ESPN AFC West Blog

Posted by ESPN.com' s Bill Williamson

	Charles Small/US Presswire
	QB JaMarcus Russell scrambles for yardage in Oakland's 16-17 loss to the Titans on Friday.

Here are a few random thoughts on the Raiders performance at Tennessee last night:

JaMarcus Russell made great strides as he threw the ball 17 times compared to five times last week against San Francisco. He completed 10 passes for 75 yards. Expect the Raiders to continue their dink-and-dunk style. But one thing is clear, Russell is getting very comfortable. He has great command of the offense and looks to run the huddle very well.

The biggest thing he has going for him is he has not converted a turnover in the first two preseason games. Coach Lane Kiffin has complimented Russell for his ball protection and that's a big thing for a young quarterback. It is clear already that Russell has a great connection with fellow second-year player Zach Miller. The tight end is developing into a great target and I wouldn't be surprised to see these two grow old together.

It's clear that Russell's mantra is: When in doubt, find Miller.

Darren McFadden flashed his signature speed on a 26-yard run. Last week, one Oakland reporter suggested that the Raiders should just keep McFadden out until the regular season because they know what he can do. It's not a bad idea. This guy's regular-season ready.

The Oakland run defense still struggled. It was ranked 31st in the league last season and was a sieve again last night at times. Oakland needs to shore up that run defense in time for the season opener against Denver or all the progress made on offense will be moot.

Johnnie Lee Higgins took a major step backward after he returned a punt for a touchdown last week. Higgins committed a cardinal sin by catching a punt inside the 10 and trying to run with it. He was immediately swarmed and lost the ball in the end zone, which resulted in a Tennessee touchdown. Kiffin was not pleased after the game.