OAKLAND, Calif. -- A few thoughts on the Oakland Raiders' 24-13 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals:
What it means: The Raiders' losing ways continue. They are now 0-6 and the only winless team in the NFL. Oakland has lost 12 straight games dating back to November. The Raiders were spunky enough, but they made so many mistakes on both sides of the ball that they were simply incapable of winning. We are two games into the Tony Sparano interim era after Dennis Allen was fired, and the Raiders still look like a team that cannot come up with a winning performance.
Stock watch: Third-down defense is still pointing way down. The Raiders entered the game allowing a first down on 51.4 percent of the time, the worst in the NFL. It was a point of emphasis all week in practice. But the Raiders were awful again Sunday on third down, and the issue remains colossal. They gave up several big plays, including a 33-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Arizona converted a third down nine of 15 times Sunday.
Defense takes another hit: Starting safety Usama Young left the game in the third quarter on a cart. He was ruled out of the game with a knee injury, which could be a bad sign for his availability moving forward. Young replaced Tyvon Branch, who was lost for the season with a broken foot in Week 3. Brandian Ross, who was cut and re-signed in September, could now be the starter.
Game ball: Safety Charles Woodson. He turned 38 this month, yet the future Hall of Famer is still playing at a high level. He made a touchdown-saving tackle from the grass and had an interception that set up a field goal. The Oakland defense is struggling, but it's not the fault of its venerable leader.
What's next: The Raiders head to Cleveland for their first road game in a month in Week 8. The Browns handed Jacksonville its first win of the season Sunday. Could a Raiders win be on the horizon? They have a lot to clean up if that is to happen.
