The mystery is continuing in Oakland and it could all the way up until game time Sunday.

And Hue Jackson is loving it. Jackson didn’t give any hints of whether newly acquired quarterback Carson Palmer will start Sunday or if backup Kyle Boller will lead the offense against Kansas City.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday that it appears unlikely Palmer will start. Sports Illustrated's Peter King is reporting Oakland tight end Kevin Boss has indicated the learning curve may be too steep for Palmer to start with just three days of practice. Schefter reported Wednesday that Palmer was expected to play.

Jackson said Friday he may not say who will start until game time and he is keeping the drama going because he can. He is enjoying this, and I’m sure part of the secrecy is gamesmanship to keep the Chiefs guessing.

I think the final decision will come down to Palmer’s comfort level both physically and with the Raiders’ playbook. Palmer hasn’t played since Jan. 2. If Palmer is comfortable, he will play.

If Boller does have to play, for the Raiders’ sake, I hope he had enough practice time, because he needs to be in tune with his teammates as well.

Ultimately, if Palmer doesn’t play, you can’t blame anyone. It makes sense that three days of practice time is not enough time for a quarterback to fully grasp the offense and be ready to lead the team to a win. Also, there is the real chance of Palmer pulling a muscle because of the rust. That would be disastrous. With the Raiders next entering their bye week, it is ideal for Palmer to get plenty of practice time and be ready to play Nov. 6 against visiting Denver.

However, the truth is, the Raiders’ chances of being upset by the Chiefs will increase if Boller plays. If the Raiders were completely confident in Boller, they wouldn’t have traded two premium picks for Palmer.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. thinks starting Boller could be troublesome.

“The Chiefs surely will do everything possible now to take Darren McFadden away,” Williamson said. “Obviously, Palmer is the better player and they want to start the new guy who they just spent a fortune to acquire. But if he isn’t ready-in terms of knowing the offense, then you can’t play him. “