Raiders lose, next three games critical to playoff chances

OAKLAND -- The Oakland Raiders, a popular playoff flavor of the midseason, are now 4-5 and have lost back-to-back games to likely playoff teams the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings.

Oakland fell to under .500 for the first time in a month in a 30-14 home loss to Minnesota. The Raiders, 2-3 at home, were outplayed by the Vikings but kept the game close.

While the loss certainly stings for the Raiders, it is not overly damaging. Oakland still has a chance to regroup and make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.

The next three games are key. Oakland needs to -- and should -- win all three of those games. Oakland goes to Detroit and Tennessee in the next two weeks and then hosts Kansas City. The Raiders are better than those three teams and need to capitalize.

http://espn.go.com/blog/oakland-raiders/post/_/id/13321/raiders-lose-next-three-games-critical-to-playoff-chances

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