Raider Nation has to feel pretty good about the Oakland Raiders' state of affairs going in to week six. The team just knocked off the Chargers, they're a game-and-a-half out of first place in the AFC West, they next face the winless 49ers in an away game that won't really give anybody jet lag.
Gambling Nation does not feel as optimistic about the Oakland Raiders' state of affairs. The major Las Vegas casinos' lines are out on this week's games, and the Raiders are seven-point underdogs to the 0-5 San Francisco 49ers.
If it's any consolation, Raider fans, Sunset Station over in Henderson, Nevada has Oakland as only six-and-a-half point underdogs.
It makes little sense for a winless NFL team to be favored in a late October game, but that's how the NFL world sees the Gradkowskis and Janikowskis of the Oakland Raiders football organization. For now, at least.
Running back Michael Bush was asked about the Raiders being seven-point underdogs against the winless week six cross-Bay competiton. "If you want respect, you gotta take it," Bush told the San Francisco Chronicle's Vittorio Tafur.
The Raiders and 49ers face off at 1:05 p.m. PDT Sunday at Candlestick Park.
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who sees "Oh my God, I lost to Oakland" boy as the unfortunate new Internet celebrity of the week.
