Houston, YOU Have a Problem

I hope to see that T-shirt on my brother's back when I travel to Texas this weekend to visit him while escaping the Bay Area blackout. I'm not sure they are even showing the game in Texas. At least the trip should provide an opportunity to help build my 3-month-old niece's love for the Silver & Black.

So after a close loss to the Oilers, the Raiders are turning to Sam Houston State alum Josh McCown to face the Replacement Oilers. I tend to agree with McDonald - it's the right move. While it caused a lot of controversy, Gannon was merely pointing out the obvious while discussing the eternity it seemed to take for Daunte to get out from under Newberry. That and an expanded playbook should help the O-line return to form. Or at least not facing three of the NFL's top defensive fronts should help.

After 7 games things are a bit weird for the Raiders. We are vastly improved from last year, yet we have won just as many games. We are carrying more QBs than WRs on the roster. Justin Fargas is the best RB on a roster including LaMont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes, and Michael Bush. The defense has suddenly arrived while continuing to fail against the run - and now our best run stopper is on IR. But at this point we have to start winning, and one can argue that we've lost a lot of close games against some pretty decent competition. So I am going with the Raiders over the Texans 27-17. Curry will catch 10 passes and LaMont will get back in the end zone. The defense will give up some rushing yards but will cause multiple turnovers. I will wear my Lester Hayes home jersey in Texas.

Is it just me or are 49ers ads the worst? Fittingly, they are a huge disappointment this year, but not as disappointing as a Falcons team playing out the season on "Bernard" Petrino's free pass. I'm willing to go 49ers 17 - Falcons 14 in a shocking upset.

Can someone tell me what the graphics near each sideline at the 50-yard line in Gillette Stadium are supposed to be? I think I knew this at some point (and sure I could look it up), but it looks like a facemask sticking out of a volcano, and I just can't get past that. As for the big hypefest, New England is most certainly studying video of Indy's defensive signals from January's game, and that will help them to a 34-30 victory on the road. No matter how many games they win, nothing can change the fact that the New England Patriots are convicted cheaters.