Raider Nation can be proud? at least for this week The Raiders played like a great football team in the fourth quarter of last week’s 20-17 win, finishing the game off the way you’re supposed to. After allowing Kansas City’s rookie running back Kolby Smith to pile up 150 yards on the ground, they managed to stop the fifth-round draft pick on a key fourth-and-1 late in the game.

Once they had the ball back, the Raiders pounded the Chiefs tired run defense with Justin “Son of Huggy Bear” Fargas to run out the clock and preserve the win (for those who don’t know, Fargas’ father played Huggy Bear on the old Starsky and Hutch TV show). The Silver and Black stopped a 17-game losing streak against divisional opponents and a nine-game losing streak to the Chiefs with the victory. The Raiders are really in an awkward spot right now. Even though they trail division-leading San Diego by only three games, it’s highly unlikely that they can catch the Chargers with only five games to go. And since there are so many teams with records that are as bad, or worse, than Oakland’s (like the Rams, Falcons, Dolphins and Niners), the Raiders probably can’t get the No. 1 overall pick again, either. Their best bet would be to try to finish the season with the best record possible, and I think they have a legitimate shot to finish 6-10. It’s far from a spectacular record, but it might just be enough to give the team some confidence heading into next season. Fumbles, Hail Marys and overtime, oh my San Francisco gave a valiant effort in its 37-31 win over the Cardinals, but really had no business winning on Sunday. There was the ridiculous 48-yard Hail Mary that the Niner defenders allowed Larry Fitzgerald to catch at the end of the first half (good thing he’s on my fantasy team). When a team gives up such a boneheaded play, they don’t deserve to win that game.

Then Arizona kicker Neil Rackers missed a 33-yard field goal in overtime that should have given the Cards the win. Arizona followed that up with a fumble by Kurt “Butterfingers” Warner (his fifth lost fumble of the year) that the Niners pounced on in the end zone for the win in overtime. It was a wild and wacky game for the Red and Gold, but give the Niner offense credit for breaking out of its slump and putting up some serious points. Sunday’s 37 points were more than the team had scored in its previous four games combined. The offensive outburst may stem from the hiring of offensive assistant Ted Tollner last week, a former Niner assistant who was brought in to help struggling offensive coordinator Jim Hostler. Tollner was the offensive coordinator in Derrick Erickson’s last year in San Francisco and his version of the Niner offense was near the bottom of the league in every statistical category. Maybe two terrible offensive coordinators equal one decent offense? Don’t call it a comeback Everyone’s favorite former-pot head running back, Ricky Williams, returned to action in that hideous, muddy Monday night game against the Steelers this week, nearly two years since his last NFL appearance.

Williams had six carries, lost a fumble, and tore a muscle in his chest before the first half was over, and now is out for the season. What a strange trip it has been for Williams these last few years. After getting suspended not once, but twice by the NFL for violation of its drug policy, Williams went to play in the Canadian Football League last year as a member of the Toronto Argonauts. At the end of his exile in Canada, he sought reinstatement into the league and was granted it by Generalissimo Goodell last month. Now Williams is going to spend some time in the training room getting ready for next season. I know what would help ease the pain, Ricky, but please DON’T DO IT. Despite his injury, it’s not Williams that suffers the most here: it’s the Dolphins. Miami is still winless and is flirting with the possibility of going 0-16. After Williams left the game, backup running back Jesse Chatman was injured but is going to play through the pain and start next Sunday. The Dolphins are already thin on running backs since starter Ronnie Brown was lost for the season in October and can’t really afford to lose any more backs. Miami really just can’t buy a break right now. What a shame As most readers probably have heard many times already, Redskins safety Sean Taylor was shot early Monday morning in his home by an unknown assailant and then died at the hospital on Tuesday morning. The former Pro Bowler, 24, and fierce hitter had a tumultuous past that was well documented, getting into trouble throughout his brief career.

He was fined more than half a dozen times for many on-the-field incidences that varied from late hits to spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman in 2006. He also was arrested for pointing a gun at someone in 2005 near his home in Miami and was later sentenced to probation. However, teammates said that Taylor had settled down since the birth of his daughter in May of 2006 and the young safety had not been involved with any incidences this season. His troubled past may have had something to do with the shooting, but it’s possible that we may never know exactly why this tragedy occurred.

It certainly is a sad time for the NFL, the Redskins and Taylor’s family, and hopefully the Redskins can find a way to play football this Sunday despite their heavy hearts. NFL Picks – Week 13 Week 12 Picks: 6-0; Season Overall: 31-15 Here are some notable games coming up in week 13 (Odds as posted on Yahoo! Sports Nov. 28): Detroit at Minnesota (-3.5) – The Lions have begun choking away their playoff hopes, losing three straight after starting the season 6-2. The Vikings are not a very good team but were able to torment Eli Manning enough to force four interceptions last Sunday, three of which were returned for touchdowns, in their 41-17 win. The Vikes play well at home and Jon Kitna will have to be phenomenal for the Lions to escape Minnesota with a win. Don’t count on that happening. My Pick: Minnesota 24-17 Green Bay at Dallas (-7) – I am stunned that old man Favre and his motley crew of young players are getting no respect from the odds-makers. The Packers come in riding a six-game win streak and have averaged over 30 points per game since their Week 7 bye. The Cowboys are on a win streak of their own, and haven’t lost since Week 6 while averaging 31 points per game. Although both of these teams are 10-1, Dallas has played only two opponents with winning records (New England and the Giants) and is 2-1 in those games. The Packers have faced four teams that have had winning records at some point this season (the Giants, Chargers, Washington and Detroit) and are 4-0 in those games. Green Bay has played well in hostile conditions this season (wins in Denver, Kansas City and New York) and grandpa Favre knows this is the last chance he’s going to have to make a Super Bowl run. He plays well and the Packers steal the win in the fourth quarter. My Pick: Green Bay 27-24 Cleveland at Arizona (NL) – I love this game on paper because it could be one of the best matchups of the weekend. Neither one of these teams likes to play defense, and Arizona just surrendered 37 points to the Niners, for crying out loud. Cleveland has surged to 7-4 and even the most skeptical Browns fan is starting to believe that this team can make the playoffs. Arizona got lucky a few times in its loss last weekend, because the 49ers outplayed the Cardinals for most of the game. If you have any Cleveland or Arizona players on your fantasy team, better start them this week, because there’s going to be some fireworks in the desert. My Pick: Cleveland 34-28 “Bet the Farm” Lock of the Week: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (-7) – The Bengals finally broke out of their offensive funk, exploding for 35 points in their thrashing of the Titans on Sunday. The Steelers edged the Dolphins in the Mud Bowl on Monday, which might have been the most horrendous game this decade. The Steelers are undefeated at home (6-0), and will be motivated to play well against their division rival after back-to-back poor performances. This game should be close in the first half, but the Steelers will use their solid passing attack to pull away late. My Pick: Pittsburgh 31-23 Fantasy Game-Breaker: Oakland Running Back Justin Fargas vs. Denver – The son of Huggy Bear has run the ball very effectively this season and is on pace to break the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. Since taking over the starting job in Week 9, Fargas has averaged 96 rushing yards per game. This week he will face the Broncos 29th-ranked rushing defense and the Raiders know the only way they can win this game is with a high dosage of Fargas. Huggy Bear’s boy will have 120+ total yards and a touchdown.

Fernando Gallo can be reached at [email protected]