The Oakland Raiders' 2-2 Record: How They Achieved it is a Surprise

The Oakland Raiders do not need a calculator to figure out that they have equaled their 2006 win total after just four games in 2007 as they continue their bye week.

It's how the Raiders - who return to action for an Oct. 14 road game at San Diego - have achieved their 2-2 record that is more surprising. Oakland went 2-14 in 2006 last season with the offense ranking at or near the bottom in virtually every category. The defense, meanwhile, ranked No. 3 overall and No. 1 against the pass under now former head coach Art Shell.

Now under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin, it was generally assumed that the defense would continue to carry the team while the offense would progress gradually. Instead, the Raiders' offense has not been great by any means but it's vastly improved over last season while the defense and special teams have been iffy.

Granted, when a team goes 2-14, improvement should be expected but with San Diego struggling mightily with a 1-3 record along with Denver and Kansas City having 2-2 records, Oakland might just be a contender for the AFC West title. San Diego was the odds-on preseason favorite to win the division as well as the Super Bowl in some preseason magazines.

The Raiders' offensive improvement begins with better line play under first-year position coach Tom Cable, whose zone blocking schemes have enabled the unit to go from a weak link to a strength. The Raiders are averaging 194.3 yards per game, a stark contrast to last year's 94.9 yard output. Couple that with running back Lamont Jordan running with far more authority than he has in his first two seasons as a Raider. The return of free agent running back Dominic Rhodes from a four-game suspension should help keep Jordan fresh.