out on the field for 20 minutes or so, instead of 30-35. Clock control helps in all aspects.

As for the special teams and kicking...find a replacement for the Higgins. Pure and simple. Surprisingly, our kicker might find himself without a job. Lechler, unless it's career threatening, shouldn't worry.

What, me? Worry?

Nah, they're still preseason games.

Looking forward to Sept. 8, 2008.