The Sports Xchange

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio is seeing plenty of signs of the kind of team he wants — a tough, smart contender for the AFC West title and beyond.

As the team returns from a bye week with a 2-3 record, the trick will be to build upon those signs and make them strengths, which only comes through repetition.

“As a football team, you learn how to do it right first, and then you learn how to sustain that effort and sustain the production, and that’s what we’re after,” Del Rio said. “We’re looking for a more consistent team that will continue to grind through situations. … There is naturally going to be ebb and flow.

“You’re not playing that small college that you should roll over. You’re playing really good competition every week. We’re just looking to sustain more of that really good effort.”

While Del Rio is not making the division title a target with the press, he has spoken to his team about it. The Denver Broncos are atop the division at 6-0, with the Raiders in second place at 2-3. The San Diego Chargers are 2-4, and the Kansas City Chiefs bring up the rear at 1-5.

The Raiders have played only the Broncos within the division so far, losing 16-10 before their bye. There first post-bye assignment is in San Diego.

Beating San Diego would put the Raiders solidly in second, and while it would take some doing to catch Denver, going from also-ran to No. 2 with a .500 record and 10 games remaining definitely would be a step in the right direction following a 3-13 season.

The Raiders got to the bye week relatively healthy other than a season-ending shoulder injury to defensive end Justin Tuck, who soon will be placed on injured reserve. Safety Nate Allen, who went out with an medial collateral ligament injury late in the preseason, is expected to be back for a home game against Minnesota on Nov. 15. He is currently on injured reserve, designated for return.

Through five games, the Raiders tinkered with how they deployed their defensive line and linebackers. They are zeroing in on their strengths and weaknesses to bring a sharp plan into focus heading down the stretch.

“We’re going to work hard to put a plan together to utilize the guys we have and the things they can do and try to minimize the things that they’re not going to do real well,” Del Rio said. “I think that’s imperative for a staff to do, to utilize the talent available to us.”