If Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is gas-lighted this week, the options for his successor are interesting, but not entirely satisfying. But if you keep in mind that whoever it is will be promised nothing after Game 16, every scenario makes just enough sense not to be utterly ridiculous. -- James Lofton, wide receivers coach Why not: No prior experience as a head coach, or even as a coordinator. He has not publicly shown any noticeable dynamism, and the Raiders' receivers have done little to enhance his standing. Why: Greg Knapp can remain the coordinator, and Charles Coe, who was the receivers coach last year before being reassigned to player personnel, could be re-reassigned. Lofton would not be a long-term solution, but the disruption would be minimal. The chances: 33 percent. -- Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator Why not: Were he to get the job and the team did not right itself, it would be hard to bring him back in any capacity despite his position as Al Davis' closest coaching confidant. Plus, he would have to be willing to leave the offense completely in Knapp's control, thereby creating a potentially volatile twin-head-coach setup. And he is not without his critics, although Sunday was one of the unit's better outings. Why: Loyal, charismatic to a degree, conceivably could shake the players out of the type of malaise that makes them sprint from the locker room after games while Kiffin tells the world how exhausted they are.
