Hue Jackson shares Al Davis' "Commitment to Excellence."

So, with the majority of the media buzz sending Oakland fans in utter dismay over the recent ousting of Tom Cable. Raider fans the world over have to be asking themselves some serious questions about the future of their beloved franchise. As last Tuesdays declination to extend Cable's contract as Head Coach begins to settle, most true fans expect to hear the critics jump in line to take their shots at one of the most hated teams in the NFL but abandoning the fact that the Raiders will go into the off-season building on their 8-8 season after sweeping the entire AFC West is something that can not be ignored. 


This season the Raiders' proved to the nation that they were the AFC team to beat, regardless of a no show in the playoffs. With Cable handing the play calling over to Offensive Coordinator Hue Jackson at the beginning of last season, the Raiders ended up doubling their point total in 2010, setting several franchise records along the way, most notably being the trampling of the Denver Broncos 59-14 in Denver.


Although Cable is absolutely deserving of appreciation for his 3 year tenure of bringing the team together and setting the team on it's road to glory,  the media and future hall of famer Shane Lechler have to understand that the Raiders have a "Commitment to Excellence." Ending the season at .500 IS a lot better than we have seen in a long time but it's nothing to be celebrated other than the fact that a new era has arrived for the Raiders. In this off-season the Raiders will return to the drawing board and although it hasn't been reported that Hue Jackson will be promoted to HC, you can most assuredly count on the fact that Jackson isn't stopping there. My bet is that he's drawing up creative schemes while looking at the new prospects coming in the Draft and asking himself what kind of plays he'll be able to execute. 


In this off-season,  it is detrimental that The Raiders continue to believe in themselves as players and as a team. For what they're capable of becoming is something I don't think the NFL has ever really seen, or is even ready for. With the explosive offense Jackson and the Raiders have brought back to Oakland only growing stronger, I believe you will see a more conscientious and disciplined team on both sides of the ball. Such things will be necessary for next years season, as we'll be facing an onslaught of teams that are currently in the 2010 playoffs, they include the Patriots, Bears, Jets, Chiefs and the Packers. It's no shock to us die hards' that our seasons aren't getting any easier and I believe there's no better time for the Raiders then right now to start making the mandatory changes where they'll matter the most.