Carson Palmer Struggles in Debut, Will Raiders Regret Deal?

By the time I publish this article it'll probably be outdated, because Carson Palmer will either have thrown another interception or been released by the Oakland Raiders.

Perhaps he's confused about which color jerseys his new team wears. Either way, his debut with the silver and black has been mostly black without a silver lining, as far as I can see.

Palmer's Debut

Carson Palmer was unceremoniously thrust into this game when the Kansas City Chiefs picked off Kyle Boller three times. Not to be outdone, Palmer decided to throw three picks of his own—one of which was returned for a touchdown by Brandon Flowers. Palmer started his first game of the 2011 season 7-17 for just 86 yards.

Raider Mistake?

The Raiders gave up a considerable amount for Palmer, trading a first-round pick next year and a conditional second-round pick in 2013 to bring him to Oakland.

I have to imagine they expected to salvage their season (as they are—or should I say were—4-2), since they were very much still in playoff contention when Jason Campbell broke his collarbone.

Right now, it doesn't look like he's anywhere near ready to lead this team. They can't afford to lose the next three or so games while he adjusts.

Still Not Time to Panic

It's far too early to say this trade was mistake.

Let's face it, the guy was just traded to the Raiders five days ago. I can't imagine he knows much of their playbook or has any rapport at all with the receivers yet.

With the visible effects the lockout had on overall quality of play, we can easily understand the ramifications of missing the first six weeks of the season for a player.

The jury is still very much out on the Carson Palmer era in Oakland. However, this is still a miserable start. It doesn't inspire much confidence, that's for sure.