WEEK 4 BYE-WEEK FUNERAL: Raiders Add Two, Cut One, Still Lose to a Dolphins Team That Changed Nothing

Razor: “The Raiders claimed John Tait. The Raiders claimed Peter Warrick. The Raiders cut Kelvin Garmon. Miami did absolutely nothing. Same Dolphins. Same roster. Same old football. And somehow Oakland still found a way to walk into the bye week at 0-4 with a 17-14 loss sitting on its chest like a cinder block.”

RAIDER NATION, THE BYE WEEK HAS ARRIVED.

And thank heavens, because this team needs a chair, a mirror, a cold towel, and maybe a licensed professional.

Dolphins 17, Raiders 14.

That is the final.

Not 41-10. Not 41-17. Not a Denver-style avalanche. Not a Detroit-style crime scene.

But do not let the smaller number fool you.

This one might be worse emotionally.

The Raiders made moves. Miami did not. Oakland added two new players, cut one, tried to patch the roster, tried to spark the offense, tried to crawl out of the 0-3 pit, and still got the exact same result.

A loss.

Danny: At least it was close.
Razor: Danny, close losses are just losses with better manners. At 0-4, nobody gets a fruit basket for losing politely.

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THE WEEK 4 ROSTER SHUFFLE

Before the game, Oakland went back to the wire.

IN: RG John Tait
IN: WR Peter Warrick
OUT: RG Kelvin Garmon

That is the kind of move an 0-3 team makes when the walls are closing in.

John Tait comes in to help the offensive line. Peter Warrick comes in to give the receiver room another veteran body and some route-running juice. Kelvin Garmon gets cut loose because, at this point, every roster spot has to justify breathing.

Danny: Tait actually showed up right away.
Razor: Exactly. Four pancakes, zero sacks allowed. That is how you introduce yourself. John Tait walked in, grabbed a helmet, and looked like he belonged. That part I like. That part makes sense. That part did not make me want to chew through a clipboard.

And Peter Warrick?

Five catches, 46 yards, and Oakland’s only touchdown.

So yes, the new guys helped.

And the Raiders still lost.

Welcome to the 2006 Oakland Raiders, where reinforcements arrive and the building is still on fire.

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MIAMI STOOD STILL AND STILL WON

Here is the part that should bother everybody.

The Dolphins did not need a big transaction week.

No emergency patch job. No waiver-wire bandage. No “please save our season” signing.

They showed up as they were.

And beat Oakland anyway.

That is the insult.

The Raiders adjusted. The Dolphins existed. The Dolphins won.

Danny: Miami did run the ball extremely well.
Razor: Extremely well? They ran through Oakland like the defense was made of wet cereal. Miami had 230 rushing yards at 6.22 yards per carry. Warrick Dunn had 142 yards. Marion Barber had 71 yards on six carries, including a 56-yard touchdown. The Dolphins barely needed Rex Grossman to do anything except avoid falling down.

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THE DEFENSE DID ONE THING RIGHT AND ONE THING TERRIBLY WRONG

Let us be fair.

The pass defense did its job.

Rex Grossman: 7-of-18, 94 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 56.3 rating

The Raiders sacked him three times. Manny Lawson had another impact game. Shurron Pierson got home. Amon Gordon got home. The pass rush had teeth.

Good.

Now the bad part.

Miami ran for 230 yards.

Two hundred thirty.

You cannot lose a game where the opposing quarterback completes seven passes unless you are being bulldozed on the ground. And the Raiders were absolutely bulldozed on the ground.

Danny: The defense has improved from giving up 41, though.
Razor: Yes, the scoreboard improved. Wonderful. Put that in the museum next to the empty win column. The defense held Miami to 17, and that should be enough to win. But when the other team rushes for 230 and sits on the game, it still feels like you got shoved in a locker by the fullback club.

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SORGI STAYED CLEAN, BUT THE OFFENSE STAYED SMALL

Jim Sorgi started again, and once again, he was not the disaster.

Jim Sorgi: 16-of-31, 201 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 82.8 rating

No interceptions. Only one sack. He moved the ball enough to make you think there was an offense in there somewhere.

But the Raiders scored 14 points.

Fourteen.

At some point, “not the problem” is not enough. The quarterback has to become part of the solution.

Danny: So you still stay with Sorgi?
Razor: Yes. You stay with Sorgi. Do not get cute. Branyon had his chance and turned the offense into a haunted spreadsheet. Sorgi is steadier. But steady has to become dangerous. This team cannot live on 14 points and motivational speeches.

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PETER WARRICK MAKES HIS DEBUT

Let us talk about the new guy.

Peter Warrick: 5 catches, 46 yards, 1 TD

That is a useful debut.

He did not need three months to learn how to get open. He did not stand around waving at the playbook. He came in, caught five balls, and scored the touchdown that made it 17-14 with 59 seconds left.

That is exactly why you claim a veteran receiver off waivers.

Danny: That was a good pickup.
Razor: Yes. Good pickup. Productive pickup. Immediate pickup. And somehow still not enough to stop the team from walking into the bye week with four losses and a face full of smoke.

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LEONARD POPE LOOKED LIKE A REAL PIECE AGAIN

The Tower stayed involved.

Leonard Pope: 4 catches, 51 yards, 0 drops

That matters.

No miracle touchdown this week, but he was reliable. He moved the ball. He gave Sorgi a target. He blocked too, with three pancakes and no sacks allowed.

That is a first-round tight end starting to look like a real foundation piece.

Danny: He is becoming one of the positives.
Razor: He is. Pope is no longer just a nickname and a height measurement. He is a weekly part of the offense. Good. Now get him in the end zone before I start mailing red-zone diagrams to the facility written in crayon.

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THE OFFENSE KEPT SETTLING

First quarter: Janikowski 46-yard field goal.

Second quarter: Janikowski 19-yard field goal.

Fourth quarter: Peter Warrick 13-yard touchdown from Sorgi, plus the two-point conversion.

That is it.

Oakland opened with two long drives and got six points. One drive went 77 yards. Another went 82 yards. Six points.

That is the kind of thing that gets you beat in the NFL.

Danny: They were perfect in the red zone again, technically.
Razor: I do not want technical. I want touchdowns. The Raiders keep driving far enough to make you believe, then parking the car outside the end zone like the meter is broken. At 0-4, field goals are not medicine. They are cough drops during surgery.

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CASEY MOORE DID HIS PART

Casey Moore gave them a decent day.

Casey Moore: 18 carries, 77 yards, 4.28 average

That is playable.

That is not the problem.

But again, the issue is finishing. Oakland had 85 rushing yards total. Miami had 230. That is the gap. That is the game. That is the difference between controlling Sunday and chasing it.

Danny: Moore has been consistent lately.
Razor: Moore is giving them useful work. But useful work has to lead somewhere. Right now it leads to Janikowski field goals, late desperation, and bye-week therapy.

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MANNY LAWSON KEEPS SHOWING UP

Manny Lawson was named defensive player of the game for Oakland, and the rookie continues to look like one of the few reasons to keep the lights on.

Manny Lawson: 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1 deflection

The Clay is turning into something.

He is not polished. He is not finished. He is not ready to carry a defense by himself.

But he flashes every week.

Danny: That draft pick is looking good.
Razor: It is. Lawson has juice. Pope has juice. Brown has juice when healthy. The rookie class has life. The problem is the team around them keeps losing games like it is allergic to relief.

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THE BYE WEEK QUESTION

Now Oakland gets the bye.

And what exactly are we supposed to do with it?

Heal? Yes.
Self-scout? Please.
Find a run defense? Immediately.
Figure out the red zone? Absolutely.
Decide whether Sorgi is the rest-of-season quarterback? Probably.
Admit the season is leaning toward Megatron Watch? Carefully, but yes.

The Raiders are 0-4.

This is no longer a slow start.

This is a crater.

Danny: They still have a lot of season left.
Razor: They do. And that is the cruel part. There is enough season left to recover, enough season left to embarrass yourself further, and enough season left to convince the entire league you are scouting Calvin Johnson with both eyes open.

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WHAT THE BYE WEEK MUST FIX

1. Run defense.
Miami ran for 230. That cannot happen again. Not if this team wants to be anything other than a weekly opponent highlight reel.

2. Touchdowns instead of field goals.
Long drives ending in three points are how bad teams convince themselves they are close.

3. Build around Pope and Warrick.
Pope is becoming steady. Warrick showed immediate value. Use them. Help Sorgi. Stop asking the offense to invent itself on third down.

4. Get David Brown healthy.
The Blur matters. The return game and speed package need him back.

5. Commit to Sorgi.
He is not perfect, but he is the best version of this offense right now. Give him the bye week as the guy and see if rhythm grows.

6. Stop pretending 0-4 is just unlucky.
There has been bad luck. There have been injuries. There have been brutal moments. But 0-4 is earned until proven otherwise.

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RAZOR'S FINAL WORD

The Raiders added John Tait and Peter Warrick.

They cut Kelvin Garmon.

They tried to shake something loose.

And they still lost to a Dolphins team that did not need to change a thing.

That is the state of the franchise heading into the bye.

Sorgi is steady but not explosive. Pope is rising. Warrick helped immediately. Tait looked useful. Manny Lawson keeps flashing. Casey Moore is giving real carries.

And still, the Raiders are 0-4.

That is the only number that matters.

The bye week now becomes a reckoning. Not a vacation. Not a pause. A reckoning.

Who are we?

A bad team with some promising young pieces?

A snakebitten team about to wake up?

Or a team already drifting toward the top of the draft board with Megatron’s name glowing in the distance?

I do not know yet.

But I know this: after four weeks, the Raiders are not close enough to brag and not bad enough to joke comfortably.

They are just losing.

And losing into the bye week tastes like metal.

WEEK 3 HEARTBREAKER: Pope Delivers the Miracle, Raiders Blow the Prayer

Razor: “Jim Sorgi starts. Leonard Pope becomes the hero with a 62-yard touchdown as time expires. The whole stadium is ready to explode. Then Oakland gives it to a 6'0", 238-pound, 81-strength, 92-break-tackle bowling ball up the middle for the tie… and he gets knocked backward by a backup defensive tackle with Shaun Rogers out of the game. Raider Nation, I am starting to think the Megatron tank has a steering wheel.”

RAIDER NATION, THAT ONE HURT IN A NEW WAY.

Week 1 was a disaster.

Week 2 was a demolition.

Week 3 was cruelty with a scriptwriter.

Browns 26, Raiders 24.

The Raiders did not get embarrassed this time. They did not get buried by 41 again. They did not look completely helpless.

No, this was worse in its own special way.

This was hope.

This was the door cracking open.

This was Leonard Pope streaking into the end zone with no time left, the rookie tower becoming the exact hero Oakland drafted him to be.

And then the Raiders needed two yards.

Two yards to tie it.

Two yards to turn the whole afternoon from “0-3 misery” into “maybe we found something.”

And they got stuffed.

Danny: That finish was brutal.
Razor: Brutal? Danny, that finish was emotional vandalism. Pope rang the church bell and the Raiders tripped walking up the steps.

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SORGI GOT THE START

The big move happened.

Jim Sorgi started at quarterback.

After two weeks of Ty Branyon chaos, after the interceptions, after the Denver no-rhythm mess, after every Raiders fan on the forum started tapping the “Sorgi?” button like it owed them money, the coaching staff finally made the switch.

And honestly?

Sorgi was not the problem.

Jim Sorgi: 12-of-20, 213 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 92.3 rating

That is playable football.

Not perfect. Not magical. Not “build the statue outside the Coliseum.”

But functional.

He completed 60 percent. He averaged over 10 yards per attempt. He hit the big one to Pope. He gave the offense a cleaner shape than we saw the first two weeks.

Danny: So the QB switch worked?
Razor: It worked enough that we are not throwing Sorgi into the bay. He gave them a chance. That is the standard right now. Sad? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

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THE POPE MIRACLE

There it was.

No time left.

Raiders down eight.

One snap. One prayer. One giant rookie tight end.

Jim Sorgi to Leonard Pope. 62 yards. Touchdown. 0:00.

That is why you draft the tower.

That is why you take the 6'8" matchup monster. That is why you live with the rookie learning curve. That is why you keep throwing to him even when it has looked ugly before.

Because eventually the tower rises above the smoke.

Leonard Pope: 2 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD

Both catches mattered. The big one nearly became the first legendary rookie moment of this whole rebuild.

Danny: That could have been the moment that changed the season.
Razor: It was set up perfectly. Pope as the hero. Sorgi as the stabilizer. Oakland stealing life from the jaws of another loss. The script was beautiful. Then the two-point conversion came in and spilled nacho cheese all over the ending.

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THE TWO-POINT FAILURE

Here is where the blood starts boiling.

The Raiders needed two.

They put the ball in the hands of their 6'0", 238-pound, 81-strength, 92-break-tackle running back.

Up the middle.

Fine. I understand it. Big back. Short yardage. Lower the pads. Fall forward. Be a grown man.

But Shaun Rogers was knocked out of the game. Cleveland’s big monster in the middle was gone. That should have been the moment to punch through the door.

Instead?

Stuffed.

Knocked backward by a backup defensive tackle.

Game over.

Danny: It is one play.
Razor: It is never one play when you are 0-3. It is the play. It is the whole season condensed into two yards of failure. It is a 238-pound back getting rejected at the line while the rookie tight end’s miracle dies in the end zone behind him.

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ARE WE TANKING FOR MEGATRON?

I am not saying it.

I am asking it loudly while staring at the wall.

Maybe we really are trying for Megatron.

Maybe this is the plan. Maybe Oakland looked at Calvin Johnson and said, “You know what this roster needs? More pain first.”

Because how else do you explain this start?

Week 1: first and goal at the one-inch line, interception, five turnovers, blown out by Detroit.

Week 2: Denver throws the Raiders into traffic, Jue’s career ends, the injury report catches fire.

Week 3: Pope scores a miracle touchdown with no time left, and the Raiders fail the two-point conversion up the middle against a backup defensive tackle.

That is not a losing streak.

That is a draft-position documentary.

Danny: It is too early for Megatron talk.
Razor: Then stop losing games like you are sending him invitations! You want me to stop talking about the top pick? Win a football game. Do not dangle hope over the sideline and then drop it into a sewer drain.

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THE GAME FLOW: DEATH BY FIELD GOALS AND MISSED CHANCES

This game was there.

That is what makes it sting.

Cleveland led 14-3. Oakland clawed back with field goals. Janikowski hit from 45, 40, 52, and 21. Four-for-four. The Polish Cannon did his job.

But field goals are not touchdowns.

Oakland had three red-zone trips and came away with one touchdown and two field goals.

Cleveland had four red-zone trips and turned them into two touchdowns and two field goals.

That difference matters.

Danny: The Raiders were perfect in red-zone scoring percentage though.
Razor: Scoring percentage is cute. Touchdowns win. Field goals keep you politely close until the football gods shove you into a locker.

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THE RUN GAME WAS ALMOST ENOUGH

Casey Moore ran hard.

Casey Moore: 18 carries, 79 yards, 4.39 average

That is solid.

Not dominant. Not game-breaking. But solid.

Then came the problem: the rest of the ground game did not do enough.

Erik Bickerstaff: 5 carries, 14 yards, 1 TD
Tony Richardson: 2 carries, 5 yards
Chad Morton: 1 carry, 0 yards

Bickerstaff got the one-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, but the failed two-point conversion is what everyone will remember.

That is the cruel business of short-yardage football.

You can score from the one earlier, then fail from the two later, and the failure becomes your name tag.

Danny: That is harsh.
Razor: Short yardage is harsh. The line knows it. The backs know it. The fans know it. You need two yards to save the game, nobody wants a seminar. Move a body.

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THE DEFENSE DID ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE

This was not the Detroit game.

This was not the Denver game.

The defense did not give up 41 again. Thank heavens for small mercy.

Cleveland scored 26. Tim Couch threw for only 141 yards. The Raiders picked him off once. Napoleon Harris made another impact play. Shaun Williams had 9 tackles. Manny Lawson, Dontarrious Thomas, Rashad Washington — the defense had bodies around the football.

But Cleveland ran for 172 yards at 5.06 yards per carry.

That is too much.

LaMont Jordan had 85. Willie Parker had 46. Ovie Mughelli had 39. The Browns kept finding enough ground yards to stay ahead of schedule and let Phil Dawson do the rest.

Danny: Dawson was huge.
Razor: Four-for-four. 45, 51, 21, 32. That man kicked Oakland into a ditch one drive at a time.

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JERRY PORTER AND ROSCOE GAVE THEM SOMETHING

It was not all Pope.

Jerry Porter: 4 catches, 70 yards
Roscoe Parrish: 2 catches, 44 yards
Marvin Harrison: 3 catches, 28 yards, 1 drop

Porter looked like a real target. Roscoe gave them juice. Harrison was quieter than expected and had the drop, but he still moved chains.

Without David Brown, the Raiders needed someone else to provide space and spark. Roscoe helped. Porter helped. Pope delivered the moment.

And still, it was not enough.

Danny: That is what makes it frustrating. There were positives.
Razor: Positives are not standings points. At 0-3, positives are like finding a coupon in a burning house.

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SORGI OR BRANYON NOW?

This should not be a debate after this game.

Sorgi stays in.

Was he perfect? No.

He took three sacks. He threw one interception. He did not finish enough drives with touchdowns. But he gave the Raiders their best quarterback performance of the regular season so far.

He hit the Pope miracle. He gave Porter chances. He averaged 10.65 yards per attempt. The offense looked less like a fire drill and more like a flawed football team.

That is progress.

Danny: So Branyon stays on the bench?
Razor: For now? Yes. This is Sorgi’s chair until he breaks it. Branyon had two weeks and the offense looked poisoned. Sorgi gave them a chance to win. I am not changing quarterbacks because a 238-pound back got rejected on a two-point conversion.

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THE REAL QUESTION: WHAT IS THIS TEAM?

That is the uncomfortable part.

The Raiders are 0-3.

They have lost in every possible flavor.

Blowout.

Blowout with tragedy.

Heartbreak.

That is a miserable buffet.

But Week 3 at least showed something different. They fought. They adjusted. They got a better quarterback performance. Pope delivered a star moment. The defense kept the score within reach.

Then they failed at the exact point where winning teams succeed.

Two yards.

That is the difference between “season has a pulse” and “Megatron Watch intensifies.”

Danny: You still think there is hope?
Razor: Hope? Sure. I have hope the same way a man in a leaking boat has a bucket. I am using it, but I am also looking at the water line.

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RAZOR'S FINAL WORD

The Raiders lost 26-24 to the Browns.

They are 0-3.

Jim Sorgi started and played well enough to keep the job.

Leonard Pope gave Raider Nation the moment it has been waiting for — a 62-yard touchdown with no time on the clock.

And then the Raiders needed two yards.

Two yards.

They had the big back. They had Shaun Rogers out of the game. They had the setup. They had the story. They had the miracle waiting to be completed.

And they got knocked backward.

That is 0-3 football.

That is how teams end up in the top-pick conversation before Halloween.

That is how people start whispering Megatron and pretending they are joking.

But let me say this: Sorgi stays. Pope gets more looks. The offense showed signs of life. The defense was not perfect, but it did not get buried again. There is something to build on.

There is also a giant red warning light flashing over the whole building.

Win soon, or stop pretending this is not a draft-position season.

0-2 AND HURTING: Raiders Buried by Denver, Lose Jue, Now Face 0-2 Browns

Razor: “Forty-one more points allowed. Another ugly loss. Bhawoh Jue’s career ended at 27. Jason Webster is hurt. David Brown is hurt. Leonard Pope is not getting clean production. Branyon is wobbling. And now the Raiders get Cleveland in a battle of 0-2 teams. Raider Nation, this is not a game. This is a fork in the road with police tape around it.”

RAIDER NATION, THIS WAS A HORRIBLE WEEK.

There is no sugarcoating it.

The Raiders got demolished by Denver, 41-17.

That is two games. Two losses. Two straight weeks giving up 41 points.

Week 1 was Detroit. Week 2 was Denver. Different uniforms, same punch to the jaw.

And this one came with something worse than the scoreboard.

Bhawoh Jue is done.

Severe concussion. Career-ending. Only 27 years old.

Danny: That is awful. Forget football for a second. That is a brutal way for a career to end.
Razor: Exactly. We yell about quarterbacks. We scream about play calls. We throw chairs at third-down percentages. But when a 27-year-old player’s career ends like that, you stop. Jue wore the shield. He gave Oakland snaps. He deserves respect. Raider for life.

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THE INJURY REPORT HIT LIKE A TRUCK

This was not just one injury.

It was a roster punch combo.

FS Bhawoh Jue: severe concussion, career ending
CB Jason Webster: sprained elbow, 3 weeks
WR David Brown: abdominal strain, 2 weeks

That is the free safety room, the cornerback room, the return game, and the offensive speed package all taking damage at the same time.

Jue is gone permanently. Webster is the best corner on this roster and now misses time. Brown, The Blur, the rookie conversion weapon and return spark, is gone for two weeks.

Danny: That is a lot for an 0-2 team to absorb.
Razor: A lot? Danny, this roster is already bleeding and now the schedule is asking it to jog uphill. Webster out means the secondary gets thinner right when it needs to get smarter. Brown out means one of the only easy-speed buttons on offense is missing. And Jue being done is just flat-out painful.

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DENVER DID EXACTLY WHAT THEY THREATENED TO DO

Remember all that Denver noise?

The Woody Paige victory lap. The Mile High chest-thumping. The “Peyton is locked in” talk. The Broncos acting like they were ready to give Razor ammunition against his own team.

Well, congratulations to them.

They backed it up.

Peyton Manning: 25-of-35, 386 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT, 135.2 rating
Marty Booker: 9 catches, 199 yards, 1 TD
Daniel Graham: 3 catches, 60 yards, 2 TD
Jabar Gaffney: 4 catches, 44 yards, 2 TD
Total offense: Broncos 502, Raiders 254

Five touchdown passes.

Five.

The Raiders got called out, walked into a rivalry game, and got turned into a Peyton Manning instructional video.

Danny: Denver looked like a contender.
Razor: Denver looked like a team with a plan. Oakland looked like a team still looking for the manual. Peyton was dealing. Booker was running free. Graham was scoring. Gaffney was scoring. And Raider Nation was staring at the screen like the TV owed us an apology.

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THE DEFENSE: TWO WEEKS, EIGHTY-TWO POINTS

Let us say the ugly number out loud.

82 points allowed in two games.

Forty-one to Detroit.

Forty-one to Denver.

That is not a slump. That is an alarm bell with a siren strapped to it.

The Raiders did force two Denver turnovers, including a Bhawoh Jue interception before the injury report turned tragic. Napoleon Harris played like a man trying to hold the dam together with his bare hands, finishing with 13 tackles and a forced fumble.

But moral victories do not cover receivers.

Denver threw for 386 yards. Booker had 199 by himself. Manning averaged over 11 yards per attempt. The Broncos punted only three times.

Danny: The injuries make it even harder now.
Razor: Exactly. The defense was already leaking oil. Now Jue is gone and Webster is out. That secondary room better grow up fast, because Cleveland may be 0-2, but they are not walking in with cardboard receivers and a flag football playbook.

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THE OFFENSE: NO PICKS, NO RHYTHM, NO ANSWERS

After Week 1, the demand was simple:

Stop turning the ball over.

Ty Branyon did that against Denver.

No interceptions.

Good.

But let us not throw a parade because the house only burned halfway down.

Ty Branyon: 14-of-36, 172 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 63.7 rating

That is 38.9% passing.

That is 4.78 yards per attempt.

That is an offense walking through mud while Denver is flying over it in a helicopter.

Danny: At least the turnovers improved.
Razor: Yes. And if the standard is “do not give the ball away like Week 1,” then sure, improvement. But this is professional football, not a support group. You still have to move the ball. You still have to score. You still have to look like the quarterback and receivers met before kickoff.

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IS THE POPE PROBLEM REALLY A BRANYON PROBLEM?

The Raiders tried to get Leonard Pope involved.

That matters.

They did not ignore him. They did not forget the 6'8" first-round tower exists. They threw at him.

But the results were not good enough.

Leonard Pope: 2 catches, 15 yards, 1 drop

There were chances. He did not come down with enough of them.

So is that on Pope?

Yes.

Is it on Branyon?

Also yes.

Danny: How can it be both?
Razor: Because football is not a courtroom where only one guy gets blamed. Pope has to catch catchable balls. Branyon has to throw better balls. The timing has to improve. The play-calling has to create cleaner chances. When a 6'8" tight end has two catches for 15 yards in a game where you are chasing points, everybody involved in that equation gets a red mark.

The Tower is still the Tower.

But right now the offense is handing him bricks instead of blueprints.

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THE DROPS MATTER, BUT THEY DO NOT SAVE BRANYON

Let us be fair.

The pass catchers did not help enough.

Jerry Porter: 5 catches, 41 yards, 1 drop
Leonard Pope: 2 catches, 15 yards, 1 drop
Casey Moore: 1 catch, 26 yards, 1 drop
Devery Henderson: 0 catches, 1 drop

Four drops in a game where the passing game already looked like it was being assembled during the commercial break.

That hurts.

But it does not erase Branyon going 14-of-36.

Danny: So the receivers share blame, but Branyon is still under pressure.
Razor: Exactly. Drops explain some of the mess. They do not explain the entire landfill. Branyon was brought here for accuracy and awareness. Right now the awareness is not creating rhythm, and the accuracy is not showing up enough on Sundays.

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THE SORGI QUESTION IS NOW REAL

Here we go.

The question is no longer crazy.

Is it time for Jim Sorgi?

Sorgi got a small look against Denver and went 2-of-4 for 32 yards with a 77.1 rating.

Tiny sample. Not enough to crown him. Not enough to build a statue. Not enough to pretend he is the answer to all sadness.

But enough to make the room uncomfortable.

Because Branyon has now given Oakland two different kinds of bad.

Week 1: turnover disaster
Week 2: no rhythm disaster

That is not a stable job application.

Danny: Would switching after two weeks be panic?
Razor: Maybe. But going 0-3 because you refused to react is not patience. That is stubbornness wearing a fake mustache.

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RAZOR’S QB VERDICT

Here is the clean version.

Is Branyon the only problem?
No.

Denver shredded the defense. The receivers dropped passes. The offensive line was not perfect. Tarik Glenn allowed three sacks. Brown is now hurt. Pope is still learning. This is not one guy breaking a perfect machine.

Has Branyon done enough to keep the job unquestioned?
Absolutely not.

Four interceptions in Week 1. Under 40 percent in Week 2. That is a quarterback controversy whether the coaching staff wants one or not.

Should Sorgi start against Cleveland?
I would do it.

Not because Sorgi is some magic cure. Because the Raiders need to know if the offense can function with someone else driving the bus.

Danny: You would really make the switch?
Razor: Yes. Cleveland is 0-2. Their defense just gave up 45. This is the week to test it. Start Sorgi, see if the ball comes out cleaner, see if Pope gets better looks, see if Harrison and Porter can settle into rhythm. If Sorgi stinks, you can go back. But if you never look, you never know.

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WHY CLEVELAND IS THE PERFECT TEST

Week 3 is not just another game.

It is 0-2 Raiders vs. 0-2 Browns.

Two winless teams.

Two teams trying to avoid the early-season graveyard.

And Cleveland is not exactly walking in fresh off a defensive masterpiece.

The Browns just lost to Cincinnati, 45-37.

They gave up 425 total yards.

They gave up 5 passing touchdowns.

They allowed Chad Johnson to catch 6 passes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns.

So if the Raiders cannot move the ball against this defense, then we have a bigger problem than one bad matchup against Denver.

Danny: Cleveland can score too, though.
Razor: Exactly. That is the warning label. Cleveland put up 37 points and 398 yards. Tim Couch threw for 277. LaMont Jordan ran for 114 and scored. This is not a dead team. This is a wounded team with a knife in its hand.

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THE BROWNS PROBLEM

Cleveland may be 0-2, but do not confuse winless with harmless.

LaMont Jordan ran for 114 yards against Cincinnati and ripped off a 52-yard touchdown. He also caught a 63-yard touchdown from Tim Couch.

That is exactly the kind of dual-threat back that can punish a defense missing pieces.

Casey FitzSimmons had 5 catches for 102 yards.

Larry Fitzgerald had 4 catches for 51 yards.

The Browns also got a 95-yard kick return touchdown from Lamont Brightful.

So yes, Cleveland gave up 45.

But they scored 37.

Danny: So this could turn into a shootout?
Razor: It could. Which is why the quarterback decision matters. If Cleveland gets into the 30s, can Branyon answer? Can Sorgi? Can anybody in silver and black keep drives alive without turning the sideline into a therapy session?

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WHAT OAKLAND MUST DO IN WEEK 3

1. Honor Bhawoh Jue by playing clean football.
This team lost a respected player’s career this week. Do not follow that with sloppy, lifeless football.

2. Decide the quarterback plan before Sunday.
No half-pregnant nonsense. If it is Branyon, say it and give him a leash. If it is Sorgi, start him and build the plan around quick rhythm throws.

3. Use Leonard Pope correctly.
He needs targets, but he needs better targets. Red zone. Seams. High-point throws. Stop making the tower play like a normal tight end.

4. Survive without David Brown.
The Blur is out for two weeks. That means no easy return juice, no speed-package crutch, and less space stress on defenses.

5. Protect the secondary.
Jue is gone. Webster is out. Cleveland has Fitzgerald, FitzSimmons, and Jordan out of the backfield. Help the replacement defensive backs. Do not leave them on islands and act shocked when they drown.

6. Stop LaMont Jordan.
He is the engine. Run game, screen game, explosive plays. If he gets loose, Cleveland will make this ugly fast.

Danny: That is a lot for one week.
Razor: Being 0-2 creates homework. Being injured creates extra credit. Being the Raiders means the assignment is already on fire.

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THIS IS AN EARLY-SEASON ELIMINATION FEEL

No, mathematically, Week 3 is not an elimination game.

Do not write me letters.

But emotionally?

Spiritually?

Forum-meltdown-wise?

This is one of those games.

0-2 teams do not want to become 0-3.

0-3 teams start hearing draft talk in the walls.

The Raiders are already wounded. The Browns are also winless. Somebody gets off the mat this week, and somebody starts wondering why the floor feels comfortable.

Danny: That is dramatic.
Razor: It is the NFL. Drama is the invoice. Pay it.

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RAZOR'S FINAL WORD

This week hurt.

The score hurt.

The defense hurt.

The offense hurt.

The injury report hurt most of all.

Bhawoh Jue’s career ending at 27 is bigger than a loss. Respect to him. Period.

But the season does not stop.

Jason Webster is out. David Brown is out. The Raiders are 0-2. The quarterback question is real. Branyon has not done enough to end the conversation. Sorgi deserves serious consideration. Pope has to be better, but he also needs cleaner quarterback play. The offense needs rhythm. The defense needs help. The whole operation needs oxygen.

And here come the Browns, also 0-2, fresh off a game where they gave up 45 but scored 37.

This is not a soft landing.

This is a test.

If the Raiders win, they breathe.

If the Raiders lose, the season starts looking at the draft board before October.

WOODY PAIGE WANTS THE RAZOR? Broncos Talk Big Before Walking Into the Pope’s House

Razor: “Oh, now Denver wants to talk? Now Woody Paige wants to sharpen his little orange pencil and mention The Razor’s Edge? Beautiful. Perfect. Because if the Broncos want a column, I will give them a column. And if Peyton Manning wants to bring that All-World quarterback act into Raider week, he better bring a prayer candle and ask the new Pope for mercy.”

RAIDER NATION, APPARENTLY WE HAVE BEEN SUMMONED.

Woody Paige. Mile High Report. Denver Gazette. All the orange-and-blue confetti factories are running hot after the Broncos beat Buffalo 41-17.

And buried inside the victory lap, there it was.

A little callout.

A little wink toward Oakland.

A little mention of The Razor’s Edge, as if Razor is supposed to tremble because Denver’s front office is excited and Peyton Manning remembered how to play quarterback.

Danny: They did look pretty good against Buffalo.
Razor: Danny, a man can look good walking into a room until the floor drops out. Denver beat Buffalo. Congratulations. Hang the banner. Print the shirt. Kiss the horse. But now they play the Raiders, and last I checked, this rivalry does not run on press clippings.

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LET US TALK ABOUT THE RECORD

Before Denver starts polishing the crown, let us put one number on the table.

Oakland vs. Denver: 4-2.

That is the current mark.

Four wins. Two losses.

So all this talk about chess matches, front-office brilliance, flawless execution, and Razor having “nothing to praise” after the game? Cute.

Very cute.

But the scoreboard history says the Raiders have already punched Denver in the mouth more often than not.

Danny: Past results do not guarantee this week.
Razor: Of course they do not, Sunshine. But if Denver gets to write poetry after beating Buffalo, I get to bring receipts from the rivalry ledger. That is called balance. Look it up between commercials for ski lodges.

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DENVER’S BIG WEEK 1 PARADE

Yes, Denver looked dangerous.

Peyton Manning threw for 368 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Ron Dayne ran for 151 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown.

The Broncos put up 583 total yards.

They beat Buffalo 41-17.

Fine.

I saw it.

Everybody saw it.

Denver came out of Week 1 looking like a machine.

Danny: That offense is scary.
Razor: It is. I am not blind. Peyton is Peyton. The run game looked bruising. The secondary is full of names. Chris Hovan is hunting. Wonderful. Congratulations. But let me explain something to Denver very slowly: Week 1 against Buffalo does not grant diplomatic immunity in Oakland.

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AND YES, THE RAIDERS WERE EMBARRASSING

Let us not hide from it.

The Raiders got smoked by Detroit, 41-10.

Five turnovers.
Four interceptions.
Two-for-eleven on third down.
First and goal from the one-inch line turned into an interception.

It was ugly.

It was humiliating.

It was the kind of game that makes you stare at the wall and wonder if furniture can feel shame.

Danny: So Denver has reason to be confident.
Razor: Confident, yes. Comfortable, no. There is a difference. A wounded Raider is not a soft Raider. A wounded Raider is dangerous, angry, and tired of hearing Denver people type with their noses in the air.

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THE POPE IS COMING

Here is what Denver better understand.

Oakland did not draft Leonard Pope to be a decoration.

The Tower had 4 catches for 89 yards against Detroit. Even in the middle of a disaster, the rookie showed up. He stretched the field. He made plays. He looked like the mismatch he was drafted to be.

Now Denver wants to bring its all-star secondary into this thing?

Good.

Bring them.

Bring every name. Bring every star. Bring every safety who thinks he can climb a ladder in shoulder pads.

Because at some point, Ty Branyon is going to look up and see 6'8" wearing silver and black, and Denver’s defensive backs are going to have to start making business decisions.

Danny: You are really leaning into the Pope thing.
Razor: He is 6'8" and named Pope, Danny. I am not leaning in. I am building a cathedral.

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BRANYON HAS TO ANSWER

Now let us get serious.

Ty Branyon cannot throw four interceptions again.

Not against Denver.

Not against Peyton Manning.

Not against a Broncos team that just scored 41 without turning the ball over.

The Raiders traded for Branyon because of accuracy and awareness. Week 1 gave us panic and mistakes. Week 2 has to be the correction.

Use Pope.
Use Jerry Porter.
Use Marvin Harrison.
Get David Brown involved in space.
Stop forcing the ball into traffic like the football owes you money.

Danny: So this is a big early test for Branyon.
Razor: Huge. He either calms this whole thing down, or the noise gets louder. And trust me, Raider Nation does not need help getting loud.

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NO GIFTS FOR PEYTON

This is the game plan in one sentence:

Do not give Peyton Manning extra possessions.

That is it.

If Oakland turns it over five times again, Denver will hang 60 and Woody Paige will write a sonnet so smug it needs its own zip code.

No short fields.
No goal-line interceptions.
No panic throws.
No fumbles from backs trying to win the game on one carry.
No “oops” football.

Make Denver earn everything.

Hit Peyton.
Run the ball.
Use Pope in the red zone.
Let the defense breathe.
Play like adults.

Danny: That sounds simple.
Razor: Football is often simple until the Raiders decide to make it abstract art.

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MESSAGE TO DENVER

So to Woody Paige, Mile High Report, Anthony Fernandez, Peyton Manning, the all-star secondary, the orange horse, the whole Denver opera:

Enjoy the Buffalo win.

You earned it.

But do not confuse Week 1 applause with Week 2 safety.

The Raiders are 0-1. They are angry. They are embarrassed. They are sitting in first place for the top pick after one week, and that should make every man in that locker room sick enough to hit something.

Denver is not walking into a celebration.

Denver is walking into a correction attempt.

And if the Raiders have any pride at all, this is the week it shows up wearing a black jersey and looking for a fight.

Danny: You think Oakland can punch back?
Razor: They better. Because if they do not, Denver will not just beat them. Denver will laugh while doing it. And that cannot happen. Not in this division. Not against that horse stable. Not after getting called out in print.

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RAZOR'S FINAL WORD

Denver wants The Razor’s Edge?

Fine.

Here it is.

The Broncos are talented. Peyton is locked in. The run game is rolling. The secondary has names. The pass rush has teeth. They looked like a real contender in Week 1.

But the Raiders are not some helpless guest in Denver’s little redemption story.

Oakland has beaten this team before. The current mark says 4-2 Raiders. That matters. Rivalry scars matter. Memory matters. Pride matters.

Now the Raiders have to prove Week 1 was a disaster, not a diagnosis.

Protect the ball.
Run the ball.
Hit Peyton.
Throw it to the Pope.
Make Denver pray.

Because if Oakland lets this become another turnover circus, Woody will not need to sharpen The Razor’s Edge.

Razor will do it himself.

WEEK 1 FACEPLANT: Raiders Get Buried by Detroit, Now Peyton Comes to Town

Razor: “First and goal at the one-inch line. One inch! You could lean wrong and score. And the Raiders threw an interception. That was not play-calling. That was a haunted house built out of bad decisions.”

RAIDER NATION, WEEK 1 COULD NOT HAVE GONE MUCH WORSE.

The preseason gave us hope.

Ty Branyon looked steady.
Leonard Pope looked involved.
David Brown flashed juice.
Manny Lawson looked like young defensive clay with lightning in his shoes.
The offensive line looked more functional.
The roster finally looked like it had a plan.

Then the real games started.

Lions 41, Raiders 10.

At home.

Opening week.

After all that offseason surgery, all that roster movement, all that “maybe this thing is pointed somewhere” talk, the Raiders walked into Week 1 and stepped directly into a bear trap wearing silver cleats.

Danny: It was only one game.
Razor: Danny, if the first chapter of a book is a man falling into a wood chipper, I am allowed to be concerned about the plot.

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THE OPENING DRIVE THAT BROKE THE BUILDING

Let us start where my blood pressure left my body.

The Raiders had first and goal at the one-inch line on the opening drive.

One inch.

Not the five.
Not the three.
Not even the one-yard line.

The one-inch line.

You can smell the end zone paint from there. You can hear the goal line whispering. You can fall forward and score if your shoelace has courage.

And what happened?

Interception.

The Raiders threw the ball from the one-inch line and gave it away.

That is the kind of decision that makes offensive linemen stare at the sideline like somebody just insulted their family.

Danny: Maybe they wanted to surprise Detroit.
Razor: They surprised me, Danny. They surprised every Raiders fan with a working pulse. First and goal from the one-inch line is not where you get cute. It is where you become a caveman with a playbook. Hand it off. Sneak it. Let Tony Richardson crash into the pile like a refrigerator with eyebrows. Do not throw the ball into disaster.

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THE NUMBERS ARE A CRIME SCENE

This was not one weird bounce.

This was a full-system collapse.

First downs: Lions 14, Raiders 9
Third downs: Raiders 2-for-11
Third-down percentage: 18.18%
Rushing yards: Raiders 50
Yards per carry: 2.50
Red zone: Raiders 1 trip, 0 points
Turnovers: Lions 0, Raiders 5

Five turnovers.

Four interceptions. One lost fumble.

You cannot win in this league throwing the ball to the other team like you are feeding ducks at a park.

The Raiders did not just lose the turnover battle. They showed up with a shovel and dug their own hole before halftime.

Danny: The defense was put in bad spots.
Razor: Yes, but do not let anybody off the hook. The offense handed out turnovers, the defense gave up explosives, and the whole operation looked like eleven men trying to assemble furniture without instructions.

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TY BRANYON: FROM PRESEASON PROMISE TO WEEK 1 PANIC

This is where it gets ugly because Branyon was supposed to be the stabilizer.

The Raiders traded for him late because they wanted accuracy and awareness. They wanted a quarterback who could run the offense, use Leonard Pope, hit Jerry Porter, keep the chains alive, and stop the room from turning into chaos.

Against Detroit?

15-of-28, 214 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT, 5 sacks, 50.9 rating.

That is not stability.

That is a tire fire wearing a headset.

Yes, he hit Jerry Porter for a 48-yard touchdown. Yes, Leonard Pope had 4 catches for 89 yards, including a 57-yarder. There were flashes. There were individual plays where you could see the reason Oakland wanted Branyon in the first place.

But four interceptions erase a lot of pretty thoughts.

Danny: One game does not define him.
Razor: Correct. But one game can absolutely make me sleep badly. He was brought here to be accurate and smart. Week 1 was neither smart enough nor clean enough. You cannot throw four picks and then ask Raider Nation to admire your yardage like it is a museum painting.

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THE PICK-SIX WAS THE GRAVE MARKER

As if the night was not already ugly enough, Sean Taylor took an interception back 36 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

That made it 41-10.

That was the game turning around, pointing at the Raiders, and laughing.

Detroit scored 24 points in the fourth quarter. Twenty-four. That means the Raiders were not just beaten. They were finished off with ceremony.

Danny: The fourth quarter got away from them fast.
Razor: Got away? It stole their wallet and drove off in their car. The fourth quarter was supposed to be pride time. Instead, it became evidence.

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THE ONLY THING OAKLAND IS LEADING: THE RACE TO THE TOP PICK

Congratulations, Raider Nation.

After one week, the Raiders are in first place for something.

The top overall pick.

That is right. The Raiders did not merely lose. They lost so loudly, so completely, so spiritually sideways, that the draft board looked up from September and said, “Are we doing this already?”

Danny: It is way too early for draft-pick talk.
Razor: Of course it is too early, Danny. That is what makes it disgusting. Usually draft-position despair has the decency to arrive around Thanksgiving. The Raiders brought it to the home opener like a covered dish.

Five turnovers. Four picks. Two-for-eleven on third down. Zero red-zone points. First and goal from the one-inch line turned into an interception.

That is not tanking.

That is performance art for people who hate Sundays.

If this team wants out of the top-pick conversation, it better start climbing immediately. Because right now, the Raiders are not just 0-1. They are 0-1 with a giant flashing sign over their head that says, “Scouts, keep your Saturdays open.”

Razor verdict: Get off this road now. One week can be a stumble. Two weeks starts looking like directions.

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THE RUN GAME DISAPPEARED

Remember the preseason run game?

Erik Bickerstaff looked useful. Casey Moore had moments. The offensive line looked like it could move bodies. There was some balance, some structure, some reason to believe the Raiders could avoid asking Branyon to carry the whole offense.

Week 1 said no.

Casey Moore: 17 carries, 40 yards, 1 fumble
Erik Bickerstaff: 1 carry, 9 yards
Tony Richardson: 2 carries, 1 yard

That is not enough.

Fifty rushing yards as a team. No rushing touchdowns. No control. No punishment. No identity.

And when you cannot run, your quarterback starts pressing. When your quarterback starts pressing, interceptions start multiplying like rabbits in a locked garage.

Danny: They got behind and had to throw.
Razor: They got behind because they did not finish drives, did not protect the ball, and did not impose anything. The run game cannot be a rumor. Not with Branyon’s injury rating. Not with this offensive plan. Not with a rookie tower and speed pieces who need manageable downs.

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THE FEW GOOD THINGS, BECAUSE I AM TRYING TO BE AN ADULT

There were a few things worth keeping before we burn the rest of the tape in a barrel.

Leonard Pope showed why he matters.
Four catches, 89 yards, 22.25 yards per catch. The Tower had a 57-yard grab and looked like a real mismatch piece. He also had a drop, and yes, we saw it, but he was one of the few offensive players who looked like a problem for Detroit.

Jerry Porter made a play.
Four catches, 66 yards, and a 48-yard touchdown. That was Oakland’s only touchdown and one of the few moments where the offense looked alive.

Marvin Harrison was steady.
Six catches, 58 yards. Not explosive, but useful. Reliable hands matter when the rest of the offense is throwing forks into the ceiling fan.

Napoleon Harris showed up.
Ten tackles, one for loss. The defense got hung out to dry, but Harris was around the football.

Danny: See? There were positives.
Razor: There were crumbs. I am not calling crumbs a sandwich. But yes, Pope, Porter, Harrison, and Harris can survive the film room without wearing a disguise.

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THE DEFENSE GOT PUNCHED BY EXPLOSIVES

Detroit did not need to slowly dissect Oakland all day.

They hit explosives.

Donovan McNabb threw touchdown passes of 39 and 58 yards to Scotty Anderson in the second quarter. Anderson finished with 2 catches for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns.

That is brutal efficiency.

McNabb finished 12-of-22 for 199 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, and a 124.8 rating.

Meanwhile, Antonio Gates added a short touchdown in the fourth, Kevan Barlow punched in a goal-line score, and Detroit never turned it over.

That is the difference.

Detroit took care of the ball. Oakland gift-wrapped it.

Danny: The defense only gave up 316 yards, not 500.
Razor: True, but explosive touchdowns and short fields count. This is not a yardage beauty contest. Detroit scored 41. The scoreboard does not care if the knife was long or short.

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NOW LOOK WHO IS NEXT: DENVER

And because the football gods have a sense of humor carved out of broken glass, Week 2 is the Denver Broncos.

The same Broncos who just beat Buffalo 41-17.

The same Broncos who put up 583 total yards.

The same Broncos who ran for 215 yards at 6.94 yards per carry.

The same Broncos who got 368 passing yards from Peyton Manning.

The same Broncos who had zero turnovers.

Wonderful.

Perfect.

Nothing like following a five-turnover tire fire by welcoming Peyton Manning and a division rival that just treated Buffalo like a blocking sled.

Danny: Denver looked really good in Week 1.
Razor: They looked terrifying. Peyton Manning went 22-of-33 for 368 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT with a 134.4 rating. Ron Dayne ran for 151 yards and a 69-yard touchdown. Marty Booker had 111 receiving yards. Adam Bergen and Jabar Gaffney both hit explosive touchdowns. That is not a team you can hand five turnovers to unless your goal is to be buried before the nachos cool off.

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THE DENVER PROBLEM

The Broncos are not complicated right now.

They are dangerous in every way that makes Oakland’s Week 1 problems feel worse.

They can run it.
They can hit explosives.
They protect the quarterback.
They do not turn it over.
They finish drives.
They have Peyton Manning operating the machine.

Denver went 7-for-11 on third down against Buffalo. That is 63.64%. They were perfect in the red zone. They punted twice. Twice.

Meanwhile, Oakland went 2-for-11 on third down and turned it over five times.

That matchup math is how coaches age six years in four quarters.

Danny: So what has to change immediately?
Razor: Everything important. Ball security. Red-zone decisions. Third down. Run defense. Pass rush. Coverage discipline. Quarterback protection. Other than that, beautiful day at the beach.

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WEEK 2 SURVIVAL PLAN

1. No gifts.
The Raiders cannot turn the ball over. Not three times. Not twice. Honestly, not once if they can help it. Peyton Manning does not need short fields. Giving him short fields is like giving a shark a steak knife.

2. Run the ball like adults.
Fifty rushing yards is not a plan. Oakland has to get Moore, Bickerstaff, or somebody moving forward. Branyon cannot throw this team out of every problem.

3. Use Leonard Pope.
The rookie was one of the few bright spots. The Tower needs targets, especially on third down and in the red zone. If you draft a giant, stop calling plays like everyone is 5'10".

4. Do not get cute on the goal line.
I swear on every black jersey in the building, if the Raiders get first and goal from the one-inch line again and throw another pick, I am mailing the playbook to the moon.

5. Hit Peyton.
Not pressure him politely. Hit him. Move him. Make him uncomfortable. If Manning gets to stand there reading the defense like a wine list, this game is over by halftime.

Danny: That sounds like a lot.
Razor: It is a lot because losing 41-10 creates homework. Big, ugly homework written in red marker.

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THE EMOTIONAL STATE OF RAIDER NATION

Confused.

Angry.

Concerned.

Already looking sideways at college prospects and pretending not to.

That is where we are after Week 1.

The good news? It is one game.

The bad news? It looked like three bad games wearing one trench coat.

The Raiders still have time to correct this. They still have talent. Pope is real. Porter can make plays. The line has veterans. Branyon can be better than that. The defense has speed. Lawson can still grow. Brown still has return juice.

But all of that is just talk if the ball keeps ending up in the other team’s hands.

Danny: So you are not giving up?
Razor: It is Week 1. I am not giving up. I am simply standing near the panic button with both hands free.

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RAZOR'S FINAL WORD

The Raiders opened the season with one of the ugliest possible scripts.

First and goal from the one-inch line.

Interception.

Five turnovers.

Four Branyon picks.

A dead running game.

A defense giving up explosives.

A 41-10 home loss.

And somehow, after all that, the schedule says the next opponent is Denver, fresh off dropping 41 on Buffalo while Peyton Manning looked like he was playing catch in a driveway.

So here is the deal:

Week 1 was a disaster.

Week 2 is a test of whether this team has a spine.

If the Raiders clean it up, protect the ball, and punch Denver in the mouth, then Week 1 becomes an ugly opener and nothing more.

If they do this again?

Then Raider Nation is going to start reading draft boards before the leaves change, and I am going to need a stronger microphone.