Countdown to History: 11 games to go

No NFL team has ever gone 0-16. Seven teams have lost 15, the last time by the Carolina Panthers in 2001. That team also holds the record for most consecutive games lost in season.

Now the Raiders have come close before, losing 19 straight from 1961-62. Unfortunately they didn’t play 16 games back then, but we're getting closer and closer to history every week.

Today they moved one step nearer with a 13-3 loss to the Denver Broncos.

This was a classic Raiders loss, filled with turnovers, penalties and unnecessary late hits at just the right times.

Like I’ve mentioned before, though, the defense kept up its end of the bargain. The Raiders lost average gain-per-play only by 0.5 yards, 4.1 to 4.6. The problem was that the Broncos got 4.6 yards per rush as well, out-running the Raiders 144 to 85.

The Broncos did play conservatively on offense the whole night, only throwing 18 times, but they also never got anything going outside the big plays by Javon Walker. Most of the night the defense kept them in check, not playing great but being by far the Raiders' best unit. If the offense steps up, the Raiders could be a four-win team someday.

But the offense didn’t step up. Andrew Walter doesn’t seem to be progressing much, though it may still be too early to make a final judgment. For right now he is making bad decisions – the corner interception – and taking way too much time to make decisions. For a quarterback with a line as bad as his, he needs to be taking a three or five step drop and getting rid of it, regardless who’s open.

I was happy with what I saw out of LaMont Jordan. Yes, that stat line looks terrible and he had the fumble at the end, but it’s almost as if Jordan’s cursed just wearing that silver helmet. He had some tough runs and a few stiff arms that gained some extra yards. I’ve liked him since I saw him play for Maryland and I see him as a victim of a really untalented and inexperienced offense line and quarterback.

It seems Jordan is really just pressing too hard to get something done all by himself without a lot around him. He and Shane Lechler really deserve better.

One sort-of optimistic thing: This was the first game a Raiders opponent never started a drive in Oakland territory. Denver came close three times, with drives starting at its own 43, 44 and 47.

Numbers you can never win with: 95 yards in penalties, 85 yards rushing