Opponent: Oakland Raiders

2009 record: 2-6

Last time vs. Chiefs: back on September 20, the Raiders walked out of Arrowhead Stadium with a 13-10 victory, despite the fact the Chiefs had a 409-166 edge in offensive yards and a 25-11 edge in first downs. S Michael Huff picked off a pair of QB Matt Cassel’s passes. It was the best rushing day of the season for the Chiefs, as they ran for 173 yards on 38 carries. Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell was awful, completing just seven of 24 passes for 109 yards. Oakland punter Shane Lechler averaged 56.9 yards on seven punts.

‘09 victories: other than the Chiefs, the Raiders only other victory this year was a 13-9 toppling of Philadelphia at the Oakland Coliseum. So far in the 2009 NFL season it’s one of those half-dozen games that happen every year that are unexplainable.

‘09 defeats: in two losses to the Chargers, the Raiders kept things close, falling by four and eight points. In their other four defeats they were blown out: Denver won by 20 points, Houston by 23, the New York Giants by 37 and the New York Jets by 38 points.

Stat that says it all: In eight games so far this season, the Raiders have scored just 29 points in the second half, and only six in the third quarter.

Key stats overall: On offense the Raiders are last in the league in yardage, average 257.8 yards per game. They are 26^th in rushing and 31^st in passing. On defense, Oakland is No. 27 in yards allowed at 388.5 yards per game. They are 29^th against the run and 13^th in passing yardage allowed. Raiders are 30^th in points scored and 25^th in points allowed. Oakland is minus-8 on the sack ratio and minus-9 on the turnover ratio.

Offensive Up: there are very few for the Raiders. TE Zach Miller is the team’s leading receiver with 28 catches for 421 yards. Oakland has three solid runners in Justin Fargas, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden.

Offensive Down: Russell is struggling throwing the ball; a completion percentage of just 48 percent, two TDs vs. nine interceptions. The Raiders receiving group is shallow on production; only rookie Louis Murphy has caught a TD pass so far this year. Oakland has only six offensive TDs.

Defensive Up: not much here either as the Raiders have struggled on that side of the ball. Just added veteran DEs Greg Ellis and Richard Seymour have added four sacks each. Ellis however, is unlikely to play as he underwent both shoulder and knee surgery during Oakland’s bye week. CB Nnamdi Asomugha is among the best defensive players in the league.

Defensive Down: linebackers and secondary have been very inconsistent. The same can be said for DT Tommy Kelly who got a big contract several seasons ago and has not lived up to the money in any fashion.

Special Teams: the kicking duo of Lechler and kicker Sebastian Janikowski has been very impressive. Lechler is average 52.3 yards per punt, with a 44.9-yard net average. Both of those numbers would become NFL records if they hold. Janikowski has made all six of his PAT kicks and all 12 of his FGs, including a 54-yarder against the Chiefs. The return game has been unproductive.

Familiar faces: It would be fun to have a couple of glasses of wine with Raiders QB Paul Hackett and hear what he has to say about Russell. Hackett is a stickler for details, study and tape work, three things that his current quarterback apparently does not bother with.

They are talking: CB Chris Johnson – “If you really want to look at it, you can go 8-0 and you might end up 10-6. There’s a possible way you can actually do it.” Drug testing was called for immediately after Johnson said this.

LB Kirk Morrison – “We looked at ourselves, made some corrections, and now it’s trying to go out there and put what we did in this bye week to use. I feel like there’s a lot of good football that we have left to play, and we’ve got to go out and show everybody that what we did in the first half is really not what this football team is all about.”

Hall of Fame Raiders DE Howie Long: “I played there for 13 years. That’s my team. It’s been difficult to watch over the last number of years. You keep thinking they’re going to start to pull out of it, they’ve had some moments, but those moments inevitably go back to the same old thing, which is disappointing.”

INJURY REPORT: not practicing or limited this week in Oakland have been Ellis (knee/shoulder), LB Ricky Brown 9ankle), WR Nick Miller (shin) and TE Tony Stewart (chest). Also on the injury-practice report as full participants have been G Robert Gallery (fibula), T Cornell Green (calf), RB Darren McFadden (knee) and WR Chaz Schilens (foot).