Seattle Seahawks MNF Preview

On Sunday, teams of the AFC West had no difficulty winning their respective games. Denver rolled through Pittsburgh, 31-20; Kansas City topped St. Louis by 14; and San Diego ran through Cleveland, 32-25.On Monday night, the remaining one-fourth of the division, the , will compete with a Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
former one-fifth of the AFC West, the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle, which was a member of the West up until the league's re-alignment in 2002, has a long, competitive history with the once-rival Raiders. Oakland holds the historical advantage over its former foe, 28-23; however, just 68 points separate the all-time head-to-head matchup.Another set of unusual circumstances -- due to both injury and the weather -- will likely make for another unpredictable meeting between the two teams.With the Raiders coming off two consecutive wins and Seattle coming off two losses, let's take a look how Oakland can make it three in a row for both teams.Derrick Burgess and the downpour: The 26-year-old Seneca Wallace will be starting just his second NFL game on Monday night. The Iowa State grad, who started last week in a 35-28 loss at Kansas City, completed 50 percent of his passes for 198 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. In the previous week, Wallace came in to replace starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who injured his right knee early in the second half. In the face of pressure, Wallace threw two interceptions and fumbled twice, losing one, en route to a 31-13 thrashing at the hands of Minnesota.On Monday night, the forecast for the young quarterback is equally as gloomy -- literally. The gameday forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of precipitation, with winds from the south gusting at 21 mph. Veteran defensive end Derrick Burgess, who entered the week tied for the NFL's fifth-ranked sack spot, will likely have no trouble in the rain repeating his last two weeks performances. The 28-year-old has recorded four sacks in the team's last two wins; and, on Monday, may be lining up opposite backup Tom Ashworth, who would replace injured starting right tackle Sean Locklear. By Tuesday morning, Burgess may find himself much closer to the top of the NFL's sack list.Andrew Walter and mistakes: Walter referred to his offensive showing in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers as "ridiculous" and "pathetic." The 24-year-old quarterback completed just five passes for 51 yards and one interception in the team's 20-13 win. The one interception, however, was Walter's lone turnover on the game, as opposed to the two turnovers per game he had averaged in his previous four starts.On Monday, Walter will need to remain equally as disciplined, while still trying to improve in both completions and yardage against Seattle's 28th-ranked pass defense. Conditions will be wet and unwelcoming for the sophomore quarterback; however, he will need to find a way to win the game-long battle of field position, which will be dependent on his ability to hold onto the ball. With one of the league's top-ranked defenses on his side, Walter should have no problem settling for punts instead of risky throws.Rushing attack: LaMont Jordan, as usual, is listed as "questionable" heading into the team's prime-time appearance. Whether he appears or not, however, shouldn't affect the Raiders' game plan. Running backs Justin Fargas and Zack Crockett have received the bulk of the team's carries over the past two weeks, working efficiently behind a subpar offensive line.Although Jordan practiced on Friday, Fargas should remain a viable option for the Raiders' rushing attack. In two wins, the 220-pound halfback has carried the ball 41 times for just 121 yards, but has reduced the 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
number of costly backwards runs that Jordan frequently turned in. If Oakland expects to win its first game on the road, both running backs will need to consistently run north-to-south. If Fargas and Jordan can flashback to the days of Garner and Wheatley, the should have no trouble defeating the former division-rival Seattle Seahawks.Want to be in the Raiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Nov. 17 mailbag. (18)