How about them Raiders?

OK, calm down Raider Fan, one win doesn't make a trend.

And two wins certainly don't make a season, unless of course your team is the one that does actually reside in Oakland.

I kid. I kid.

Apparently the silver-and-black had a quite a surprise outing Sunday, shocking a strong Philadelphia squad by a 13-9 count. Of course, I didn't get to see the game because not enough Raider fans bought tickets, which resulted in a TV blackout.

I bet there are a few more folks wishing they'd gone ahead and doled out the dough to see Donovan McNabb as they had intended, before changing their minds after considering the competition.

And yet a pulse has now been detected in the Black Hole. What it means, though, is still anyone's guess.

Is this a turning point, where a young-but-talented Raiders roster begins to come into its own?

Or was the performance just the same old Raiders masquerading as a legitimate NFL team two weeks before Halloween?

I say a little bit of both.

There was a lot to like, highlighted by third-year tight end Zach Miller's 6-catch, 139-yard receiving day. And third-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell easily had his best game of the season, with 224 yards on 17-of-28 passing.

But without that 86-yard touchdown pass to Miller from Russell, the offensive numbers come crashing back down to Earth.

Miller: 5 catches, 53 yards.

Russell: 16-of-27 passing, 138 yards and two interceptions.

And, of course, those are the sort of stat lines we've come to expect out of this offensive crew so far this season.

But the Raiders did make that play — thanks largely to Louis Murphy and his two key blocks — so there's no taking it away.

You also can't take anything away from the Raider defense, which had a surprisingly stellar showing against one of the most productive offenses in the league so far this season. If there's reason for optimism in Oakland, it's on the defensive side of the ball.

The Raiders rank 26th in the NFL in total defense, but I think that number is skewed by the simple fact Oakland's offense hasn't shown the ability to simply stay on the field. Three-and-outs mean long days for the “D,” and there have been plenty of both through the first six weeks of the season.

But not on Sunday.

The Raiders ransacked the Eagles offensive line for six quarterbacks sacks, although they entered the game with a total of nine sacks in their first five games.

Of course, because the Eagles decided against running the football — 14 runs vs. 46 passes — allowed the Raiders to pin back their ears and get after McNabb. But they were able to do so against an O-line that had allowed a total of six through the first five games.

I won't expect the same kind of showing this week against the Jets, but I will say it's becoming pretty clear what the game plan should be for the Raiders the rest of the way.

First of all, forget about Al's love for the vertical passing game. Russell's not ready to carry this team, no matter how strong that right arm might be.

Run the ball, with the occasional deep throw just to keep the opposing defenses honest, and then allow your defense to keep you in the game until the end.

Who knows? It might just work well enough to end Oakland's current string of six seasons with at least 11 losses.

Actually, that very plan of attack seems to be working out quite well for the team on the other side of the Bay.

Not that anyone in Raider Nation has noticed.

Contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.