2) Competition is king in Oakland: Quarterback isn't the only gig that's up for grabs -- not by a long shot. Look at Oakland's roster and try to find entrenched starters who aren't in position battles. Slim pickings. Instead, it's mostly unproven rookies and second-year players, along with veterans on short-term "prove it" deals, guys like cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter. Then there are examples like veteran defensive back Charles Woodson, whose market failed to materialize like he'd hoped it would. (Woodson, by the way, has been "surprisingly better, physically" than the Raiders expected, according to McKenzie.) But that mix of players -- hell-bent on scratching and clawing -- creates an identity for the team. "You got a group of guys hungry to prove themselves," head coach Dennis Allen told me. "It's a lot of young guys competing and, really, a lot of old guys competing for a spot on this 53-man roster." And the players aren't the only ones eager to establish worth -- Allen and McKenzie are in Year 2 in their respective roles, while owner Mark Davis hasn't held his post much longer. This type of uncertainty has many doubting the Silver & Black. Allen has used that. "Listen, you're looking for anything you can to motivate these guys to play well." The coach continued: "We're giving a lot of people the chance to prove themselves." Thus far, it's a good mix. One coach mentioned how, in each position group, there is at least one rock-solid leader (Andre Carter with the defensive line, Nick Roach with the linebackers, etc.), some established vets and some rookies. There are also a lot of personalities. "I didn't want to bring in a bunch of robots," McKenzie said. "What you want is everybody to have their own personality, but trying to fit to be one. This group really seems to have come together."