Memo to the Oakland Raiders: Surprise Us, Shock the NFL

For the Oakland fans, it hasn't been an easy season...and it has only been four weeks.

We have watched a close loss at home, a late touchdown win on the road, a blowout loss at home, and then a disaster at Houston. We've seen a good game, a bad game, a sloppy game, and a horrid performance.

For a change, I think the Raider Nation would like to be shocked. The NFL and the fans would not expect it to happen.

After all, here's a Raiders team that wouldn't scare a high school team. Its starting quarterback has one touchdown. One. We are waiting for guys like Darren McFadden, Robery Gallery, Chaz Schilens, and Cornell Green to return from the injured ranks. And for some reason we're still waiting for Tom Cable to use Javon Walker.

Sure, odds are long. Some are wondering if the game will get switched off at the first quarter or the second, or at halftime.

Thing is, anyone remember the last time people crowed about how badly the Raiders would be trounced?

Last year, Week 12...ring a bell for anyone?

At that time, Oakland came limping into a game against Denver, after losing to Miami at the last second by a field goal, dropping to 2-8. Denver, meanwhile, was coming into the game having dispatched Matt Ryan and the high-flying Falcons to be at 6-4.

The same point was made...this game would get ugly in a hurry...but how quickly would the network switch it to a more interesting game, with a larger crowd following?

As it turns out, the Raiders didn't get the league memo, telling them to turn over and die this week. They proceeded to pull out all the stops and ran amok in Denver, exacting some revenge for a beating they had taken in Week One.

Now, in Oakland's Week Five, the Raiders are looking at a similar situation. They are a game behind San Diego. The schedule isn't looking any easier. Eli Manning may not start or play, period.

To win would call for a team effort; that hasn't been seen since Week One.

All that we ask for is this: Surprise us. Go out and win one on the road. You've done it before...do it again.