Oakland RAIDERS at Seattle SEAHAWKS, 5:30p (ESPN)

Well, we pretty much know what has to happen here.

Monday night doesn't have the same ring it used to have, but it's still Monday night.

In an odd note, I've been to three Raiders/Seahawks games, once at the Kingdome and twice at Husky Stadium, and I didn't pay any of the three times.

If there's one thing I learned about those games, it's that the Raider fans turn out when the team's playing in Seattle. I just hope there's a better concentration of Seahawk fans this time around.

It's time for another big huge long Qwest Field winning streak to start.

If it does, well, it sets up the Seahawks nicely.

Pretty much every decent NFC team that wasn't the Giants or Saints lost yesterday. Not only would a Seahawks win get them a one-game lead on the Rams (with a chance to make it a two-game lead the next week), it would put them at 5-3, a record only worse than Chicago, New Orleans, and the Giants in the NFC. Considering how dire the Seahawks' situation is now, that wouldn't be too bad.

Of course, they have to win first. In a related note, the defense has to play defense.