Oakland Raiders' Letdown Is Cause for Concern

Look on the bright side, Raider Nation. Preseason records are rarely ever a good indication of a team's future success. Last year, the Lions went undefeated in the preseason, so you can only imagine how the Detroit faithful felt being blindsided by the worst season in NFL history. Still, the dejected look on Tommy Kelly’s face as he walked back to the sidelines following the point after to make it 31-0 said it all. The Raiders, a team with such vast potential, who came into the pre-season with good vibes and some nice momentum, have had their proverbial bubble burst. This isn’t to say though that the season is lost before it has even begun. Hope springs eternal in Oakland and the Raiders have a lot to look forward to in the 2009-2010 campaign. Given JaMarcus Russell’s improved play this offseason and a weakly perceived AFC West, it’s more than reasonable to believe that the Raiders will finish in the top half of their division. However, it’s a bitte...