My confidence for this game has been on a late week upswing. I'm putting it at about 71.34 percent right now. Last Monday, it was right at 50-50. Then after the McClain nonsense it was 22.64.

We are talking base gut feel here. Any technical reasoning for this feeling has been passed to my gut via my subconscious unbeknownst to my head.

I am left to speculate that I believe Hue will have kept these guys focused through the McClain BS, and the improving health of the defense as to what is bolstering my confidence.

Richard Seymour appears to be healthier than he has been in weeks. This is going to be key. The Raiders defensive line has to dominate. The Dolphins have one injury keeping a player out in this game and it could make an impact.

Starting right guard Vernon Carey will miss this game. He will be replaced by second year player John Jerry. Jerry was a third round selection and has been considered a bust.

The Dolphins offensive line has struggled even when healthy this year, and most of those struggles have come from the right side. They are 31st in sacks allowed percentage.

The bottom line is that the Raiders need their amazing group of defensive tackles to blow up the interior of this Dolphins' line. And somehow, someway they need to get their banged up offense to find some production against a defense that has been playing amazing football.