Oakland Raiders in Danger of Going 0-16?

It is kind of hard not to feel for fans of the Oakland Raiders just a little. Few fan bases can claim to be as fanatical as they are, and this in spite of seeing very little success in recent years. Since losing the Super Bowl back in 2002 the team has broken even twice (8-8), won five games three times, four games five times, and two games once.

Depending on how things shake out over the rest of the season they could end up sinking to an all new low--zero wins.



It is an accomplishment that has been done only one other time in NFL history and as much as Raiders fans will insist that it can't happen again it just might.

At the midpoint of the season the team has the worst offense in the league mustering a meager 288 yards a game.. They can't seem to run the ball (No. 32) and while the passing game is not horrible (No. 23; 223 yards/game) it is not nearly enough to make up for the lack of a running game.

The defense is actually not half bad (No. 9 overall), but it seems to lack in the one place it can't afford to--scoring (No. 26; 26.4 pts/game allowed.

With this kind of production and the schedule ahead it is not looking good for the Raiders. Of the eight left four are against the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. It would be difficult to see the Raiders top either.

Of the other four--San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers--an argument could be made for the team winning each, but it would be just as easy to see the lose all four. With the way the Chargers and 49ers have been playing they are primed for an upset.

Should St. Louis continue to play the kind of defense they had last week they will have no trouble winning, and if Kyle Orton can get hot neither will the Bills.

More than likely the Raiders will catch someone on an off-week and get that all-important first win, but if the Vegas odds are big enough it might not be a bad idea to put a small wager on 0-16 happening.

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