Oakland Raiders Head Coach Lane Kiffin

As we first reported on September 9th, after the Oakland Raiders 41-14 thrashing at the hands of the Denver Broncos, it appears that the Silver & Black is ready to part ways with second year head coach Lane Kiffin.

The Raiders are preparing for their road game this weekend – against the rival Kansas City Chiefs – and a 0-2 start, especially if they get embarrassed once again could seal Kiffin’s fate, two weeks prior to the bye week, a target date SBReport sources have stated would be the end of the road for the 33-year old coach.

It appears that Al Davis is ready to move on after months of speculation regarding his rocky relationship with Kiffin, especially after rumors circulated during the off-season in which many outlets reported that Oakland’s owner was pushing for the coach’s resignation.

Sources reported that Davis wanted control over personnel decisions; staffers hired and fired, undermining the autonomy Kiffin was first given upon his arrival.

Kiffin avoided commenting on any of those rumors when they made headlines during his stay at Mobile, Ala., where his staff was coaching at the Senior Bowl, stating, “I’m not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the past three weeks.”

Reports also surfaced about Rob Ryan’s future with the club during the off-season, as it appeared that the defensive coordinator was ready to bolt to the New York Jets, after a disappointing 2007 season with the Raiders defense. But Oakland ended any speculative bantering with a press release and ultimately, retaining Ryan’s services.

Kiffin’s club looked awful during the home opener. And considering that the blow-out was handed to them by Mike Shanahan’s team, and after an off-season in which Davis spent a lot of money to upgrade the roster, the outcome may have been damaging enough to begin the process of purging the head coach and ending any differences behind the scenes that may have developed since his arrival.

With Kiffin seemingly gone at this point, whether it happens early in the season or after the end of the year, candidates for the position could be Ryan (especially if it happens during the season), or wide receivers coach James Lofton, who has interviewed in the past with the Silver & Black prior to landing a job with them this off-season.

With a 19-62 record since their Super Bowl appearance after the 2002 season, the constant instability this organization has shown on the sidelines and in the front office has had a major impact on the product on the field.

Regardless of what happens behind closed doors and on the sidelines, the Raiders better hope that young players such as JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden pan out and become successful pros, or they could face some more lean years ahead of them. One things for sure…

The constant turnover and changing of coaches doesn’t help when a team is trying to get out of a historic rut.

STAFF MOVEMENT?

SBReport sources have also stated that assistants Greg Knapp, Tom Cable and Tom Rathman, along with two other coaches, may depart at season’s end, likely landing  in Seattle when Jim Mora Jr. takes over as head coach.

All indications are that Mike Holmgren will move on at the end of 2008, and Mora Jr., who had Knapp and Cable as part of his staff while coach in Atlanta, will look to reunite with those offensive assistants when he takes over as head coach of the Seahawks.