PROTECTINGTHEFRANCHISE:DefensivebackshaveaccountedforfiveofOakland'sninesacksthisseason,meaningtheRaidersaren'tshyaboutbringingtheblitzandmixingthingsup.Certainly,they'lltrytoconfuseClark,whowillbemakinghisfirstcareerstartatlefttackle.ButManninggetstheballoutsoquickly,WholesaleBasketballJerseys,itmaybehardtogettohimaroundtheedges.AmoresubtleimpactwillbewhattheBroncoslose,protection-wise,intheirattemptstohelpClarkhandleRaidersdefensiveendLamarrHoustonandotherswhomightcomearoundtheleftside.TheyusedtoletCladydealwithhismanbyhimself.Clarklikelywillneedhelp.LEGITORNOT:TheRaiderswerealmostuniversallypeggedaseithertheworstorsecond-worstteamintheleaguecomingintotheseason.Their19-9winlastweekoverJacksonvillecertainlygetsthemoutofthecellar.They'veevenmoveduptoatiefor29thinthelatestAPPro32powerrankings,tiedwithTampaBayandaheadofCleveland.Nowcomesthebiggesttest:AroadgameagainstManningandthedefendingdivisionchampions.Lastseason,DenveroutscoredtheRaiders63-19intheirtwomeetings.