The 2009 Oakland Raiders season was another chapter of pure, unadulterated chaos in the late-stage Al Davis era. Entering the year with head coach Tom Cable newly permanent after his interim stint, expectations were practically non-existent for a franchise trying to escape a six-year streak of double-digit losses. The front office went full Al Davis in the draft, shockingly taking wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall over Michael Crabtree, while also adding free agents Khalif Barnes and Lorenzo Neal. In a desperate bid for competency, they traded a future first-round pick for New England Patriots star defensive lineman Richard Seymour right before the opener. The result was a highly predictable 5-11 record and a third-place finish in the AFC West, stretching their losing season streak to seven and completely testing the sanity of Black Hole fans.

Calling the offense prehistoric doesn't do justice to just how outdated it was. Oakland finished dead last or next-to-last in virtually every meaningful category, ranking 31st in total yards and 31st in points with a pathetic 197 scored (12.3 ppg). The JaMarcus Russell era officially imploded as the former top pick threw for 1,287 yards, a horrific three touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in nine starts, finishing with a 48.8% completion rate before Cable mercifully benched him. Bruce Gradkowski injected temporary life into a scheme that ranked 32nd in passing touchdowns, throwing six scores in his brief four-start cameo. The rushing attack was a disjointed rotation where Michael Bush paced the team with 589 yards and three touchdowns, while Justin Fargas added 491 yards and a banged-up Darren McFadden managed just 357 yards. Tight end Zach Miller was the lone real weapon, catching 66 balls for 805 yards.

Defensively, coordinator John Marshall ran a bizarre 4-3 unit that was statistically top-heavy against the pass but utterly soft against the run. The Raiders ranked a solid 7th in the league in pass yards allowed and sixth in passing touchdowns surrendered, entirely because cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was such a terrifying island that opposing coordinators refused to throw anywhere near him. Safety Tyvon Branch flying around for 124 tackles and linebacker Kirk Morrison logging 133 tackles kept the second and third levels afloat. Up front, Richard Seymour added a much-needed layer of professional pride with 4.0 sacks, while veteran edge rusher Greg Ellis and linebacker Trevor Scott each tallied 7.0 sacks. However, the front seven surrendered a miserable 24 rushing touchdowns and 2,488 yards on the ground, making them 29th in run defense and completely undermining their stellar pass defense metrics.

The schedule featured an absolute rollercoaster of agonizing unwatchability mixed with completely unexplainable upset wins against superior teams. The low point came in October during a soul-crushing six-in-seven game losing skid, highlighted by a 44-7 blowout loss to the New York Giants and an embarrassing 38-0 shutout at home against the New York Jets. Just when Cable looked entirely doomed, the Raiders pulled off two of the most mind-bending road upsets of the NFL season. In Week 13, Gradkowski went unconscious at Heinz Field, throwing three fourth-quarter touchdowns to stun the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24. Two weeks later, they traveled to INVESCO Field at Mile High and derailed the Denver Broncos playoff hopes with a gritty 20-19 victory. Those moments provided fleeting joy before the season ended with predictable, flat losses to the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.

The 2009 team secured its place in football history as the definitive tombstone of the JaMarcus Russell era, with the quarterback being released the following offseason. Punter Shane Lechler was the lone First-Team All-Pro selection after averaging a booming, historic 51.1 yards per punt on 96 attempts, while Asomugha took home Second-Team All-Pro honors. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski also showed elite leg strength, drilling 26 of 29 field goals, including an absolute rocket from 61 yards out. This season is remembered for the emergence of Zach Miller, the absolute defensive dominance of Asomugha, and the administrative dysfunction that would finally force the franchise to completely pivot away from its failed mid-2000s quarterback experiment.