These are two teams heading in different directions.  Coach Brian Billick started this season on the hot seat, but his team is looking good.  Art Shell, however, seems like he’s losing his team already.

The Raiders are still looking for their first points of the season and they’ll try to get them off a team that hasn’t given up any.  The problem with the Raiders offense is that it doesn’t match up well against the Ravens defense.  The Raiders like to run the ball and throw deep.  The Ravens held the Bucs to 26 yards rushing last week.  The Raiders offensive line had better improve this week, or Aaron Brooks will take a brutal beating again on Sunday!

The Ravens offensive players had to be foaming at the mouth last night watching the Raiders defense.  Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson should have big games running the ball.  The running game will set up Steve McNair to pick apart the Raider defense with WR Derrick Mason and TE Todd Heap.

The competitive part of this football game will be over at halftime.  Look for the Ravens to dominate this football game!

Porter was seen on the sideline laughing and pumping his fist when Aaron Brooks’ was sacked for the 7th time!  The league needs to give this clown a drug test.  Parking in Al Davis’ spot wasn’t too good of an idea either.  This is a horrible situation for the Raiders, because they would take a huge cap hit if they cut or traded Porter.  They mind wind up having to send him home for the year if he doesn’t start acting like a grown man!

The San Diego Chargers totally destroyed the Raiders on their own field Monday night.  The offensive line couldn’t block and the defense couldn’t get off the field…..a recipe for disaster!  Aaron Brooks looked really bad completing 6 of 14 passes (42.9%) for 68 yards.  Andrew Walter didn’t look any better when he got to play, connecting on 2 of 5 passes for 28 yards.  RB Lamont Jordan had a rough time, carrying the ball 10 times for 20 yards (2.0 ypc).  Justin Fargas had 5 carries for 35 yards (7.0 ypc).  WR Randy Moss caught 4 passes for 47 yards.  The Raiders QBs were sacked nine times in the game!  If the offensive line doesn’t improve, this could be a LONG season!

LBs Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison both had nine tackles, but the defense didn’t play well either.  The Chargers ran for 194 yards on 48 carries (4.0 ypc).  The Chargers only threw 11 passes, but completed 8 of them (72.7%) for 108 net yards.

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When Coach Schottenheimer is breaking in a young QB, he leans heavily on his running backs and tight ends. It seems as if the Chargers have the perfect offense to take alot of pressure off young Philip Rivers. Rivers doesn’t look pretty out there, as he comes from a 3/4 angle to throw the football, but he’s very accurate. Make no mistake, the Chargers are gonna run the football until the Raiders prove they can stop it. LaDainian Tomlinson creates tons of match-up problems for the Raiders defense. If the Raiders attempt to cover Tomlinson with one of their OLB, Tomlinson could have a career day catching the football. Antonio Gates will also cause huge problems for the Raiders, especially if rookie Michael Huff has to cover him.

I look for the Raiders to try to establish the running game with Lamont Jordan. That will be hard for the Chargers to do because of the athletic ability of the Chargers linebackers. Where the Chargers are weak is in the secondary and the Raiders are deep at receiver. If Araon Brooks gets time in the pocket, Randy Moss will score at least 1 TD and go over 100 yards, without a doubt.

This is a much better match-up than many people think it is. I think the Chargers will win, but it will be close.

It was interesting to see Al Davis bring Art Shell back.  Shell has a career record of 54-38 (58.7% wins) and is 2-3 in the post-season.  Shell won 1 division championship.

The Raiders cut Jeff George a couple of days after bringing him into camp.  Art Shell told George to keep his phone with him at all times in case he needs him.

The Raiders traded WR Doug Gabriel to the Patriots and DE Bobby Hamilton to the Jets.  In each trade they receive a undisclosed draft pick.

Aaron Brooks has a career record of 38-44 as a starting QB (46.3% wins) and a 1-1 playoff record.  Brooks has a career Qb rating of 79.7.

Marques Tuiasosopo is 0-2 as a starter and sports a 52.2 career QB rating.

The Raiders looked like a team that is sick of playing pre-season games.  They finish the pre-season at 4-1.  Cornerback Chris Carr accounted for all of the scoring as he returned a pick-off 72 yards for a TD.

Aaron Brooks completed 2 of 3 passes for 17 yards.  Andrew Walter completed 3 of 8 passes for 26 yards.  Marques Tuiasosopo completed 2 of 6 passes for 51 yards and a interception.

Justin Fargas carried the ball 8 times for only 15 yards (1.9 ypc).  WR Morant caught 2 passes for 55 yards.

The defense that carried the Raiders to their 4-0 record looked bad on this night.  The Seahawks ran the ball for 152 yards on 35 carries (4.3 ypc).  The Seahawks completed 60.5% of their passes for 208 net yards passing.