Miami(0-3) plays host to Oakland (1-2) this afternoon. Miami scored 28 points last week against the Jets but still managed to lose 31-28. The offense, at least for one week, appears to be coming together. Except Miami was playing the 28th ranked defense in the NFL last week. Will Miami soon return to their bumbling ways on offense?

Note- Oakland is ranked 27th in defense.

Much of the talk this week revolves around former Dolphin Daunte Culpepper getting the start. The bigger issue for Miami is the dismal play of the team’s defense so far this year. Supposed to be the team’s strength, instead the unit is ranked 29th in the NFL. That makes for a bad combo when the Dolphins play the 3rd best rushing team this week. Will Raider RB LaMont Jordan have a field day today?

Like the Dolphins history with the New York Jets, Raider-Dolphin games are usually determined by who has home field advantage. I’m going against that factor, for I don’t know how Miami can contain Jordan. My prediction- Oakland 27, Miami 24.

Former Miami Dolphin QB Daunte Culpepper has found a new home.

NAPA, Calif. - Free agent quarterback Daunte Culpepper signed a one-year contract with Oakland on Tuesday, giving the Raiders a backup plan for top draft pick JaMarcus Russell.

Culpepper, 30, worked out in the afternoon before a gathering of Raiders scouts and coaches in a private workout. Oakland coach Lane Kiffin announced the signing shortly after the team completed practice.

“We had to see him run around, scramble and do different things because his arm didn’t go away,” Kiffin said. “We weren’t really worried about that. We had to make sure everything else was good.”

Culpepper began 2024 as Miami’s starter but had trouble with his mobility and was sacked 21 times in the first four games. The Dolphins shut him down so he could continue rehabbing and eventually placed him on injured reserve. When they acquired Trent Green in a trade with Kansas City this offseason, Culpepper became expendable.

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The Dolphins tried unsuccessfully to trade Culpepper a year after acquiring him from Minnesota. When Miami failed to find a team willing to trade for Culpepper, the former Pro Bowl quarterback was released on July 17. Culpepper met with Tampa Bay two days later but did not receive a contract offer from the Bucs.

The Raiders sent a member of their front office to Florida to work out Culpepper on Monday, then sent a private plane to fly the 6-foot-4, 265-pound quarterback to California for the Tuesday workout.

Culpepper said the Raiders “are giving me the opportunity to compete for the starting job,” yet acknowledged that part of his role in Oakland will be helping Russell “get ready to take over for the future,” he said.

From the outset, I thought Miami made a mistake in signing Culpepper. His tenure in Miami was an expensive disaster, and I’m not a fan of his off the field either. All that said, I wish Daunte well in Oakland. Except if he is playing against Miami, which the two teams are scheduled to play, or the team of my youth The New York Jets.

Via SI.com: Raiders, Titans out in front of Keyshawn derby

SI.com has learned the Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Titans are the leading contenders for Johnson’s services in the wake of his release last week by the Carolina Panthers. The Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have also expressed interest in signing the 34-year-old wideout, who is also pondering a permanent move into a second career as a television analyst.

One has to wonder a) why in the world Keyshawn would even think about playing for Oakland at this stage of his career and b) why the Packers aren’t prime contenders for Johnson’s services.

Quite honestly, I wish that Dallas had kept Keyshawn and never pursued T.O.

Via ESPN :Pats agree to trade for Raiders WR Moss

The New England Patriots have reached a trade agreement in principle to acquire wide receiver Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders for a fourth-round round choice in Sunday’s second day of the NFL draft.

Wild. How far has Moss’ value fallen since he left the Vikings?

And it will be most interesting to see Belichick and Moss together.

Will this move make Moss rediscover his work ethic?

At a minimum, the Pats have certainly tried to upgrade their receiving corps.

Technorati Tags: Randy Moss, Bill Belichick, Moss Trade, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots

So reports Reuters: Shell will not return as Raiders coach in 2024.

Hardly a surprise, given their abysmal showing this year, although the degree to which Shell bears all the blame is questionable. It seems pretty clear that Al Davis has lost touch with today’s NFL (based, if anything, on the offense he tried to install this season).

While another two-win season seems unlikely probabilistically speaking, I don’t suspect that whomever the new HC is at Oakland that they will have a great deal of success either.