With two games to go until the end of the 2013 season, the Raiders are in the proverbial holding pattern. Officially out of contention for the playoffs for the tenth consecutive year, the Raiders will use the last two games to get a handle on what their moves need to be to turn the franchise around and become a contender in 2014.

The first order of business for the team needs to be determining and announcing whether head coach Dennis Allen will return to coach his third season.

After back to back close-but-not-quite losses in less than a week, the Raiders’ 2013 season is all but over- at least in terms of any possibility of making the post season.

The Raiders still have four games left this season, however, and head coach Dennis Allen indicated that he will be using the last quarter of the season to evaluate the team for next year, especially his two quarterbacks, Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin.

Yesterday versus the Cowboys, the Raiders tried an onside kick attempt that I've not seen before, in which the ball is placed next to the tee and kicked in a manner to make it spin instead of getting it airborne like the traditional kick.

The onside attempt did not work, with the Dallas "hands" team easily scooping up the ball.

It turns out, the Raiders are not the only team to attempt this unorthodox kicking strategy. The Titans have used it twice this year, neither time working for them, either.

In this ESPN article, Titans head coach Mike Munchak explains the thought process behind the kick, saying, "“It was supposed to be hard to handle the way he kicked it with the spin."

The same is true of the Raiders' attempt, as well. Neither have had success with this kick and if yesterday's result is any indication, teams should stick to a traditional kick in which the height of the ball can give the recovery team more time to get down field and, if luck allows, recover the ball.

Hopefully this kick strategy goes the way of the Dodo.

With yesterday’s 31-24 loss to the Cowboys, Raiders head coach Dennis Allen and his staff find themselves elf squarely on the hot seat, fair or not.

There are arguments to both keep and fire Dennis Allen, depending on your viewpoint. I will quickly lay out the basics to both sides.

I've posted some Titans questions and answers with blogger Jamal Black over the last day. On the website for which he writes, Titans Report, we turned around the Q & A and I answered questions about the Raiders.

Here is a link to that Raiders Q & A if interested.

Jamal: I have a hard time making predictions lately. I am generally a cynic as a fan. Losing five of six games, losing to the Jags and losing to the Colts after jumping out to a lead – these only magnify my pessimism. At the same time, the fact that nobody in the hunt for the last wildcard spot seems intent on pulling away – this gives me some sense of comfort. There’s a strong juxtaposition which exists in my mind and I waffle and waver by the hour.

Friend and fellow blogger Jamal Black covers the Tennessee Titans for Titans Report. In advance of the Raiders/Titans game on Sunday, I asked him some questions about what the Raiders can expect from the also-inconsistent Titans on Sunday.

Question 3: What is your impression of Ryan Fitzpatrick as a QB? What should the Raiders expect?