Lane Kiffin should pick, and stick, with a QB

Who the ' starting quarterback will be for at least the next half-decade or so is no mystery. The organization invested a first overall draft choice and about $60 million ($31 million of which is guaranteed) on 43 Polamalu black jersey
former LSU standout JaMarcus Russell last April.Who will be the quarterback two weeks from now is much more of a mystery.Already this season, the team's top two quarterback options, Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper, have split six games each. The 28-year-old McCown started Weeks 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 and 13, while Culpepper has filled in the gaps. Notice the lack of a pattern. It's almost as if head coach Lane Kiffin has flipped a coin each week.In reality, though, most of the Raiders' weekly QB swaps have been thanks to injuries. McCown, just this season, has suffered injuries to his quadriceps, right index finger, right foot and left big toe. Culpepper, along with dealing with his recurring right knee troubles, also recently hurt his quadricep. The combination of weekly complaints from both passers has made for plenty of confusion both in and outside of the Raiders' locker room.If you think Week 14 will be any different, don't. Kiffin, as he has been all season long, has remained vague and imprecise on who will start under center Sunday."I don't know the health of Daunte right now," Kiffin told the Oakland Tribune on Monday. "Josh took a number of hits yesterday. We'll look at him and I'll have more for you on that."McCown started last week and stole the show in a 34-20 win over Denver, despite the debut of Russell in the second quarter. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder completed 14 of 21 passes for 141 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran the ball four times for 22 yards.Twelve games into the season, McCown and Culpepper have now started in an equal amount of games, and have put up very comparable numbers.McCown has completed 59.4 percent of his pass attempts for 901 yards, eight TDs and nine picks; he has also fumbled nine times, but lost only three. The 30-year-old Culpepper has completed a slightly worse 58.1 percent of his passes, but for more yards (1,331), with five touchdowns and five interceptions. He too has fumbled nine times and lost three. McCown, however, does hold the advantage in the sack department, being taken down nine fewer times this year.Both quarterbacks also hold 2-4 records.As displayed earlier in the season, McCown seems to be the desired choice of the 32-year-old Kiffin. He started the first three games of the season, until a left foot injury finally forced him to the sidelines. Kiffin even opted for McCown as the starter when he was dealing with a cracked index finger in his throwing hand and a sprained right foot at the same time.It may be time for the first-year head coach to make a choice and stick with it. Both quarterbacks will be free agents in the upcoming offseason, with McCown currently earning a salary of $4,004,400 (sixth highest on team) and Culpepper making $8,004,180 (highest by over $3 million). Kiffin doesn't have much to lose by picking one for the final four weeks of the season. At worst, it'll be a time to evaluate if that player is 4 Brett Favre White jersey
worth the team's trouble in 2008.Along the way, Russell could find his way onto the field. That, though, is completely under Kiffin's discretion, like it or not.It's only a matter of time until Russell starts every game. But, until then, Kiffin should make things easier and make up his mind.