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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders have been playing with fire this season and mostly have come out unharmed.All five games theyve played have come down to the closing minutes and Oakland has more often than not made the big play -- or benefited from the big mistake -- to win. That has led to a 4-1 record that has the Raiders tied with Denver atop the AFC West and off to their best start in 14 years.But if the Raiders want to end their 13-year playoff drought and really be contenders in the AFC for the first time in years, it would probably help to come up with a couple of easy wins rather than nail-biters.We have a healthy perspective of what we want to look like and knowing that were not quite there, coach Jack Del Rio said Monday. Theres a lot of work in front of us. I dont think anybody would disagree with that. Theres a long season in front of us, a lot of things we must do better as we go forward.They had a chance for a comfortable finish Sunday against the Chargers when they took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter. But instead they quickly allowed San Diego to drive down the field for a touchdown, went three-and-out on the next possession and then needed to stop Melvin Gordon on third-and-2 and have holder Drew Kaser drop a snap on a potential game-tying field goal attempt to hold on for a 34-31 victory.Those types of games have been a pattern for Oakland this season. The Raiders took the lead with a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 47 seconds left in the opener against New Orleans and held on for the 35-34 win when Will Lutz missed a 61-yard field goal on the final play.The following week, the Raiders came up short when they failed to convert a fourth-and-2 down seven points to Atlanta and then couldnt get a third-down stop late to get another chance in a 35-28 loss .Oakland bounced back from that loss with its first three-game winning streak in five years but none of the victories came easy. Tennessee had a potential game-tying TD called back by penalty in the final minute and missed on a final throw into the end zone in the Raiders 17-10 win .Derek Carr then threw the go-ahead TD pass to Michael Crabtree with 2:12 left and the defense got one last stop near midfield in a 28-27 win at Baltimore the following week.All five Raiders games have been decided by seven points or fewer with Oakland getting a pair of one-point wins. The Raiders have outscored the opposition by just five points, tied for the second-lowest mark in the past 20 years for a team that started at least 4-1. Only the 2006 Seahawks, who were outscored by three points in the first five games, were worse, according to Pro Football Reference.One thing about this team is we dont give up, safety Reggie Nelson said. We showed that numerous times now and I think we really dont want to be in that position, but it just so happens to be it. We just got to keep on getting better each week and not put ourselves in those positions.While a defense on pace to allow an NFL-worst 7.0 yards per play this season has gotten plenty of the blame, the Raiders offense could do a better job keeping the team out of these tense situations.In five drives with the lead starting in the final 10 minutes of games, the Raiders have gone three-and-out three times, lost a fumble another time and gained two first downs before punting the fifth time.Thats in contrast to Oaklands great success when losing late. Carr has led the team to four TDs in five attempts when Oakland has trailed in the final 10 minutes. The only failure came when Jalen Richard was stopped on a fourth-and-2 run against Atlanta.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Force 1 Canada Online . 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We just have to get better," Carroll said. After months - years, even - of discussions, the chairmen and chief executives of the 18 first-class counties and the MCC meet at Lords on Wednesday to discuss the options for the future of the domestic T20 competition, with the ECB executive looking by a consensus by the time ends. Though five options were presented to the counties, two scenarios (Option 2 and Option 4) have emerged as the most likely.Option 2 Two divisions of nine teams with three promoted and relegated each year. Broadcasters to focus on top division.ForEnsures all 18 counties remain involved.Ensures more geographic spread of competition.Retains successful appointment to view formula.Retains integrity of County Championship.Promotion and relegation offers added context and drama.Builds on growth of current event, for which audiences have grown by 63% since 2012.Ensures domestic T20 cricket remains relevant in smaller cities and towns where it has proved most popularAllows broadcasters to focus on top division to ensure clearer narrative for viewers less familiar with the game.Played through the second two-thirds of the season, so minimises damage of poor spell of weather.Does not demand too much of spectators time or money in short period.AgainstSome counties feel that all 18 should have the opportunity to win every year.Not as popular among broadcasters so therefore offers to bring in less money. It has been valued at around ￡30m less attractive to broadcasters, though that number is disputed.Would continue difficulty of attracting overseas players for duration of tournament.Little availability of England playersCould diminish opportunities for lucrative local derbies (though local derby day one suggested amendment to plan).Works in other domestic sports such as football and rugby.Players and coaches state the standard improves if tournament played in a block.Option 4 An eight-team city-based competition played in a July window plus a continuation of the existing 18-team competition played a little earlier in the season.ForThe ECB executive (and their independent broadcast analysts) suggest the city-based competition could bring in up to ￡40m in new revenue, although it is disputed whether all this money will be new or partially replacementAll counties would still be able to host T200 cricket.ddddddddddddAll counties would benefit from increased revenues (at least in the short term).Window renders it easier to sign overseas players for duration of tournament.Enables the continuation of the popular Friday night (with slight geographic variances) cricketMight enable small counties to retain their best players as new competition would provide incentive to earn place in eight-team tournament.Matches broadcast every night of the week help build narrative and public interest.Condenses the best players into a small league.Rebranding may help improve image of English T20.AgainstThreatens to compromise standard of domestic cricket - and in turn the production line for the England teams - by either withdrawing around 80-100 players from Championship cricket for a month or demanding a window when no other cricket is played during July.Playing in a window leaves the competition at the mercy of the weather and demands a great deal of at-ground spectators.England players hardly available until 2020 at earliest. If they are to be made available, Englands international commitments will have to be cut meaning a reduction in broadcast revenue from that source.Threatens to marginalise the smaller counties and reduce the status and value of the existing competition to the LDV Vans tournament of English cricket.ECB calculations show that around 25% of the population live around the eight grounds that would be utilised. The comparison figure in Australia is 65%. Top-quality T20 cricket therefore less available to vast number of people.Might limit opportunities for young or largely unknown players and threatens to render many players less relevant and possibly unemployed.Threatens to cut the number of counties by stealth.Specifically conflicts with ECB constitution that states that all 18 teams must be involved in all competitions.Likely to prove unpopular with current county members.Little evidence to suggest that spectators in England and Wales warm to newly branded teams and city-branding likely to prove unpopular with football supporters (Aston Villa supporters may well baulk at idea of following Birmingham, for example). ' ' '