Eight in the box, JaMarcus Russell on the bench

The chant has started already -- "We want JaMarcus Russell!"Or, to be more specific: "What the hell have we got to lose? Put in Russell!"The Oakland running game, tops in the league over the first four games, is now becalmed. Dead in the water. The Raider backs struggled for 53 yards two weeks ago 4 Brett Favre White jersey
against San Diego, 55 in an ugly 12-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.Does that mean that Lamont Jordan, Dominic Rhodes and Justin Fargas have gotten worse overnight? Probably not. Has the offensive line regressed? Maybe a little, but that's not really the issue."They're putting eight in the box," said Jordan to reporters about the opposition's recent game plans.Still, Jordan blamed himself for not making the necessary yard when Oakland coach Lane Kiffin gambled on a fourth-and-1 play in the second quarter of the Kansas City game, going for the first down rather than a very makable field goal. "I was always told that you should always get a yard," Jordan said, "even if there's no blocking."The Chiefs' Alfonso Boone obviously felt otherwise, meeting Jordan at the line of scrimmage and driving him backward. By the time he hit the ground, the second-guessing of Kiffin had already begun.The eight in the box strategy is a direct slap at quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown (although no one could blame McCown last Sunday, considering he was out with an injury). Together, they have thrown eight touchdown passes (Tom Brady topped that in a game and a half this month) and eight interceptions. Together, they've thrown for 1,031 yards, which ranks 29th among 32 NFL teams. Nor is the Raiders' percentage of third-down conversions anything to get excited about -- 38 in 88 tries.The thing is, every pertinent factor regarding Russell has two sides to it. If the Raiders are sliding back into the doldrums, why not use Russell? But if that's the case, why risk ruining his confidence?If the offensive line isn't doing its job (18 sacks allowed so far), despite the much-anticipated zone blocking scheme, then Culpepper and McCown aren't going to get the job done, either -- ergo, why not Russell? But do the Raiders want to risk getting him hurt?Nevertheless, it seems that Oakland is at this point in the season about where the Tennessee Titans were in 2006 when theyJets 6 Sanchez Jersey
decided to unveil Vince Young. Coincidentally, that's whom Oakland plays this week.The Titans' offense has been led mostly by field goal kicker Rob Bironas, who hit eight last week. The Raiders' offense has been led by ... well, nobody. The implication was always that Culpepper and McCown were merely quarterback proxies until Russell came of age. Maybe it's time.