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The Oakland Raiders have one of the most interesting receiver situations in the NFL.

They have several talented players but none who have completely proven themselves. Yet, the unit looked solid enough where they can let some players separate themselves. Still, the Raiders added an intriguing player to the mix when they drafted Arizona’s Juron Criner with the No. 168 pick in the fifth round.

I like this pick a lot.

Criner likely would have never been drafted by the Raiders in the past. He is not a speed demon. Al Davis would have seen that 4.7 speed and thrown Criner’s game tape in the garbage.

But he is a solid football player. He is 6-3, 220 pounds and he’s pretty polished. He has a chance to develop into a good NFL player. He is not a sure thing, but he has good ball skills and he always gives a full effort.

I think the new Oakland régime will throw him in the mix with the likes of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy and let these young players develop.

Yes, it’s a bit of a luxury pick. At the very least, Criner could be a helpful bottom-of-the rotation possession guy, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he offers more value than that.

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Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 17
Preseason Power Ranking: 22

Biggest surprise: The Raiders’ young receivers emerged. The group is a bright spot of the team and will be a strong building block for the future. Quarterback Carson Palmer, 32, may have his flaws, but he still has a big arm and the Raiders can make some plays in the passing game. Darrius Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 overall pick in 2009, is one of the most improved players in the NFL. He had 64 catches for 975 yards this season. He had 35 catches in his first 26 NFL games. Add fabulous rookie Denarius Moore, Jacoby Ford and Louis Murphy, and this is one of the best young receiving crews in the league.

Biggest disappointment: Poor defensive play. The Raiders have one of the more perplexing defenses in the NFL. The unit has plenty of talent, but they didn’t play well together. Oakland gave up way too many big plays on defense. It ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive statistics and faltered down the stretch, including Sunday in a home loss to San Diego in a game in which the Raiders could have clinched the division title. It will not be a shock if defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan is sent packing. Oakland also could consider becoming a 3-4 defense.

Biggest need: There is a lot of talent on this team. There are areas where improvement is needed, including cornerback, linebacker and on the offensive line. I’d say a top cornerback would be the Raiders’ biggest need, although safety Michael Huff is reportedly moving to cornerback. They missed Nnamdi Asomugha, who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent. Stanford Routt is a nice player, but he’s not a top-flight No. 1 cornerback. If Huff does move, safety becomes a big need. The Raiders will likely have to address most of their needs through free agency, since they don’t have many draft picks.

Team MVP: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski. There were some nice performances by many Raiders this season, but Janikowski was dominant. He has the strongest leg in the league and he has become deadly accurate. He is a true weapon. Janikowski tied an NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in Week 1. He made 31 of 35 field goal attempts and made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his 12-year career.

What will the future leadership look like?: Much of the offseason will be dedicated to regrouping the front office after the death of owner Al Davis. He died at the age of 82 on Oct. 8. Now that the season is over, Oakland can move on. There have been plenty of reports linking the Raiders to general manager candidates, including Reggie McKenzie and Eliot Wolf of Green Bay. Sunday, in an angry postgame press conference, Oakland coach Hue Jackson vowed to take a bigger role in the organization. That could turn off potential general managers. Jackson is expected to have his share of power, but some of the top front-office candidates may not be interested in sharing power with a young coach.

OAKLAND -- The Raiders are playing without defensive end Matt Shaughnessy, cornerback Chris Johnson, fullback Marcel Reece and special-teams ace Rock Cartwright.

Manase Tonga will start for Reece, rookie DeMarcus Van Dyke will play for Johnson. Jarvis Moss will start for Shaughnessy. Receiver Louis Murphy is active. It will be his first game since he suffered a sports hernia in training camp.

Rookie quarterback Terrelle Pryor is still listed as a roster exemption after his five-game NFL suspension ended. The Raiders will likely activate him Monday.

Meanwhile, here are some highlights from ESPN’s "Sunday NFL Countdown," in which the 3-2 Raiders were a topic:

Tom Jackson: “I’m buying ‘em because they are built in the image of Al Davis.”

Merril Hoge: “The Raiders didn’t get the memo -- that this is a passing league. They didn’t get that memo because they run the football on the perimeter better than anybody.”

Bill Parcells: “If they could cut down a little on that recklessness, cut those penalties down, they’re going to go right to the top of that discipline index, and that usually means winning.”

Whether Darrius Heyward-Bey will ever live up to his lofty draft status or whether he even becomes a consistently reliable player is still to be determined.

At least, the man who took an overwhelmingly amount of heat (including from this writer) for taking Heyward-Bey with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2009 draft lived to see the Oakland Raiders receiver make some strides.

In the final game he witnessed the Raiders play, Al Davis watched Heyward-Bey be a bright spot for the Raiders in a Week 4 loss to New England. While perhaps honoring the man who drafted him, Heyward-Bey enjoyed his career highlight in Week 5, the day after Davis died at the age of 82.

Heyward-Bey had a team-high seven catches for 99 yards in the Raiders’ 25-20 win at Houston, which goes down as one of the greatest regular-season moments in team history. Heyward-Bey put Oakland back in the game late in the second quarter when he scored on a 34-yard touchdown after showing strong tackle-breaking ability.

It was fitting that Heyward-Bey player such a major role in the Raiders’ first win without Davis. Heyward-Bey was emotional after the game in interviews and talked about the importance of wearing the Silver and Black. The day Davis died, Heyward-Bey tweeted a thank you to Davis for changing his life.

However, the pairing wasn’t initially easy for either man.

The Maryland product was considered a late first-round or second-round prospect prior to the draft. He had good size and stunning speed. Yet, he wasn’t overly productive in college and there were questions about his hands. Still, Davis was -- as he often was -- enamored with Heyward-Bey’s speed. Davis shocked the NFL by taking Heyward-Bey with the No. 7 pick. Most scouts thought Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree was the best all-around receiving prospect. He went three selections later to San Francisco.

Heyward-Bey didn’t do himself any favors when he dropped several passes in his first NFL minicamp. The drops continued in training camp and then in the season. Heyward-Bey had some positive moments in his first two NFL seasons, but the drops and inconsistency overpowered the bright spots.

Heyward-Bey had only 35 catches in his first 26 games.

After JaMarcus Russell -- the No. 1 pick of the 2007 draft -- busted, Davis (who scored with several late draft picks in recent years) received criticism for blowing another top pick in the form of Heyward-Bey.

Yet, Davis never wavered on Heyward-Bey. Despite several other promising young receivers on the roster, Heyward-Bey continued to get plenty of chances in his third year. It is paying off. He has 16 catches this season. But the key is his 11 catches in the past two games.

He looks much more confident and he plays very physically. The drops are decreasing.

“I keep telling you guys, Darrius is rising,” Raiders coach Hue Jackson told reporters after the Houston game. “I’m very happy for Darrius.”

Heyward-Bey will have to complete this season with several more quality games before he is considered a player who has a clear future. But he's showing that it's worth the Raiders' time to continue to develop him. The Raiders are loaded with intriguing talent at receiver, so Heyward-Bey’s development will only make this offense more difficult to defend.

He also is helping his legacy in the 2009 draft class. Overall, that year’s draft is considered to be poor. Several second- and third-round picks already have been cut by their drafting team, and several first-round picks (including every other AFC West top-round pick: Kansas City’s Tyson Jackson, Denver’s Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers and San Diego’s Larry English) have yet to develop. The No. 11 overall pick, Aaron Maybin of Buffalo, already has been cut. Just this week, the Raiders acquired linebacker Aaron Curry -- the No. 4 pick in that draft -- from Seattle for a seventh-round pick in 2012 and a conditional 2013 pick.

Yet, some good receivers were taken in that draft. Taken after Heyward-Bey and Crabtree (he has had a slow start to this season, but he does have 114 catches in 31 games compared with Heyward-Bey’s 51 catches in 30 games) in the first round were Philadelphia’s Jeremy Maclin, Minnesota’s Percy Harvin, the Giants’ Hakeem Nicks and Tennessee’s Kenny Britt. Other notable receivers taken in that draft were Pittsburgh’s Mike Wallace (third), the Jaguars’ Mike Thomas (fourth), Oakland’s Louis Murphy (fourth), the Colts’ Austin Collie (fourth) and the Bears’ Johnny Knox (fifth).

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. is not sure if Heyward-Bey is in the league of most of those players. Yet, Williamson sees improvements being made.

“He is certainly getting better,” Williamson said. “His routes are crisper and more reliable and his hands are also more reliable. The speed is obvious -- and it is still his greatest asset.”

The Raiders hope to see Heyward-Bey continue to work and become an overall asset -- and become a positive part of Davis’ drafting legacy.

Al Davis knew in recent years that he would not be around forever. Rebuilding his beloved Oakland Raiders was his lone mission.

With his health declining steadily the past couple of years, Davis worked diligently at reconstructing his franchise. That was a primary reason why he cut JaMarcus Russell –- the No. 1 overall pick in 2007 –- in May 2010. In a meeting to tell Russell he was being cut, Davis told the quarterback he wished he could devote several years to Russell’s development, but he simply didn’t have time.

Davis wanted to build a Super Bowl winner right away.

The Raiders aren’t quite there. In the final game he witnessed his team play last Sunday, the Raiders were outclassed by a better New England team. However, the Raiders are going in the right direction.

In his final couple of years, Davis showed he could still be a top evaluator.

Yes, he had some major draft, free-agent and trade whiffs in the past decade. Davis’ decision-making was the reason why the Raiders were a bottom feeder for the past decade. That’s undeniable.

However, his decision making of recent years is the reason why the Raiders are considered a team on the rise. Also, undeniable.

Davis’ last great call of his life may be Denarius Moore. He could forever be known as Davis’ last gift to the Raiders.

Davis drafted Moore in the fifth round this year out of Tennessee. He has quickly developed into a top receiver for the Raiders and draft gurus are admitting Moore was one who got lost in the shuffle. Davis also scored in the fourth round last year with explosive receiver Jacoby Ford. Other mid or late-round finds include tackle Jared Veldheer, defensive ends Matt Shaughnessy and Trevor Scott, safety Tyvon Branch and receiver Louis Murphy.

Davis also deserves credit for making Hue Jackson a head coach. Jackson is changing the culture in Oakland and he is intent on seeing through Davis’ last wishes of making the Raiders a winner again.

If the Raiders do win their fourth Super Bowl title in the foreseeable future, Davis’ fingerprints will be on the Lombardi Trophy. Just like the first three.

The Oakland Raiders have an interesting situation brewing at receiver.

They are finally all healthy.

Oakland’s receiving crew has been a work in progress for years. Thanks to some nice mid-round draft picks, Oakland now has a potentially strong group of receivers. Now that Louis Murphy is back from a sports hernia that kept him out nearly two months, it is a crowded group. Let’s look at Oakland’s receivers, in alphabetical order, and examine what we should expect this season:

Jacoby Ford

Known for: He was a steal in the fourth round in 2010. He is an explosive playmaker.

2011 stats: Three catches, 22 yards, no touchdowns.

Comment: He missed time with a hamstring injury. Now that Ford is healthy, I think he has a chance to be in the top of the rotation.

How I rank him: 2

Derek Hagan

Known for: He is a journeyman with a limited reputation in the NFL.

2011 stats: 10 catches, 101 yards, no touchdowns.

Comment: He is steady and has good hands. He moves the chains. He’s good injury insurance.

How I rank him: 6

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Known for: The No. 7 overall pick in 2009 has dealt with hands issues and he hasn’t lived up to the Raiders’ expectations.

2011 stats: Nine catches, 164 yards, no touchdowns.

Comment: He is coming off his best NFL game. If he continues to work on his hands, he has a chance to help this team. I think others should be higher in the rotation because of their consistency.

How I rank him: 5

Denarius Moore

Known for: The steal of the 2011 draft. The fifth-round pick has been stellar.

2011 stats: 12 catches, 199 yards, two touchdowns.

Comment: Oakland should make Moore a definite starter and watch him shine. He has the highest ceiling of this group.

How I rank him: 1

Louis Murphy

Known for: The fourth-round pick in 2009 was the Raiders’ steadiest receiver in his first two NFL seasons.

2011 stats: He hasn’t played.

Comment: He is a steady, polished player. There is always room for a player like Murphy.

How I rank him: 3

Chaz Schilens

Known for: He is a talented player, who can’t stay healthy.

2011 stats: Five catches, 40 yards, no touchdowns.

Comment: Schilens has been bypassed by other players. He has a chance to be a top player, but he must stay healthy.

How I rank him: 4

Conclusion: There is a ton of potential here. Oakland coach Hue Jackson will be challenged to find the right rotation. In the end, it’s a nice problem for Jackson to have.

San Diego tight end Antonio Gates is not expected to play against Miami, because of a lingering foot injury that kept him out of six games last season and last week’s game. I could see San Diego holding Gates out until after its Oct. 16 bye. Gates will be replaced by veteran Randy McMichael.

Cornerback Quentin Jammer is also doubtful. He suffered a hamstring injury last week. Promising rookie Marcus Gilchrist is expected to play for Jammer against Miami on Sunday.

The battered Chargers listed starting receivers Vincent Jackson (abdomen) and Malcom Floyd (groin) as questionable. But they both practiced fully Friday, so that is a good sign they will play Sunday. Running back Ryan Mathews (foot) and rookie defensive end Corey Liuget (ankle) are both probable after they both practiced fully Friday.

The Denver Broncos do not know if they will have the services of two key defensive players Sunday at Green Bay.

Both cornerback Champ Bailey (hamstring) and defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder) have been listed as questionable on the injury report. Neither has been on the field since Week 1, and both were limited all week in practice.

Denver’s defense -- which was ranked No. 32 last season -- is ranked No. 16 this season. Getting Bailey and Dumervil back should only improve the Broncos.

Running back Knowshon Moreno is listed as probable. He has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. He’ll likely back up Willis McGahee on Sunday while he shakes off the rust.

In Oakland, safety Michael Huff (concussion), defensive end Matt Shaughnessy (shoulder) and fullback Marcel Reece (ankle) are all questionable to play against New England on Sunday. All three are key cogs for the Raiders. Cornerback Chris Johnson (hamstring) and receiver Louis Murphy (sports hernia) are out, as expected. Receiver Jacoby Ford (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but he is expected to play for the first time since Week 1.

There are several Oakland players listed as probable, but they are all expected to play.

In Kansas City, cornerback Brandon Flowers (ankle) and safety Jon McGraw (shin) are questionable to play against visiting Minnesota on Sunday. They were both limited all week in practice. Rookie first-round pick Jon Baldwin is out. He has been limited in practice the past two weeks. He suffered a thumb injury in a reported fight with teammate Thomas Jones six weeks ago. It seems like Baldwin will play at some point, but you have to wonder how long it will take him to catch up when he does hit the field.

DENVER -- Oakland’s starting receivers are Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

There were questions about it heading into the game and coach Hue Jackson wouldn’t discuss who his starters would be. Starter Louis Murphy is hurt and Derek Hagan is inactive.

It wasn't a good start for Ford as he fumbled on Oakland's first play after making a catch. He was tackled by Von Miller. What a start for the No. 2 overall pick of the draft. Denver converted it into a field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

Oakland defensive tackle John Henderson started the game as the Raiders used a five-man defensive front.

As expected, Sebastian Janikowski's and Matt Prater's first kickoffs sailed out of end zone.

Oakland is playing safety Jerome Boyd

Oakland’s punt returner is Nick Miller.

The Broncos started four rookies for the first time in team history: Miller, safety Rahim Moore, tackle Orlando Franklin and tight end Julius Thomas.

The Oakland Raiders’ alarming rash of injuries at receiver is continuing.

Oakland coach Hue Jackson announced Wednesday night that starter Louis Murphy has had surgery and he will miss the season opener Sept. 12 at Denver on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” Jackson did not say what Murphy’s surgery was for and he didn’t say exactly how long Murphy will be out.

Murphy joins veterans Jacoby Ford (broken hand) and Chaz Schilens (knee) on the shelf. Jackson told reporters Wednesday Schilens is close to returning. During the weekend, the Raiders said he is “week-to-week.” Barring a setback, Ford should be able to play against Denver.

Still, Oakland is entirely thin at receiver right now. They are fortunate fifth-round pick Denarius Moore has been outstanding thus far. If Moore continues to play well in the preseason, he has a strong chance to play against the Broncos. Third-year pro Darrius Heyward-Bey will also likely get a chance to play often in the preseason.

Oakland’s receiver situation isn’t dire, but there are enough injuries going on that it has to make this team nervous. It certainly can’t afford many more injuries at the spot.

Also, Jackson said starting cornerback Chris Johnson had surgery on an undisclosed injury. Johnson is expected play against Denver. Third-round pick DeMarcus Van Dyke is expected to start Saturday at San Francisco. He struggled some in the opener. The extra playing time could do him well.

» AFC Future Stars: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

A team-by-team look at the players I expect to be the most dominant in the AFC West from 2014 to 2016.

The future looks bright in the AFC West. There are several promising young players in the division, and all four teams have hope for the future. Let’s look at the players I expect to have the most success in the middle of this decade.

Von Miller, Broncos linebacker: If the Broncos are going to rebound from their recent drought, it could start with Miller. He is an important figure in Denver and was the first pick of the John Elway/John Fox/Brian Xanders regime. The trio studied several players before deciding on the powerful Texas A&M linebacker for the No. 2 overall pick. Elway said that Miller was the most explosive player in the draft and that he reminds many NFL scouts of former Kansas City great linebacker Derrick Thomas. Miller is smart, extremely fast and athletically gifted. He seems like a can’t-miss prospect. The Broncos need him to be.

Eric Berry, Chiefs safety: Berry is going to be a special player. He is the centerpiece on a roster full of young, exciting talent. Berry was the No. 5 overall pick last year and was an immediate success. Berry was always on the field and made a huge impact. He instantly legitimized a defense that played a major role in a division title. He is a smart player who has a chance to be the NFL’s next great safety. I also considered the spectacular Jamaal Charles, but he will be 30 at the end of the 2016 season. Durability is a question mark about the speedster, so I went with Berry. Still, I expect Charles to be one of the NFL’s best running backs for the foreseeable future.

Lamarr Houston, Raiders defensive lineman: I’m taking Matt Williamson’s lead here. The Scouts Inc. brainiac is extremely high on the Raiders’ second-season defensive lineman. In fact, Williamson believes Houston could be one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen soon. He thinks Houston, a second-round pick from Texas, has no ceiling. Houston has the look of an impact player who plays with a mean streak. He was easy to notice in the preseason last year, and he made one big play after another as a rookie. He looks like he’ll be in the NFL for the next dozen years. He is versatile and can play in virtually every defensive situation. The Raiders have a host of young, intriguing players, including Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy, Matt Shaughnessy, Rolando McClain and Tyvon Branch. But Houston seems like he can be special.

Ryan Mathews, Chargers running back: Mathews wasn’t spectacular as a rookie in 2010. But he showed enough flashes to make the Chargers excited about his future. Mathews was the No. 12 overall pick after the Chargers sent a huge package to Miami to move up 16 spots to take the Fresno State star. Mathews had injury and fumbling issues in 2010, but when he was healthy, he made several big plays and ran hard. He finished the season strong. The Chargers like the way he works and thinks he will be ready to take the next step soon. I was tempted to go with cornerback Antoine Cason or first-round pick Corey Liuget, but I think Mathews has the ability to have a long, productive career in San Diego.

Oakland star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will be inactive Sunday at Pittsburgh for the second straight game. He suffered an ankle injury three weeks ago. Asomugha was practicing lightly all week in preparation for the Pittsburgh game, but it was announced Friday that he’d be a game-time decision.

Also out for the 5-4 Raiders, who are tied for first place with Kansas City (Oakland currently owns the tiebreakers) is receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. He suffered a hamstring injury during a bye-week practice. That means rookie Jacoby Ford will get another start. He played for the injured Louis Murphy (who is back this week) against Kansas City and Ford had six catches for 148 yards, including two huge catches at the end of regulation and in overtime to setup Oakland’s win.

Ford, who also had a return for a touchdown against the Chiefs, could make a serious push for the permanent starting job if he has a big game against the Steelers. Heyward-Bey has been very inconsistent.

Meanwhile, Kansas City inactivated rookie receiver/returner/running back Dexter McCluster for the fourth straight game Sunday against Arizona. He has an ankle injury.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- It’s as simple as this: The Oakland Raiders are making more plays than their opponents.

That’s why Oakland is a legitimate playoff contender.

In a sloppy, physical, intense game that had the feel of a playoff primer, the Raiders moved within a half-game of first place in the AFC West with a 23-20 overtime win over Kansas City that served notice to the Chiefs and the rest of the AFC that this team now has the fortitude to win games on a regular basis.

Kansas City is 5-3 and Oakland sits at 5-4. San Diego is 4-5. This game conjures the possibility of a delicious Week 17 rematch in Kansas City that could decide the AFC West and end the Chargers’ four-year stranglehold on the division crown. This became clear Sunday: The Raiders, who were led by fourth-round kick returner/receiver Jacoby Ford, are going to stick around.

“We’re not the old Raiders,” safety Mike Mitchell said. “We’re going to fight all game long.”

It may have taken a while, but the Raiders have learned how to win games in any situation. After hammering Denver and Seattle by a combined score of 92-17 in the past two games, Oakland had to fight until the final play to defeat the Chiefs. Oakland, which tied the score at 20 at the end of regulation on a 41-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski, won the game on a 33-yard field goal by Janikowski 2:53 into overtime.

This was a huge swing game in the division. Oakland’s win means the Raiders probably will stay in the race all season. Had Kansas City won, it would have had a huge 2.5-game lead in the division. Oakland, which played without star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and standout tight end Zach Miller, is in fine shape with a 3-0 record against AFC West opponents. If Oakland wins one more game this season, it will win more than five games in a season for the first time since 2002, ending the NFL’s longest streak of futility.

If Oakland continues to make timely plays, it will render that mark a distant memory. This was the Chiefs’ game to win, but the Raiders lay in wait, looking to pounce when they needed to most.

At one point in the third quarter, Oakland had more penalty yardage than offensive yards. Kansas City led 10-0 at halftime and was dictating play. It was the first time Oakland has won after trailing 10-0 at the half in 18 years. But the Chiefs helped Oakland’s comeback.

In a game that had 27 penalties for 240 yards (an NFL high this season), the Chiefs lost 10 points on penalties. The Raiders first showed life in the final minute of the first half when defensive back Jeremy Ware picked off a Matt Cassel pass in the end zone with the Chiefs poised to extend their lead.

Oakland continued the good vibes when Ford started to take over by returning the second-half kickoff 94 yards for a score. Two possessions later, the Raiders had their first long drive of the game, going 74 yards for a touchdown and a 14-13 lead. They extended the lead to 17-13 with a field goal in the fourth quarter.

After a questionable fumble by Nick Miller, the Chiefs scored a touchdown to take a 20-17 lead with 6:13 to go. But the Chiefs couldn’t shake Oakland. After the Oakland defense made a huge stop, forcing the Chiefs to punt, quarterback Jason Campbell and Ford led Oakland on a field-goal drive after starting from its own 24 with 2:06 to go. The Raiders had their moments of misery on the drive, which they had all game, but they made the plays that mattered most.

The key play was a 29-yard pass from Campbell to Ford to the Chiefs' 22 to set up the tying field goal. After Kansas City was forced to go three plays and out on the opening drive of overtime, Campbell went back to his rookie receiver for a 47-yard pass play to the Chiefs’ 15 on the Raiders' first play. The game was over two plays later.

Oakland was far from perfect Sunday, but it was clutch. It was very similar to Oakland’s 35-27 win over San Diego four weeks ago. The Chargers could have run away from Oakland, but the Raiders wouldn’t let them.

“It’s been a process, but we know how to win games now,” Oakland fullback Marcel Reece said. “We knew what was at stake in this game. We knew that if we’re going to be a playoff contender, we had to hang in. But that’s what we do.”

Added defensive lineman Richard Seymour: “We’re a different team. It started way back in training camp. People can see how this team plays now and know we have made a lot of progress.”

The Raiders are entering their most joyous bye week in nearly a decade. It will be interesting to see where Campbell and Ford fit in when Oakland returns Nov. 21 at Pittsburgh. Campbell was playing for the fourth straight game because Bruce Gradkowski has a shoulder injury. Ford was starting because Louis Murphy is out with a lung injury. There is a good chance both Gradkowski and Murphy can return against Pittsburgh.

Ford has to stay on the field. He was the first rookie since 1979 to have a kickoff return for a touchdown and more than 100 yards receiving in the same game. He had six catches for 148 yards. Murphy has been better than Oakland’s other starter, 2009 No. 1 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey, so perhaps Ford will eat into Heyward-Bey’s playing time. Heyward-Bey had no catches Sunday after having five catches for 105 yards last week. He has not been consistent at all.

And how do you take out Campbell after he has led the team to three straight wins? Campbell, the original starter in Oakland after being acquired in a trade from Washington in April, struggled early, but he did come through with big plays Sunday. Oakland coach Tom Cable has maintained that Gradkowski will be the starter when he is healthy. Sunday, however, he said he’s not going to think about it right now, perhaps a signal that Campbell could remain the starter.

Campbell should keep the job. Oakland has a good thing going. It shouldn’t be messed with.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 7:

Can the Chiefs bounce back? The Kansas City Chiefs will look to come back from a stinging 35-31 loss at Houston when they play host to the Jaguars Sunday. Against the Texans, Kansas City led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter before collapsing. After the game, Chiefs coach Todd Haley said the team was very angry and he said he was glad to see that emotion. The Chiefs are young and Haley has to make sure they channel their anger the right way and take it out on the Jaguars. If so, this team will be headed in the right direction.

This is Denver’s time to make a run: Denver has played six games and none have been against AFC West competition. The run in the division starts Sunday against the visiting Raiders. If the 2-4 Broncos -- tied for second place in the division with the Chargers and Raiders -– can win the majority of their six games against AFC West competition, they could get into the race. Denver’s playoff push starts Sunday.

Raiders are giving up way too many big plays: The Raiders are giving up big plays on defense at an alarming rate. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Oakland is leading the league in allowing run plays of 20 yards or more with eight. Oakland is also susceptible to the big play in the passing game. It is tied for the third worst mark in the NFL by allowing nine pass plays of 30-plus yards. Expect Denver to try to exploit Oakland’s porous defense Sunday. It’s no wonder the 2-4 Raiders haven’t shown improvement. It is difficult to win if you keep giving up big plays.

Chargers need balance on offense: Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. believes a big reason why the Chargers fell to 2-4 in an upset loss at St. Louis is because San Diego ran the ball just 14 times. San Diego, which had the No. 31 run offense in the NFL last year, enjoyed more balance for most of the early season. But against the Rams, the Chargers had to concentrate on throwing the ball in an attempt to catch up after falling behind 17-3 in the second quarter. This offense is much better when it uses rookie running back Ryan Mathews and talented backup Mike Tolbert. Against the Patriots on Sunday, the Chargers can’t afford to fall behind and become one dimensional again.

Oakland needs more from receivers: Much has been made of the lack of production of Oakland’s 2009 No.1 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey. But the Raiders’ other starting receiver, Louis Murphy, isn’t producing much either. Oakland has just 33 catches from Murphy, a fourth-round pick in 2009, and Heyward-Bey combined. Murphy has 19 catches and Heyward-Bey has 14. There are 15 players in the NFL who have at least 33 catches this season. Murphy has been more productive than Heyward-Bey, but he has not shown he’s ready to be a No.1 receiver. He has just four catches total in the past three games. The Raiders need one of these players to step up, especially since the injured Chaz Schilens will be likely be out at least another week or two with a knee ailment. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders take Heyward-Bey or Murphy out of the starting lineup in favor of Schilens, who has shown a lot of promise despite having injury concerns.

What it means: There’s a quarterback controversy in Oakland. Actually, there may not be a controversy. It may be cut-and-dry: Bruce Gradkowski is in and Jason Campbell is out. At least, that’s how it should be after Gradkowski led Oakland to 13 points in the second half after he took over for Campbell. The Raiders probably would have lost if Gradkowski didn’t come in and save the day.

Tomorrow’s talker: Oakland’s young offensive weapons flourished. Running back Darren McFadden had a great game, his second strong game in a row. He had 145 yards on 30 carries and he now has 240 yards rushing in two games. Second-year receivers Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey both had excellent games. They combined for 12 catches for 171 yards. It was, by far, Heyward-Bey‘s best game as a pro.

Hero: It has to be Gradkowski. His numbers weren’t great, but that doesn’t matter with this guy. He ignites this offense. His teammates clearly believe in him.

What’s next: The Raiders play a very winnable game at Arizona on Sunday. The Cardinals got thrashed in Atlanta. There’s no reason not to think Oakland can’t start the season 2-1.

The Oakland Raiders waited three seasons to pull the plug on JaMarcus Russell.

It took all of six quarters to yank the starting quarterback job away from Jason Campbell.

In one of the most stunning developments of the young NFL season, Oakland abruptly went away from Campbell, the player the team touted as savior of the floundering organization. During the summer, Oakland owner Al Davis compared Campbell’s arrival to the impact Jim Plunkett had on the team in 1980 when it won the Super Bowl.

Yet, Sunday, the Raiders suddenly moved away from Campbell. How in the world are they going to go back to him? After all, benching Campbell worked.

Once again, journeyman quarterback Bruce Gradkowski saved Oakland. It seems every time Gradkowski, a failed starter elsewhere, has been given the chance in Oakland, he has sparked the team. Gradkowski played well when he replaced Russell last season and he played well in the preseason.

Despite Gradkowski’s ability to rally Oakland’s offense last season, the Raiders tried to replace him. Oakland was connected to every available quarterback on the market and the speculation became reality when the team acquired Campbell from Washington during the draft.

Gradkowski led Oakland to 13 points in the second half in its 16-14 win over St. Louis. How can Oakland go back to Campbell next week in a winnable game at Arizona? After the win over St. Louis, Oakland coach Tom Cable said he will deal with who’ll start next week during the week. Come on, Coach, you know it’s going to be Gradkowski.

Gradkowski was far from perfect as he completed 11 of 22 passes for 162 yards. He had one touchdown pass and he was intercepted once. Still, Gradkowski has an undeniable connection with his young receivers. Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey combined for 12 catches for 171 yards. It seems as if all of Oakland’s offensive faults go away when Gradkowski enters the game.

The Raiders could hardly move the ball with Campbell playing. He was 8-of-15 for 87 yards and was intercepted once. The Raiders didn’t announce during the game that Campbell was hurt, so we must assume he was benched and we must assume it will continue next week.

While the Gradkowski move worked Sunday, it’s debatable whether it’s a long-term solution. Gradkowski hasn't shown he can sustain production for long periods of time and he has a history of getting hurt, partly because he plays so hard.

Plus, the sudden demotion surely won’t sit well with Campbell. This is not what he expected after hearing for months how important he was to Oakland’s plan. He has to be mystified about being benched after six quarters.

So, this will be an interesting situation to monitor in the long term. In the short term, Gradkowski, once again, showed that he is a sparkplug for Oakland’s offense.