Oakland Raiders: Heads Up, Hands Down, Win Can Lift Raider Nation in a Heartbeat

"Heads up" means that the Oakland Raiders are put on alert. They are certainly preparing for a "hands down" victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Since the future is the only thing that matters, there is a possibility of at most 15 wins for the remaining portion of the 2010 season. Of course, to expect 15 wins would be highly unlikely according to some analysts.

Since the first game of the 2010 season, rankings have been posted and here is what shows up.

TEAM

TOTAL VOA

TOTAL DAVE

RANK

W-L

OFFENSE VOA

OFF. RANK

DEFENSE VOA

DEF. RANK

S.T. VOA

S.T. RANK

24

STL

-19.9%

-21.8%

29

0-1

-30.4%

26

-5.2%

16

5.3%

11

32

OAK

-84.9%

-36.0%

32

0-1

-56.3%

30

23.1%

26

-5.4%

23

One of my students in Calculus made me aware of the website from which this data comes. According to these analysts, the Oakland Raiders rank below the St. Louis Rams in offensive rank and defensive rank. It means that there is a lot of room for growth.

The analysts also define the following method of measuring team efficiency which, I admit, needs to be looked at carefully.

The Definition

DAVE is our formula that combines preseason projections with performance early in the season to get a better idea of how good the team is without many games to judge. This week, DAVE consists of 10 percent Week 1 and 90 percent preseason projection.

As always, positive numbers represent more points so DEFENSE is better when it is NEGATIVE.

Observations

1. The professional analysts, again, do not weigh in the positives that most fans in the Raider Nation consider valuable and impactive.

2. The Raider Nation's love for the Oakland Raiders and, hopefully, the determination of the Oakland Raiders to uproot past patterns and replace them with a winning pattern are paramount to the success of the team in 2010.

3. Numbers and statistics give us a "core" understanding but the Raider Nation and the Oakland Raiders are expecting a transcendence and transformable experience that surprises onlookers.

Conclusion

It's heads up for the Oakland Raiders because so much is at stake.

It's a hands-down and very necessary victory over the St. Louis Rams that is anticipated and expected.

It's a situation requiring a victory over the St. Louis Rams because such a win will boost the morale and establish a new milieu for the Oakland Raiders and the Raider Nation.

My love for the Oakland Raiders reaches back to the 20th century. So many in the Raider Nation join me in the desire for more victories in 2010.

We implore the Oakland Raiders of the 21st century to transcend all negative projections and give the Raider Nation a well deserved set of consecutive victories. 

Why? So many of us have not wavered in our support of a team with a powerful history.

Go Raiders!  More wins would do our hearts some good.

 Note: Article photo of chart by Damali. Definition and statistics from Football Outsiders website.