Season Recap - 2010 Oakland Raiders

Final Record: 8-8

Finished: 3^rd Place in the AFC West

2011 Draft Position: 17^th

Preseason Ranking:   27
Preseason Letter of Misfortune:

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Disappointed? You should be if you’re an Oakland Raiders fan. Besides cheering for a team that has been the laughingstock of the league since their last Super Bowl appearance following the 2002 season, the first full-contact day of training camp went by without a single fight between players. The horror.

How can a team with Oakland’s history manage a fight-free practice?

Don’t worry. Coach Cable, known to throw an occasional punch on his own (or at least flip people out of their chairs), has assured the local media that fights will happen once players “get a little hotter, a little more tired, a little more ornery."

For those of you unwilling to take Coach Cable at his word and let the fisticuffs happen naturally, you can take this list of “Most Likely Scufflers” with you to the open practice sessions and incite the players of your choice to carry out their preferred method of UFC-style violence on the practice field.

While you sit back and wait for the much-anticipated fights to take place, don’t forget there has been some good news during the offseason. JaMarcus Russell is no longer with the team. Jason Campbell will be an improvement at quarterback, based on work ethic alone. Five-time Pro Bowl player Richard Seymour re-signed early, despite being tagged as a franchise player, and even reported with the rookies to training camp. The addition of John Henderson and the rookies Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston should help Oakland improve their woeful run defense from a year ago.

But who cares about all that football garbage? It’s hot out. We’re tired and cranky. Get on with it.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Week 1: Lost at Tennessee Titans, 38-13

Ranked – 30

Don't sleep too long, oh lauded Sleeper pick, otherwise you will never wake up. Do you really want to be like Al Davis incarnate?

Week 2: Defeated the St. Louis Rams, 16-14

Ranked – 27

Campbell benched. Gradkowski in. Raiders rally for their first victory of the season. It sure would have been impressive had it been anybody other than St. Louis on the opposite sideline.

Week 3: Lost at Arizona Cardinals, 24-23

Ranked – 26

Janikowski, the problem child. In a game lost by one point, a few missed field goals certainly could have made a difference. On the bright side, Gradkowski, the other -owski on the team, played solid again. The Raiders aren't back, but they are definitely improved from a year ago.

Week 4: Lost to Houston Texans, 31-24

Ranked – 30

Oakland had the Texans in their grasp until Arian Foster entered the game and broke off a demoralizing, 74-yard touchdown run early in the second half. The wheels came off at that point and now the schedule doesn't get any easier with San Diego coming to town, eager to put the Raiders out of their misery.

Week 5: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 35-27

Ranked – 23

Special teams, defense and a dash of offense end up being the recipe needed for victory over bitter division rivals. The Chargers streak of 13 straight wins over the Raiders is snapped in dramatic fashion. 

Week 6: Lost at San Francisco 49ers, 17-9

Ranked – 27

The 0-5 49ers were just too much for the Raiders. It's never good to be overwhelmed by an underwhelming team.

Week 7: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 59-14

Ranked – 20

59 POINTS! 59! If I had to sum up my reaction to this score in one word that word would be - I COULDN'T FREAKIN' BELIEVE IT!

Week 8: Defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 33-3

Ranked – 16

92 points in two weeks! Can you believe the week 9 tilt with Kansas City will determine first-place in the AFC West?

Week 9: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 23-20

Ranked – 14

Impressive. Most impressive.

Week 10: BYE WEEK

Ranked – 13

How loose can the Raiders remain once they realize they suddenly have something to play for?

Week 11: Lost at Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-3

Ranked – 18

Footloose and fancy-free teams don't lose their cool and get rocked 35-3.

Week 12: Lost to Miami Dolphins, 33-17

Ranked – 19

I think Pittsburgh might have hurt the Raiders permanent.

Week 13: Defeated the San Diego Chargers, 28-13

Ranked – 15 (ROCKY WEEK!)

Coach Cable: Why do you have to wear that stinkin' leisure suit? 

          

Al Davis: It brings us luck, you know? 

          

Coach Cable: Brings us luck! I'll tell you what it brings, it brings flies! 

          

Al Davis: Now here's what I want you to have the team do... I want them to chase this little chicken.

          

Coach Cable: Hey, Coach, what do we got to chase a chicken for? 

          

Al Davis: First, because I said so. And second, is because chicken-chasing is how we used to train back in the old days. If your players can catch this thing, they can catch greased lighting. 

          

Coach Cable: Well, we'll do it if you say so, but it ain't very mature. 

Al Davis: Yeah, well neither are you very mature!

Week 14: Lost at Jacksonville Jaguars, 38-31

Ranked – 18

The Raiders are undefeated in the division and 2-7 outside it. Their one remaining non-division game against Indianapolis could really mess up their slim playoff hopes. 

Week 15: Defeated the Denver Broncos, 39-23

Ranked – 14

The Colts and Chiefs stand in the way of Oakland's first winning season since they last went to the Super Bowl.

Week 16: Lost to Indianapolis Colts, 31-26

Ranked – 18

A tough loss to the Colts means the Raiders will have to win in Kansas City in order to finish at .500 for the first time since their last Super Bowl appearance.

Week 17: Defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-10

Final Rank - 17

Tomorrow, the 2010 San Diego Chargers…