The commenting system here is a bit wonky right now, suddenly limiting viewable comments to 200 total per take. The most recent take is up to 197 comments as of this writing, so while I don't really have a fresh take, I'm creating a new post to keep the conversation going.
Many of the comments lately relate to questioning my, and others', optimism regarding the state and direction of the Oakland Raiders as of January 28, 2012.
Personally, I don't get it. NY Raider summed it up pretty succinctly: "In simple terms, the Raiders are now doing what many of us very much wanted Al Davis to do while he was still alive. Now folks are upset by the fact that we're happy to have Mark Davis and Reggie McKenzie provide us with the very process and structure we've been begging for. Bizarre!"
Optimism is opinion, not fact. It's choosing to believe in a good outcome out of many possible outcomes. I am optimistic and believe that we are on the right track. Why do I believe that we are on the right track? Let me reiterate:
-We had a hole at GM that we needed to fill.
-Mark Davis sought the counsel of Ron Wolf and John Madden.
-Benefiting from that counsel, he hired Reggie McKenzie; some say that Al Davis had instructed his son to pursue McKenzie if necessary.
-McKenzie's credentials are unquestioned at this point. He comes from one of the NFL's most successful organizations, and I've heard no one question his resume or abilities.
-McKenzie considered numerous head coaching candidates from far and wide, if reports are to be believed, and ultimately chose Dennis Allen.
-I know very little about Dennis Allen, but I like what I am hearing. Again, look at McKenzie's credentials, then tell me why I shouldn't be confident that he found a strong coach for us.
-Allen breaks the mold of offensive-minded head coaches for the Raiders, and since defense is our main weakness, the timing is perfect. I think that this will be a wake-up call for players who may have been slacking under Bresnehan's watch.
-Now Allen is assembling his staff, as it should be. I'm not going to spend my afternoon on the Internet researching and pretending that I have great insights into who should fill out the staff. I have no reason to believe that the process of Davis-Wolf-Madden selecting McKenzie, and McKenzie selecting Allen, is suddenly going to break down with awful decisions in filling out the coaching staff.
I think these guys know what they're doing. That makes me optimistic. I am more bullish on the Raiders than I've been in many years. Al Davis pulled us out of the abyss, and now his son and his team are going to finish the job and build a long-term winner. That's my take, and I'm sticking to it until further notice to the contrary.
P.S. OTB made a suggestion for Raider Take in the previous comments section: "I think a good ground rule might be, if I may be so bold, to encourage more news and less PowerPasting of poster quotes."
I don't know about PowerPasting. I will say that I've always viewed this place as more of a social experiment than a news site. It's my diary sharing my thoughts on the state of the Raiders, and you all get to scribble on it, and over time it has become more of a collective diary and a vivid reflection of the diversity, colorfulness, intelligence and craziness of the Raider Nation at large.
I could spend 10 minutes every morning regurgitating news that is easily found on dozens of other sites and blogs, but that seems pointless to me. I could spend 30 minutes or an hour per day analyzing the news and developing more thoughtful takes on a more regular basis, but I don't really have the time or inclination to do so.
So, alas, you're sort of stuck with the quirky, intermittent and unapologetic nature of Raider Take as it is, should you decide to stick around. Personally, I enjoy everyone here, including those who argue with me all the time. It keeps me on my toes, and it's sort of a like a neighborhood tavern where we might all have one too many and start throwing chairs, but we'll be back the next day buying each other a beer.
That's not to say that things don't get out of hand sometimes, and all I can do is ask that folks refrain from profanity, personal attacks, etc. But I'm not in the censorship business, so the comments section will benefit, as always, from self-policing when things get out of hand.
UPDATE: Fox Sports is reporting that Dennis Allen is the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders: "Allen becomes the first Raiders head coach with a defensive background since the late Al Davis promoted John Madden from linebackers coach in 1969."
I don't know why, because I know very little about this guy, but I have good feeling about it. I like the fact that we are changing things up. Our defense has been way too soft for too many years. As this postseason showed us, a stout defense is still vital to building a winner. GO RAIDERS and WELCOME COACH ALLEN!
Reading The Raider Tea Leaves
Just when it sounded like Dennis Allen was going to become the Raiders' first defense-oriented head coach since John Madden, the rumor mill took a strange turn, with Pro Football Talk referencing a CSNBayArea report that there's still a "mystery candidate" in the mix.
I have to say, the suspense is killing me. But personally, I love all of the rumors, because I think there's been a grain of truth to most of them. For example, the whole Mike Tice thing started as a rumor, and he essentially confirmed there was something to it by declaring that he was going to stay put in Chicago.
There's a sense of due diligence being conducted. Of course, you could look at this cast of candidates from far and wide and say it looks more like the Raiders are flailing around, but I don't think that's the case. I've got a good feeling about this. How about you?
P.S. Was it just me, or could you suddenly not see all of the comments in the last take after the 200-comment mark?
Well, it's time to dust off News You Can't Use, thanks to this hit piece on Mark Davis.
Titled "Raiders owner Mark Davis is in over his head," this piece is a series of mental leaps designed to arrive at a predetermined conclusion, but it ultimately fails to reach its destination due to numerous dead ends of faulty logic and assumption.
The author begins by quoting anonymous sources who tell stories of Mark Davis being openly belittled by his father Al Davis in front of Raiders staff. The author uses these stories to delve into all sorts of Freudian-style analysis, suggesting that this is the reason why Mark, not McKenzie (despite McKenzie's own words), fired Hue Jackson.
Essentially, the author declares that Mark Davis wants to rid the organization of anyone who saw him belittled by his father, which would be everyone in the organization if the anonymous sources are to be believed: "To project an image of authority, Mark Davis needs to surround himself with employees who didn’t see him routinely disparaged and condescended to by his legendary father." If this is the case, then why is Hue Jackson the only employee of consequence who has been canned? What about Amy Trask and the rest of the management staff? Surely Ron Wolf and John Madden, Mark's advisors in the GM selection process, would have seen how Al Davis treated his son over the years, right? So why would he "surround" himself with them? Did Mark Davis look at all intimidated or paranoid at the press conference on Tuesday? Could have fooled me.
By using the words "in my opinion," the author is telegraphing that, hey, this is just an opinion piece, just a column, so I can say whatever I want. But, of course, his piece is more than that. If you want to read an example of a traditional opinion column, read Jason Whitlock's work for Fox Sports.
This piece, however, is news masquerading as opinion. The author quotes anonymous sources regarding Mark's relationship with his father, revealing insider anecdotes in the process, and thus he is breaking news. And when reporting the news, it is your obligation to seek the other side of the story. So, did the author call Mark Davis to get his side of the story? No, because nowhere does it say, "Mark Davis declined to comment on this story."
In other words, this is simply drive-by journalism, a takedown instead of a search for the truth.
Along the way, the author compares Mark Davis to Tommy Boy, the bumbling business heir portrayed in the eponymous movie by Chris Farley. It's no coincidence that, in the movie, Farley's haircut resembles Mark Davis's haircut, which has been widely ridiculed across the Internet since Tuesday's press conference.
The author probably thought he struck analogous gold when he came up with his Tommy Boy comparison, but in truth, he sunk to the lowest form of criticism: mocking someone's appearance.
The author also rips Mark Davis for only interviewing one GM candidate. That's one stance that I sort of understand. But at the same time, this wasn't your typical personnel search. It was one guided by two legendary advisors, who helped identify a uniquely qualified candidate employed by one of the NFL's finest organizations. If you're going to only do one interview, this is how you would do it.
Look, I don't know how Mark Davis is going to govern this organization. I'm not thrilled about his non-stance about keeping the Raiders in Oakland. But what I saw on Tuesday was an owner who was confident, competent and humble all at once, one who "knows what he doesn't know." Based on that press conference, he deserves the benefit of the doubt, at least for a few weeks.
Toward the end of his piece, the author also quotes Mark Davis from the press conference, when Mark noted that he “used to talk to my dad on the phone every night...and talk about football and the organization and things of that nature.”
So he was belittled by his father, but also very close to his father. In other words, father-son relationships can be complicated. Hey, who knew? Apparently not the author of this piece.
Hue Jackson was fired today, and I am neither surprised nor upset by the news, as promised.
Here's what Jackson said about McKenzie: “He’s going to gut this place. He wants to bring in his own guys. No job is safe right now.”
No job is safe? With those four words, our defense just got a lot better, and the standards of professionalism in Alameda just got raised.
Simply put, McKenzie has decided to pave a new Raider Way, and that's fine by me. When you don't post a winning record in nine seasons, a major shakeup is in order, not to mention long overdue.
We've already been down the road of half measures, and that hasn't worked. The tree is being uprooted, and I expect it to produce much tastier fruits in the near future.
This new Raider Way is simply about returning to the original Raider Way, which was all about winning. And I think we can expect to see a lot more of that over the next few years.
Well, if reports are to be believed, we have a general manager, one who comes from a first-class organization, and who was endorsed by Ron Wolf and John Madden, and who actually played for the Raiders back in the day.
I don't know a lot about Reggie McKenzie as an executive, but his endorsements and pedigree sound promising.
I honestly don't care what happens with Hue Jackson. For some strange reason, I'm completely ambivalent about him. I thought that he started his tenure strong, but I was pretty unimpressed by the end of the season. I suppose that he could still have some upside, that he could still be the guy, but I think that is open for legitimate debate, and I wouldn't be surprised if McKenzie decided he wasn't the guy.
The Raiders defense was a grease fire in 2011. Apparently, Jackson had the power to hand out draft picks like Christmas candy in his pursuit of Carson Palmer, but no authority to demote a woefully ineffective defensive coordinator?
Worse yet, the Raiders set the NFL record for penalties and penalty yardage, which I believe reflects directly on the coach. In the end, Jackson sounded overly exasperated and a bit in over his head, which is no way to hit the ground running in 2012.
The injuries at key positions like quarterback and running back are no excuse for finishing in third place in a weak division. If we were going to accept mediocrity as a result of injury, then there was no reason to mortgage our future drafts for the sake of fielding Carson Palmer. If Michael Bush was such a drop off the cliff, how did he run for nearly 1,000 yards and earn consideration for a franchise tag?
The Palmer deal could really blow up in our face in the long run. Big Ben, Eli Manning, Tom Brady, Alex Smith, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco and even Tim Tebow...Do you see a trend with the teams who are in the playoffs this year? Hint: each of their quarterbacks was drafted by their own team (okay, Manning was traded on draft day) and groomed from the ground up.
Drew Brees is the exception. There's also the Texans, who ostensibly should be fielding Matt Schaub, and Alex Smith and Tim Tebow are flukey, but there's a clear pattern with the teams that seem to be there time and time again.
I'm not writing off Carson Palmer, he could still become our Drew Brees or Kurt Warner, but it's time for the Raiders to take a holistic, ground-up, visionary approach to building the team, and it starts at quarterback.
In that context, they should be drafting their QB of the future sooner rather than later. This is a QB-driven league. Carson Palmer should not only be our starting quarterback for the next few years, but he should also be a mentor to our next quarterback for the subsequent 10 years.
But here's the rub: we have several other holes to fill, but also a dearth of draft picks.
Statistically, Jason Campbell and Carson Palmer were in a virtual dead heat in 2011. In 2012, Palmer needs to prove that he's a few high draft picks better than the guy we already had. And if McFadden remains injury prone, then we can expect an encore starting performance from Michael Bush. It should be good enough to win a weak division.
But it won't be if the defense doesn't get squared away. Hiring a capable defensive coordinator is the first step, but not the only one. Our defense is loaded with high-priced veterans and lofty draft picks who have no business getting embarrassed like that, even if Mickey Mouse were on the sidelines calling the schemes.
Again: it's time for the Raiders to take a holistic, ground-up, visionary approach to building the team. It's time to pave a new Raider Way.
That's why Reggie McKenzie is here. And that's why Hue Jackson may be gone, and that's why I wouldn't be terribly surprised or disappointed.
Somewhere, Al Davis is shaking his fist at Hue Jackson, Chuck Bresnehan and the Oakland Raiders. Somewhere, Tom Cable is saying, "Eight and eight? Hey, I got fired for that." Somewhere, Norv Turner and Tim Tebow are smiling.
And that, my friends, is your fitting epitaph to the 2011 season of your Oakland Raiders.
How can I put this nicely? Our defense sucks. It's one of the worst in the NFL. Look at the points scored against the Raiders this season. It will make your jaw drop.
Fire Chuck Bresnehan? Duh. What on Chuck Bresnehan's recent resume made anyone (and the Raiders organization in particular) think that we were going to have a well coached unit during his tenure?
Bresnahan aside, this is on the players. Our defense is loaded with enough high-priced veterans to be able to pull themselves together and avoid the perpetual embarrassment that we saw this season. Something is wrong, something stinks, and it goes beyond Bresnehan.
This was ultimately the season of the OAKLAN Raiders, because there was no D in Oakland (compliments to whoever coined that phrase earlier here, I forgot).
We are now nine seasons deep without a winning record. Last year, the Raiders won three of their last five games, and two of their last three, including the finale.
This year, the Raiders lost four of their last five. Faced with an opportunity to control their playoff destiny, they instead got manhandled by a teetering Chargers team at home. Along the way, they set the all-time NFL record for penalties and penalty yards, demonstrating an astonishing lack of discipline.
I guess I can find reasons to be optimistic about the 2012 season if I look hard enough. But this maddeningly slow and incremental climb up the apparent Mt. Everest of a winning record is becoming tedious.
In a "show me" season, the Raiders failed to show up in the end, and it cost us a spot in the playoffs. Tim Tebow, not Carson Palmer, is the quarterback from the AFC West who will lead his team into the postseason, and if that doesn't make your blood boil, nothing will.
Well, here we are, with our first meaningful game in January in nine years. How we got here no longer matters. What matters is where we're going, and we'll know that before the sun goes down this evening.
In 1980, Dan Pastorini went down after five games with a broken leg. Jim Plunkett came off the bench and promptly threw five interceptions. However, he led the Raiders to victories in his next six starts, setting the stage for a wild-card berth and an eventual Super Bowl victory.
Simply put, it's not over until it's over. How you start is not nearly as important as you finish. Today is the day to finish strong and set the stage for another improbable postseason for the Silver and Black. Today is the day to improve upon the record that got Tom Cable fired. Today is a lot of things...
Okay, anyone who saw the 80-yard pass by Caleb Hanie late in the Bears game knew what was going to happen when the Lions were pinned back at their own goal line last Sunday with less than two minutes to go. I knew it, and you knew it, because we've seen it so many times before with this team, across many years and regimes. Even in games they eventually win, the Raiders have made a mystifying art out of the late-game defensive breakdown, with cornerbacks flailing away and safeties in a trance, and even linebackers doing downfield sprints.
Which brings me to the penalty problem, which also seems to be part of the organizational DNA of the Raiders. Blame the zebras? Okay, let's say that 10 percent of the calls are part of the conspiracy margin. So now, instead of committing 10 fouls per game in 2011, let's say we're actually committing nine. Even then we're still the worst in the NFL in that department. Shameful.
The Raiders need to get their act together, starting today. Thank you.
Today we will see if the Raiders' "rejuvenated effort" in practice pays off and keeps us in the playoff hunt. This is the organization's biggest game in nine seasons. Good tidings await. GO RAIDERS!
The discussion here at Raider Take has taken a turn toward the bitter, which is only natural as the Raiders have suddenly lost momentum and fallen behind the improbable Denver Broncos in the race to the playoffs.
Some of the common sentiments among the regulars here are: (1) quit talking about Tim Tebow; (2) Rolando McClain and our defense are stinking up the joint; and (3) for some reason our team is "running out of gas" and unable to overcome injuries and other assorted excuses.
Well, I'm am going to violate rule #1 above to make a point about #2 and #3.
This is from a story on Yahoo Sports: "While other players went out at night, Tebow loaded films of various offenses in his computer and studied and studied and studied until they were locked in his memory."
Now, compare this 2010 first-round pick to our 2010 first-round pick, Mr. McCLain, who was recently seen halfway across the country at the scene of a shooting. Who knows, maybe McLain is just as dedicated to his craft as Tebow, but if so, it's not showing on the field, nor in his off-the-field exploits.
I know you're all sick of Tim Tebow, but if we're wondering why our team is "running out of gas" and looking a bit lost while the Broncos have mounted an improbable surge, then I think it's an apples to apples comparison.
Both are 2010 first round draft picks. Both are supposed to be leaders of their units. Both play for teams competing for the AFC West crown. The main difference is that McClain was expected to succeed, while Tebow was not.
I don't profess to knowing exactly what is going on in the locker rooms of these respective teams, or what players are doing with each hour of their off time.
But if we're looking for clues as to why one team looks inspired while the other looks tired, then these two young leaders and first-round draft picks are probably a good place to start.
Look, the clock is bound to strike midnight on Tim Tebow at some point, and McClain and the Raiders still have time to redeem themselves. I get that. It's not over until it's over.
But it's still fair to ask why this team's progress is so painfully incremental from one year to the next, and why the team is actually regressing in points scored and points allowed. We can rule out talent. So is it injuries? Coaching? Playcalling? Perhaps.
But there's another potential factor that is hard to pin down, but that also seems increasingly likely: Dedication. Dedication to the art of winning, and doing all that it takes to master that art.
On talent alone, and injuries aside, there is no way the Raiders should be a game behind the Broncos with three to go.
Maybe this team needs something else besides improved health and better playcalling and smarter coaching.
The Raiders have now lost four out of their last seven. In those four losses, they have given up 146 points, or an average of 36.5 points. Not once this season have the Raiders held an opponent to less than 23 points.
Forget stats, look at the scores of our games and tell me you can go far in the NFL when handing out points like Christmas candy.
You can look at this game by itself, of course. You can say it's the Packers, and that's what the Packers do, they score a ton of points.
Then again, you could say it's the Raiders, and that's what the Raiders do, they give a ton up.
This is not trending well. We need to win three out of the final three games to give ourselves a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Broncos have a one-game lead with three left, and they own the tiebreaker.
Winning two out of three probably means that we sit home for the ninth straight year, and that we improve upon last year's record by a measly one victory. If that happens, it will be nice to have finally ascended the apparent Mt. Olympus of a winning record. But the progress of the Raiders has become so drawn out, and so incremental, as to be painful. The supposed Team of The Decades is on the verge of taking an entire decade (or more) to reach the playoffs again.
Here was a must-win game, and the Raiders weren't even competitive for the second week in a row. Go ahead and tell me I'm not being optimistic enough. Tell me it will all be okay.
But when the Raiders get outscored 80 to 30 in successive weeks with the playoffs on the line, this is what you get: the return of the Clown Car.
The playoffs, once so promising, remain possible. But the Clown Car needs to be shut down immediately, and the Raiders need to return to playing tough, competitive football now. The margin of error no longer exists.
Back, by unpopular demand: The Clown Car. I thought about firing it up after the Chiefs game, was really tempted to do it after the Broncos game, and now there's no stopping it.
I actually didn't see the game, and judging by the comments here, I picked a great time to miss my first Raiders game of the season. I was on the road, tuning in when I could via radio, and each time I dialed the game up, the worse it got.
Because I didn't see it, I don't really have a detailed take, so I will defer to those of you who actually saw it (starting with the understandably exasperated commentary on the game seen in the earlier take).
After the Bears game, I said that it looked like Michael Bush's legs might be tired. Now I'm reading this courtesy of Steve Corkran: "Raiders coach Hue Jackson said earlier this week that he didn’t see any signs of running back Michael Bush wearing down as a result of 84 carries the past three games.On Sunday, Bush looked nothing like the player who amassed 530 yards rushing in place of injured starter Darren McFadden the five games before Sunday. The Dolphins held Bush to 18 yards on 10 carries, with a long of 3 yards."
And what's up with Richard Seymour? This is the second season in a row that he's been ejected from a game, and earlier this year he completely lost his composure against the Patriots. For a young team that's trying to turn the corner on a culture of undisciplined behavior, it's unhelpful when the star veteran on defense is prone to going bonkers.
Meanwhile, it's time to put the Tebow jokes to rest. Not only does Tebow have "scoreboard" on the Raiders this year, he has helped lead the Broncos to an improbable tie for the divisional lead. At this point, the Broncos are nothing less than a viable threat to thwart our playoff aspirations.
The Clown Car is sputtering down the road tonight. Let's just hope the wheels don't fall off.
1. So there I was, hanging out on the Coliseum asphalt, cooking meat as the throng grew and the house got packed. The energy was palpable, an energy restored by sustained competence, and now competitiveness, after years of tending to an organizational dumpster fire. What a magnificent scene. There's nothing like the Raider Nation when you add a little hope. That's all it takes. Winning helps, but hope is essential. And hope is back with a vengeance. RAIIIDERRRS! RAIIIDERRRS!
2. It was a strange game, with the red zone struggles and the six field goals. I had to keep reminding myself that the Bears have a good defense, even though we were marching down the field on them. There are worse things than hanging up 25 points on the Bears, even if you have trouble punching it in. Finding a way to win is what it's all about, and that's what the Raiders did.
3. This was my first time watching Carson Palmer in person. He's almost zen-like at the line. Even when he's calling audibles, he exudes calmness and command. No hysterics like Peyton Manning, no wild arm flapping and related theater. The word that comes to mind is POISE. He seems to comprehend each situation with a "been there done that" confidence. His energy isn't red or orange, it's blue. It's a cool energy, but not cold or lethargic like Kerry Collins or JaMarcus Russell. At least that's how it strikes me.
4. Michael Bush had a solid day, but looked like he lacked explosiveness off the line. Was it a consequence of so many carries in the previous weeks? Hard to say. But he was still pretty effective, and his score proved to be crucial.
5. Of course, we had to make it interesting. Who allows Caleb Hanie to chuck an 81-yard bomb on 3rd and 16 from his own 10-yard-line when two more stops ices the game? You know who. Our "Always Interesting" Oakland Raiders.
P.S. Come on, Rolando McClain. We don't know the whole story yet, but we do know that he put himself in a stupid situation. You have to be better than that. That's why you make the big bucks.
I'm pumped up, getting this thread started early. We need to take advantage of breaking opportunities (see Cutler's thumb) and get way out ahead in the AFC West, because we've got some tough opponent on deck. The official march to the playoffs starts NOW!
1. I know it was just the Vikings, but that was an impressive victory in my book. It had all the makings of a letdown game, but the Raiders didn't let us down. They went into a loud hostile environment and took command of the game. Of course, they had to make it unnecessarily close, because that's just what the Raiders do, but when push came to shove, they shut the Vikings down and took command of the divisional lead. Bravo!
2. This Carson Palmer dude, he's all right, eh? Watching him, it's easy to forget that he's been with this team for just four weeks and three games, coming in cold off the couch. I'd say that this bodes very well for the Raiders' playoff fortunes. He didn't have an amazing game, but it was solid enough, and he avoided the big mistakes. Keeping him healthy is so paramount that I can't even think or talk about it, so I won't.
3. Regarding the penalties, I do think that the zebras got some wrong, and that sometimes it smells of vague conspiracy, but it seemed that the worst of them were early in the game, and had little to do with the Vikings scoring so many unanswered points and turning a prospective blowout into a nail biter.
Instead of taking his case to the media, I believe that Hue Jackson should have simply made his case in the locker room. And while he was at it, he could have used the words that BlandaRocked posted in the comments on the previous take: "This has been going on since the 70s. There is absolutely nothing the team, the coaches, the players or the fans can do about it. Al Davis could never do anything about it. It is, quite simply, a fact of life. So how do you instruct a team to deal with this fact of life? You tell them to deal with it. The great Raider teams of the past were well penalized too! You suck it up, and you win right in their faces."
I will say that there is one thing the Raiders can do about it, and that is cut down on the stupid penalties. Even if you remove the questionable calls from the record, it seems to me that we're still a perennial leader in stupid penalties. In other words, control what you can control, and, as BlandaRocked noted, don't get distracted by what you can't control.
4. Michael Bush and Marcel Reese are stepping up, big time. This is what depth looks like, and it's a wonderful thing.
5. Nice to see Kevin Boss with five catches. Overall, Palmer did a great job of distributing the ball, completing passes to seven different players. Now it's time to beat Da Bears and take the divisional bull by the horns.
1. Impressive win. A must-win that we won. It almost fully erased the bad taste out of my mouth from the Broncos and Chiefs debacles. A win this Sunday would make me minty fresh all over again.
2. Aaron Curry, great energy coming off that guy. Sometimes a bit too much, as we saw in earlier games. But if he can continue to channel his energy and aggressiveness, then we hit a home run with that pickup.
3. This is why I hate it when Raiders fans make excuses for losses by citing injuries. It just opens the doors for Chargers fans to do the same, citing news stories reporting things like, "By the middle of the third quarter, the Raiders were essentially facing off against the Chargers' second-team offensive line." Which may be true. You know what's also true? THEY LOST. Winners win. The Packers won the Super Bowl last year after losing numerous key players. The Patriots posted a winning record one year after losing the league's best quarterback. And we won against the Chargers after losing one of the league's best running backs. JUST WIN, Baby.
4. Carson Palmer's stock is way up after that game. There were some real "wow" throws (not to mention some "wow" catches--hello Denarius!). If he can stay healthy we've got a great chance of taking this division.
5. I'd like to say that this Sunday is in the bag. It should be. The Vikings are pretty pathetic...But we've been known to play down to the competition, and I'm bothered by the specter of our defense reverting to Swiss Cheese mode in the face of Adrian Peterson. I expect a win...Is that too much to ask?
P.S. Hey, Bazjoz, thanks for the kick in the pants. Maybe if you'd comment more often, I'd write more often. You never know...
