I was expecting a little more but that’s fine. I do agree that we have many injury prone players, but everyone around the facility says they’re fine, though they usually say that to ease the fans’ nerves. We could indeed be in a playoff hunt soon. Hopefully if all of our schedules are this easy, it’ll be sooner than we think. If Kiffin has a good year this year, we’re back to being a force in the West, if he doesn’t then we’re back to square 1.

to playoffs in one season, why not the Raiders? The only major problem this team has had in the past 4 years is the lack of a QB. We just have not scored enough TD’s to win and that falls on the QB. Do not discount the value of offense and the effect it has on the defense.
If you enter a game knowing that your offense will be lucky to score 1 TD let alone 2, it puts a strain on the defensive players, they cannot make a mistake or the game is lost. It also affects the way the other team looks at you.

I think they have a chance but we’re definetly up there. At the very least, we’ll be second in the division and may get wild card.

we’ll lose in wild card round but at least we’ll have made it. That’s just how I see the season going.

it’ll get the haters off our back and signal a rebirth of Oakland like the miniature one we had in the late 90’s early 2000’s.

Based on my other post (Raiders record in 2008) I think we will go 9-7 this year. It’s sad, but I don’t know how I feel about that. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be very happy to get all the wins, but assuming 9-7 doesn’t get us to the playoffs, what good does that do is in the draft next season? Would we rather go 6-10 and improve on last season but get a higher draft pick than we would at 9-7? Does anyone else get to the last two games of the season and, while cheering for their beloved Raiders, secretly think a loss wouldn’t be so bad? Do you think about the difference between a 4th pick instead of 9th? During the game, I know I am sincerely cheering my guts out for the Silver and Black, from start to finish. I have to admit though, after those last couple games of the season, I don’t dwell on the losses for too long. I’m pissed for maybe a day, instead of 6. I even find myself cheering for teams I wouldn’t root for otherwise (like the Jets and Rams last year) in hopes that we will move up the draft board. Does this strike a chord with anyone else? Am I a poor excuse for a fan? As I mentioned in my other post, I think the best parts of a 9-7 season would be increased confidence in Kiffin, a more likely return of Nnamdi, and a more attractive destination for next season’s free agents. So, in my opinion, 9-7 is a good thing. But I have these thoughts, and thought I’d see if anyone else has them too.

it seems very realistic based on talent. But we’re judging this based on last season’s teams. Every year teams change for better or for worse. We just have to wait until preseason or the first game of the season to REALLY get to the nitty-gritty.