MONDAY MORNING GLASS HALF EMPTY CLUB

Dan Fouts, we'll call your Holy Roller with an Immaculate Reception, and raise you a Tuck Rule.Can you call, didn't think so.

Well at least the RAIDERS scored some points, and we were competitive.That's all that I wanted from them going into the game.But post game it was disappointing because that game was there for the RAIDERS to win.There were a few little things that could have changed the game here and there in the second half, but three things for me made the difference.
1. The RAIDERS passing game, or lack of one.Whether you put it down to Russell, the wide receivers, the line or a combination of all three, it is still awful.

2. Fourth down and 2 at the Chargers ten yard line.Trailing 21 - 13.San Diego's defense were looking out on their feet.Fargas and Bush were running hard.Tom Cable had a chance to turn the season around right there, he had a chance to make a statement.He had a chance to say we have had enough, we are going to take the initiative for once and we want to win.The worst case scenario was that we would still trail by one score with the Chargers backed up deep, there were far more good things that could come from having the balls to go for it.Cable wimped out as far as I am concerned.

3. If the RAIDERS had incorporated half of the defensive gameplan that they used against Philadelphia, in trying to get to the QB, we would have been in with a chance.Rivers had 249 passing yards, when we were giving him all day to pass, what would his figures have been like if he had been on his back more often.Al's defence doesn't work, and I feel sorry for those players on that D, because they have some talent and with a better scheme they would be getting some reward.

I don't know who Cable gave game balls to this week, but I would give them to Justin Fargas ( I know his stats weren't incredible but he played with heart once again), Tyvon Branch and Matt Shaughessy.
Apart from a sense of relief that we weren't a laughing stock this week, the only other good thing to come from that game was the feeling that San Diego fans are kidding themselves if they think that their team has a shot at anything this season.They still have the bragging rights over their win streak over the RAIDERS, but deep down they know that they will choke once again.When the RAIDERS are as bad as they are, I have to glean pleasure from petty things like that, and I make no apologies for it!

I keep hearing that things will get better when we get Schilens back, and although he is a big target he is hardly Jerry Rice, or Sidney Rice for that matter.Even when he is back I just don't see this team improving in the passing game to any great degree.I see the San Diego game being replicated a few times between here and the end of the season, I see the defense keeping it tight while our toothless offense manages to get Seabass in range now and then.Not a great deal to look forward to but I can't see anything else.I wish that I could see something in JaMarcus Russell to give me some hope , I wish that I could see something in Tom Cable that says things will get better soon.I wish that I wasn't just glad on a Monday morning when the OAKLAND RAIDERS haven't been embarrassing the night before.That's the glass half empty view I suppose, but that's how it feels to me at the moment.It's getting really hard to remember how it feels to expect a win by the RAIDERS, its quite sad that now it's almost like watching the game with one eye closed waiting for the inevitable to happen.
When things do change for the better, we had better enjoy every minute of it, I think I took the Gruden years a little too much for granted.Come back Chuckie all is forgiven.
At least we can't lose next week.............