It’s looking more and more like the Raiders are going to make history with their futility.

As ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson reported: “If the 2-8 Raiders lose three more games it will become the first team in NFL history to lose at least 11 games in six straight seasons. Oakland has won a total of 21 games since advancing to the Super Bowl in the 2002 season. The Raiders are currently tied with Tampa Bay which lost at least 11 games a season from 1985-89.”

During this six-year stretch, the Raiders been worse than the Bengals, worse than the Lions, worst in the league. The blame game is too easy with the Raiders. The owner. The coaches. The players. They’re all guilty for their contribution to the darkest era of Raiders football.

One area where they’ve struggled is building through the draft. After nailing their first pick in 2003 following their Super Bowl appearance—shutdown corner Nnamdi Asomugha—the Raiders have struggled with their selections. They’ve drafted in the top 10 every season since 2004 (except in 2005 thanks to the Randy Moss trade), but their picks haven’t lived up to the hype.

Here’s a look back at their top selections in each of the past five years:

2004: Robert Gallery, 2nd overall selection
The former Iowa Hawkeye standout was the “can’t miss” prospect of the ’04 draft. The Raiders expected him to anchor their offensive line for the next decade. Instead, Gallery bounced from position to position along the line, struggling everywhere along the way. He’s now a serviceable member of the line, but the Raiders didn’t spend the number two overall pick on him to be solid—they were counting on him becoming a perennial Pro Bowler.

Notable players the Raiders passed on: Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers, Sean Taylor, Ben Roethlisberger and Steven Jackson.

20/20 Hindsight: The transition out of the Rich Gannon era could’ve been smoother with Rivers or Roethlisberger wearing the silver and black, at least as Kerry Collins’ backup.

2005: Fabian Washington, 23rd overall selection
After three seasons, the cornerback was traded to Baltimore for a fourth-round pick in the ’08 draft. Needless to say, he wasn’t the second-coming of Asomugha.

Notable players the Raiders passed on: Aaron Rodgers, Jason Campbell and Roddy White.

20/20 Hindsight: White would’ve given that young QB (that they should’ve taken in 2004) the receiving threat the Raiders needed after the departures of legends Jerry Rice and Tim Brown.

2006: Michael Huff, 7th overall selection
Another defensive back, Huff came out of the University of Texas as a heralded safety. However, he’s struggled to find his niche in the Raiders’ secondary, and lost his starting spot earlier this year. Notable players the Raiders passed on: Jay Cutler, Antonio Cromartie, Joseph Addai and Mathias Kiwanuka.

20/20 Hindsight: Right area of the field, wrong position. They should’ve grabbed the corner Cromartie to pair with Asomugha. This would’ve helped them avoid this season’s DeAngelo Hall debacle, too.

2007: Jamarcus Russell, 1st overall selection
No single player will determine the future of the Raiders more than Russell. The strong-armed quarterback from LSU essentially trashed his rookie season with a lengthy holdout. This year, as the full-time starter, his numbers are not pretty. Neither is the Raiders’ record. With rookie quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco having success in the league this season, Russell is under a lot of scrutiny for his poor passing performances. Russell needs to show improvement down the stretch. Otherwise, the organization heads into the offseason with a big question mark at the marquee position.

Notable players the Raiders passed on: Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson and Brady Quinn.

20/20 Hindsight: Since they (using my hypothetical hindsight) didn’t take Gallery in ’04, they can get that O-line anchor from a fellow Big Ten alum in the form of Joe Thomas.

2008: Darren McFadden, 4th overall selection
Rookie running backs have run wild this year in the NFL. Chris Johnson of the Titans, Matt Forte of the Bears and Steve Slaton of the Texans are all currently among the top 12 rushers in the league. Jonathan Stewart of the Panthers and Kevin Smith of the Lions have combined for 11 rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, McFadden, the first running back selected in the draft has been plagued by injuries, limiting him to just 70 attempts. If he is active the rest of the season, he may give the Raiders fans something to cheer for.

20/20 Hindsight: Stick with this pick. Hope the health is a one-year issue. When he’s played, McFadden has been effective. His yards per carry is a very impressive 5.1.

Unfortunately, the Raiders made the picks they made. And their free agent signings during this time period have actually been worse. See: Rhodes, Dominic; Hall, DeAngelo; and Walker, Javon; to name a few.

There’s a lot of fixing to do with the Raiders and it starts at the very top with the talent evaluation/hiring issues that have plagued Al Davis. Until he changes and puts some stock in a knowledgeable general manager, the ugly draft results won’t likely change either. And that translates to the miserable football being played in Oakland these days.

No one expected anyone to replicate the Patriots’ 16-0 regular season from a year ago. And after three weeks of football, only six teams remain unbeaten: the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. All are 3-0 with the exception of 2-0 Baltimore.

Are they for real? Is the hot start indication of a playoff push? Only time will tell for sure, but why wait to forecast their fortunes? Here’s an overview of all six undefeated teams.

• New York Giants
  Two of their three wins have come against winless St. Louis and Cincinnati. They’ll be tested throughout the year though, playing in the league’s toughest division along with Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington. Still, it’s probably safe to say the defending champions are a legitimate contender as a 3-0 undefeated team. Their offense looks sharp under a suddenly poised and precise Eli Manning, and the defense is playing strong despite key losses.

• Dallas Cowboys
  It’d be hard to argue anyone else has looked better against stronger competition in the early part of this season. Dallas won a shootout with Philadelphia on Monday Night Football in week two and bounced back on Sunday night to win with defense against the previously unbeaten Packers. Add in a convincing week one performance against Cleveland, and it becomes clear why many people predict Dallas will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Whereas both NFC unbeatens reside in the rugged NFC East, the AFC has one undefeated team in each of its four divisions.

• Buffalo Bills
  It took fourth quarter comebacks in consecutive weeks, but the Bills are undefeated and atop the AFC East. Second-year QB Trent Edwards is showing signs that he may be the leader the team has searched for since their last playoff appearance in 1999. Running back Marshawn Lynch gives the Bills a consistent ground attack, and their defense, featuring linebacker Paul Posluszny, has been solid. With Tom Brady out of action for New England, this division is wide open. The Bills will contend, but don’t count the Pats out just yet. And Brett Favre and the Jets may have a say in this race before all is said and done.

• Baltimore Ravens
  With rookie quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm, the Ravens may be the most unlikely undefeated team. After Hurricane Ike postponed their game with the Houston Texans, they found out they’d be playing 15 straight weeks, but they won the first of that streak on Sunday against the Browns, improving to 2-0. Flacco has done enough to help the Ravens’ veteran defense shut down the opposition, but he will tested in a divisional showdown next Monday against the Steelers. Expect Pittsburgh to hand him his first professional loss and take control of the AFC North.

• Tennessee Titans
  In a division that features the Colts and Jaguars, it’s the Titans with a two game lead in the standings and a 2-0 record within the division. Indianapolis and Jacksonville figure to challenge them, but if the Titans’ defense continues to dominate as it has this season and they coninue to run the ball effectively, they will be tough to beat. Expect this team—with or without Vince Young—to qualify for the playoffs this year.

• Denver Broncos
  The Ravens and Bills may be bigger surprises, but no one has had as much early season excitement as Denver. From their opening week dismantling of the hated Raiders to their week two shocker against San Diego to their week three nail biter against New Orleans, the Broncos have made headlines with an offensive attack that features one of the league’s most exciting aerial attacks. If Jay Cutler continues to find Brancon Marshall and Eddie Royal like this all season, Denver will make it tough for the Chargers to repeat in the AFC West.

Earlier today, ESPN released its modern NFL franchise rankings (from 1970-present). To my pleasure, the Raiders cracked the top 10, coming in at number six behind Dallas, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Miami and Denver.

While it certainly opens the door to endless debate, the rankings are pretty interesting. They used a number of factors to earn points for a franchise including playoff and Super Bowl wins, regular season consistency, Monday Night Football appearances and more. By all means, do check it out

It was a bit surprising to see my Raiders ranked so highly. After enduring a five-year stretch as the worst team in the league, it’s hard to remember that the Raiders are also one of the league’s most storied franchises.

My favorite line, though, is the following: The Raiders are the only team in our study saddled with four crushing playoff defeats, culminating with Super Bowl XXXVII.

THAT is my experience as a Raiders fan, their last Super Bowl win coming nine months before I was born. I know two of the crushing defeats as I witnessed them firsthand: The Fumble vs. Tom Brady and the Patriots and, of course, the Gruden Bowl beatdown. A third was well before my time, but I’ve seen the replay enough to know it was a killer, the Immaculate Reception vs. Pittsburgh

Now I’m trying to think of the fourth one. Any ideas? Let me know if you know it.

Six of the NFL’s 32 franchises have never been to the Super Bowl since it began in 1967. Nine more have played in the big game but never won it. That’s right, almost half the league has never been atop the NFL mountain. But the start of a new season means fresh dreams for all 32 teams and their fans that this could be their year. There are enough NFL previews out their breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of each fan, so in this year’s NFL preview I’m breaking down the fans of all 32 franchises.

(Predicted record in parentheses)
* Wild card

NFC East

New York Giants (11-5)
They just won a Super Bowl as a major underdog in one of the most exciting and improbable finishes in NFL history. The Giants fans have no reason to complain this year. Instead of greedily obsessing over a repeat, Giants fans should just watch tapes of Eli to Tyree over and over again.

*Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
America’s Team has fans all over the country. They’re one of the most popular teams in sports, but their fans (like team owner Jerry Jones) have a sense of entitlement because they’ve played in so many Super Bowls already.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Few fans have been tortured like Philly fans. Good teams kept falling short earlier this decade. Then, Donovan McNabb’s health went south. The team still hasn’t recovered from the brief Terrell Owens era, and the fans are starving for a first Super Bowl victory.

Washington Redskins (9-7)
Fans of the Redskins know success, as long as they’ve been fans for more than 15 years. Washington was a powerhouse through the 80s and won another title in 1992. Since then, it’s been a little tougher being a Redskins fan as owner Daniel Snyder has spent big with little to show for it.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
They watched Fran Tarkenton come up short. They traded for Herschel Walker only to see the Cowboys reap the benefits and win Super Bowls with the pieces they acquired. They watched the rise and fall of Randy Moss and Daunte Culpeper. Vikings fans are cautiously optimistic about the Adrian Peterson era, but you can understand why they might be skeptical of any Super Bowl talk for this team that finished out of the playoffs last year.

Green Bay Packers (9-7)
No one had their fanhood tested more this offseason than Packers fans during the whole Brett Favre saga. With their favorite son now dawning the green of another team, Packers fans are left to embrace the untested arm of Aaron Rodgers, knowing he now leads a team that played at Lambeau in the NFC Championship last year.

Detroit Lions (7-9)
They haven’t played in the postseason since 1999. They haven’t won a playoff game since ’91. Lions fans definitely have waited a long time for a breakthrough season, so at least they’ll be well practiced at waiting another year.

Chicago Bears (4-12)
Bears fans have a common gripe: quarterback. The Bears really haven’t had a quality QB since their Super Bowl championship with Jim McMahon in the mid-80s. That won’t change with Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman back again this year.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints (11-5)
Saints fans were treated to a rare winning season two years ago in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It made last seasons regression all the more frustrating. But hopes are high again in New Orleans. If they stay healthy, the Saints may march into the playoffs and give their fans something to cheer about once again.

*Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
Bucs fans are reaching the point where that Super Bowl Championship is no longer enough to give Jon Gruden a free pass. They’ve been up and down the past couple of years, but with an aging Jeff Garcia at quarterback, the Bucs fans are clamoring for a title run now.

Carolina Panthers (5-11)
With questions about the stability and ability of their quarterback and their star receiver suspended for the first two games of the season, Panthers fans have to be a little worried about this season already. They’ve made three conference title game appearances since entering the league in 1996, but haven’t been the same since their Super Bowl loss to the Patriots in 2004.

Atlanta Falcons (2-14)
Falcons fans cheered one of the most electrifying players in the NFL until last season when Michael Vick’s career came to a screeching halt. The new face of the franchise is that of Matt Ryan, a rookie. He doesn’t run like Vick, but Falcons fans can only hope he brings back his winning ways.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams (9-7)
The Rams have been a formidable franchise for the past decade, but the team struggled last year after being decimated by injuries. If healthy, the team should give their fans a pleasant surprise by challenging for the division title.

Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
After cutting loose Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks have their fans wondering about their running game. Who will carry the load for Seattle? And can the team finally get over the hump in Mike Holmgren’s final season as head coach.

Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
Now that their quarterback of the future has been benched in favor of the ageless Kurt Warner, Cardinals fans…well, let’s be honest. There aren’t many Cardinals fans. This is a franchise that has never enjoyed much success in the NFL and it shows in their fan support.

San Francisco 49ers (3-13)
After being spoiled in the 80s and early 90s, the 49ers fans have had some rough times. They are one of several fan bases wondering where they can find good quarterback play. J.T. O’Sullivan? Alex Smith? Bueller? Bueller?

AFC East

New England Patriots (13-3)
Pardon the rest of the league’s fans for not taking pity on the Patriots. New Englanders are hurting after their Pats’ bid for a perfect season fell one game short with a shocking Super Bowl loss. It will be hard for them to shake that loss, but they’ll have plenty to cheer for again this year with Brady, Moss, Welker and company running the same high-powered offense that shattered records last year.

*New York Jets (11-5)
After a playoff run in 2006, the Jets laid an egg last year that left their fans clamoring for the days of Broadway Joe Namath. Instead, the Jets landed an even more famous QB, the legendary Brett Favre. Expectation were immediately raised for Jets fans, who now expect a team capable of competing with the mighty Patriots in the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills (6-10)
They’re still waiting for that first Super Bowl title. Don’t even mention the words “wide right.” The Buffalo Bills dominated the 90s, but they have only four AFC Championship trophies to show for it. Zero Lombardi trophies. This young Bills team showed some improvement last year, but fans will have to stay patient with quarterback Trent Edwards.

Miami Dolphins (3-13)
Fans are wondering how much the Big Tuna can help the woeful Dolphins. Number one pick Jake Long should help solidify the line, but the Phins fans should expect another losing season as Bill Parcells tries to rebuild this team as he’s done in previous stops with the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
Recently ranked as the best fans in the NFL by a panel of experts at ESPN, Steelers fans are ready for a big year from Big Ben. He put up staggering passing numbers for the black and gold last year, especially for a team traditionally known for its defense and running game. With the Steelers’ exciting offense leading the way, Steelers fans should have a lot to cheer in 2008.

Cleveland Browns (8-8)
The Browns’ surprise 10-win season a year ago was a delight to Browns fans. Now, of course, they’re expecting it—plus a playoff berth. Anything short of that will be disappointing to Cleveland, but it won’t be easy to replicate the success of a year ago. Teams will be ready for the Browns and questions surround quarterback Derek Anderson’s ability to repeat his career year of 2007.

Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
If Chad Johnson really did change his name to Chad Ocho Cinco, this may be another wild year for the Bengals. Fans in Cincinnati have come to expect disappointment year after year with this team that seemed to be on the cusp of greatness just a few years ago. Injuries, arrests and losses continue to pile up, and so do the non-winning seasons for Cincinnati.

Baltimore Ravens (2-14)
Fans in Baltimore are used to a team led by a strong defense that features Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. This year, that defense may have to score the points, too. Rookie signal-caller Joe Flacco will start the season opener. The other options include injured veteran Kyle Boller and injured second-year man Troy Smith. QB trouble spells trouble for the Ravens this season.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts (13-3)
Now a full year removed from their Super Bowl title, the Colts and their fans are in an interesting spot. Peyton Manning enters the season banged up, and he’s not getting any younger. The same can be said for defensive standouts Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders. If the Colts can stave off the injury bug, though, their fans will be treated to another deep playoff run.

*Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
The Jags fans are happy that Jack Del Rio trusted his gut with David Garrard over Byron Leftwich last season. The move paid dividends as Garrard helped Jacksonville to the divisional round of the playoffs while Leftwich flailed out as a Falcons quarterback and has since signed on in a backup role with the Steelers. The Jacksonville faithful is hopeful Del Rio, Garrard and company can take this team even deeper in the playoffs this season.

Tennessee Titans (9-7)
The Titans fans know their team rides on the throwing arm and legs of quarterback Vince Young. After a promising rookie campaign, Young’s progress slowed last season. Still, the team made a wild card berth in the playoffs. The first round exit didn’t erase the memory of Kevin Dyson falling one yard short in the Titans’ lone Super Bowl appearance, but an improved Young might be just the cure Titans fans need.

Houston Texans (8-8)
It’s not easy being the new guy on the block, especially when you’re in a division that sent 75 percent of its teams to the postseason last year. The Texans’ fans saw promise from Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson last year, but injuries played a major role in their downfall. A healthy Texans team could very well compete with the big boys in the division.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers (12-4)
They played in the AFC Championship game last year, but a banged up Philip Rivers combined with an early-game injury to LaDainian Tomlinson kept the Chargers from reaching the Super Bowl. That’s the mindset of their fans anyway. They’re confident a healthy Chargers team is as good as any in the league. Problem is their defensive terror Shawne Merriman is already injured (and risking more injury) but daring to play out the year anyway. If he does further damage, Chargers fans will be left to wonder what if?

Denver Broncos (7-9)
Is this the year Jay Cutler has a breakout season? The reduction of Brandon Marshall’s suspension from three games to one certainly helps Cutler. Fans can only hope this is the year that Cutler emerges from Elway’s shadow and leads the Broncos back to the playoffs. Otherwise, they may start searching for the next Denver QB.

Oakland Raiders (6-10)
The Raiders made a monetary commitment to excellence in the offseason, bringing in several high price free agents plus top draft choice Darren McFadden. Raiders fans may not agree with all the moves, but they were at least satisfied to see the front office working to restore this team to prominence after several years among the league’s worst. Improvement is expected this year. If the Raiders can’t win at least six or seven games, it will be very scary in the Black Hole—and not for the right reasons.

Kansas City Chiefs (3-13)
The Brodie Croyle era has raised more questions than answers for Kansas City fans (not including “How do you spell Brodie Croyle?”) If Larry Johnson can stay healthy, he’ll help lessen the burden on Croyle, but few are expecting the Chiefs to be a top team in the league this year.

Playoff predictions

NFC Wild Card Round
New York Giants over Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dallas Cowboys over St. Louis Rams

AFC Wild Card Round
Pittsburgh Steelers over Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Jets over San Diego Chargers

NFC Divisional Round
Dallas Cowboys over Minnesota Vikings
New Orleans Saints over New York Giants

AFC Divisional Round
Indianapolis Colts over Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots over New York Jets

NFC Championship
Dallas Cowboys over New Orleans Saints

AFC Championship
New England Patriots over Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl XLIII
New England Patriots over Dallas Cowboys

There you have it. The Patriots avenge last season’s loss with a Super Bowl win over the Dallas Cowboys. Brady vs. Romo, Moss vs. T.O. This would be a dream matchup for the NFL. As for the fans of the league, well, the Pats and Cowboys are two of the most hated teams in the NFL. And a lot of that has to do with their success, which should continue this year. So let the hating begin. It’s time for NFL 2008.