The Raiders have signed 28-year old WR/KR/PR Yamon Figurs to a reserve/future contract.  Figurs played in 6 games for the Bucs and Lions last season in which he caught 1 pass for 7 yards.  He also returned 5 kickoffs for 105 yards (21.0 avg) and 2 punts for 21 yards (10.5 avg) last year.  He has now played in 32 games (3 starts) in his NFL career and he has caught 3 passes for 86 yards (28.7 avg).  Figurs has also returned 80 kickoffs for 1,851 yards (23.1 avg) with a TD return and he has also returned 41 punts for 330 yards (8.0 avg) with a TD return.  This was a good signing to start the Raiders’ off-season as the special teams sucked for them last year.

The Raiders were very disappointing with the QB play they got in 2009 specifically with 24-year old JaMarcus Russell who was pathetic.  He played in 12 games this season for the Raiders and he completed 120 of 246 passes (48.8%) for 1,287 yards with 3 TD passes and 11 INTs (50.0 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 18 times for only 44 yards (2.4 ypc) this year.  Russell has now played in 31 games in his NFL career and he has completed 354 of 680 passes (52.1%) for 4,083 yards with 18 TD passes and 23 INTs (65.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 40 times for 175 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career so far.  Russell really sucked in 2009 so his future as a Oakland Raider is likely up in the air.

26-year old Bruce Gradkowski was by far the best QB the Raiders had in 2009 before he blew out both knees.  He played in 7 games for the Raiders this year and he completed 82 of 150 passes (54.7%) for 1,007 yards with 6 TD passes and 3 INTs (80.6 QB Rating).  Gradkowski also carried the ball 18 times for 108 yards (6.0 ypc) this year.  Gradkowski has now played in 26 games in his NFL career and he has completed 279 of 523 passes (53.3%) for 2,824 yards with 15 TD passes and 16 INTs (65.9 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 67 times for 291 yards (4.3 ypc) without a TD run in his career.  The Raiders should try to keep Gradkowski around as he really played well for them this year.

28-year old Charlie Frye was third in line for the Raiders this season.  He played in 3 games in which he completed 53 of 87 passes (60.9%) for 581 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs (65.3 QB Rating).  Frye also carried the ball 4 times for 41 yards (10.3 ypc) last season.  Frye has now played in 26 games in his NFL career and he has completed 419 of 677 passes (61.9%) for 4,154 yards with 17 TD passes and 29 INTs (69.7 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 72 times for 347 yards (4.8 ypc) with 4 TD runs in his career.  The Raiders should really look in a different direction than keeping Frye in 2010.

28-year old J.P. Losman signed with the Raiders after Gradkowski’s injury and he only got into 1 game throwing 1 incomplete pass.  Losman has played in 43 games in his NFL career and he has completed 558 of 942 passes (59.2%) for 6,211 yards with 33 TD passes and 34 INTs (75.6 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 103 times for 489 yards (4.7 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  The Raiders would have little to lose in giving Losman a legit chance to make the team in 2010.

The Oakland Raiders (5-11) looked like they might be upsetting the Baltimore Ravens (9-7) playoff chances, but Charlie Frye got hurt and the horrific JaMarcus Russel came in.  Russel was the biggest reason for the Raiders poor record this season, and he was the reason they lost this game.  After Frye had thrown for 180 yards and a touchdown on 18/25 passes, he was injured and that is when Russel came in and blew it for the Raiders.  Down only one, Russel went on to throw an interception that led to an easy rushing touchdown for the Ravens.  The Raiders were still in the game though, but Russel destroyed their chances when he lost a fumble at the Ravens 23-yard line.

The Raiders defense did a good job stopping the Ravens’ passing game.  Ravens’ talented quarterback Joe Flacco was not much of a factor, finishing with 102 yards on 11/19 passes.  The Raiders’ run-defense was a different story.  They could not contain Ravens’ running back Willis McGahee.  McGahee rushed for 3 touchdown and 167 yards on just 16 carries.  One of his touchdowns was a 77-yard run in the second quarter.  This was not a good end to the Raiders bad season, and the only question left is will Al Davis fire Tom Cable?

The Oakland Raiders (5-10) have been very inconsistent all season but they have an opportunity to spoil the Baltimore Ravens (8-7) playoff hopes on Sunday.  If the Raiders beat the Ravens then they are out of the playoffs, but if the Raiders lose then the Ravens will clinch a spot in the playoffs.  The Raiders would love to crush the Ravens season, but it will not be easy.  The Ravens are the better team and are playing for a lot more.  The Raiders quarterback situation has been awful all season, and despite throwing three interceptions last week Charlie Frye is the starter again.  The Ravens secondary has not been very strong lately, so the Raiders only hope are some big plays down field.

Joe Flacco has had a very solid season for the Ravens at quarterback, but if the Raiders can somehow force Flacco into some bad throws they will have a chance.  The Ravens lead the NFL in penalty yards, so if the Raiders can rattle Flacco and the offense they may start hurting themselves with penalties.  The Ravens are playing for their playoff lives though, and they are the better football team, so I don’t see the Raiders winning this one.

PREDICTION:  Oakland Raiders 13, Baltimore Ravens 27

The Raiders have placed 22-year old OLB Slade Norris and 22-year old KR Nick Miller on I.R.  Norris was the Raiders’ 4th round pick out of Oregon State last April in the draft.  He played in 4 games  and made a whopping 2 tackles this year.  Miller was injured in the pre-season but the Raiders didn’t know that he had a fractured tibia.