New quarterback Jason Campbell was scrapped after one-and-a-half games in favor of the scrappy reserve, Bruce Gradkowski, and they were still giving up big runs.
Then the Raiders beat the favorite to win the AFC West last weekend when they hosted the San Diego Chargers. The Raiders withstood an outstanding performance by Phillip Rivers and played tough from start to finish in order to secure the win.
Despite an impressive win that showed the dedication of this team, the talking heads all still dismiss the Raiders as a bad team not worth discussing.
However, when one really takes a look at how this season has gone, it is easy to see how different things could be right now. The Week One game against the Titans was a bad loss that showed the team was not prepared for the season, but things changed the next week.
In Week Two at home, the Raiders pulled out a close win against the St. Louis Rams that required a quarterback switch at halftime. Most saw this as a further sign that the Raiders are no good.
But the Rams are not nearly as bad a team as they were last year. They played Arizona tough and handily defeated both the up-and-coming Seattle Seahawks and the hot Washington Redskins. Yes, they were trashed by the Detroit Lions, but they are clearly no longer a team that is a presumed win.
In Week Three, the Raiders went on the road to play the Arizona Cardinals. We all know the story of that game. The Raiders won in nearly every aspect of the game except the one that mattered—the score.
If Janikowski hits just one of his three missed field goals, the Raiders are 2-1 to start the season. The Raiders should have beaten the Cardinals, the same Cardinals that beat the defending S...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
