This season isn't salvagable.  There's no way this team is going to reel off 6 straight wins.

5-11 would be a victory at this point.  We can conceiveably beat Kansas City and Denver.  We can even beat San Diego, despite what happened earlier this season.

I dare not even contemplate what will happen when we play Green Bay, Indianapolis and Jacksonville.

What I mean by a crossroads is this:  are they going to pack it in and go through the motions or are they going to hold their head up high and gut it out for 60 minutes every game?

I read an article today that quoted Warren Sapp as condeming the defense as undisciplined.  He's absolutely right.  It also said though that his shoulders were slumped and he looked defeated.

When someone as fiery as Warren Sapp is defeated, you know there are serious problems.  

He and the rest of the defense have to make a choice.  Are they going to take this embarrassment as a stimulus to step up?  Or are they going to keep playing with downcast eyes?

It's up to them and to Kiffin.  Otherwise there won't be one win more this season.

I do hope though that last game was the final nail in Schweigert's coffin, so far as his future with Oakland goes.  He missed a tackle on two of Chester Taylor's touchdowns.  

Rob Ryan's scholarship also is in precarious danger of being revoked.  If they keep playing like this, he'll be the first one let go.  

Curry and Porter were at last impressive. Zach Miller showed what he can do if he's actually allowed to go out and try and catch the ball and not stay in to help an inept O-Line. He had some clutch catches on that last desperate drive.

Speaking of desperate, Daunte was quoted as saying both he and the team are desperate for a win. There are two principal reactions to desperation: determination or panic.

Which will it be, Kiff & Company?

This is where we find out if there really has been a change in attitude or just another round of the Same Old Raiders.