"What was billed as Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs at O.co Coliseum on Sunday transformed into Quarterback Tryout Day for the Silver and Black.

It had the appeal of 800 pumpkins falling off a truck, 10 at a time.

Kyle Boller started and failed, even more spectacularly than anticipated.

Carson Palmer, your next American idol, entered and also failed, slightly less spectacularly but much more predictably.

In between, rookie Terrelle Pryor made a first-quarter cameo appearance that went poorly, bringing no relief to a Raiders team that bore little resemblance to the squad that spent the first six weeks of the season seizing the attention of teams around the NFL.

It was, in short, a talent show in which the talent did not show.

The only welcome news wrapped within this 28-0 gift handed to the Chiefs before a restless crowd of 57,361 came when the clock showed zeros and the Raiders trudged off the field into the sweet and warm embrace of the bye week.

"This bye week couldn't be at a better time," said Palmer, who barring unforeseen catastrophe will start Oakland's next game, Nov. 6 against Denver.

"If you have to have a bye week," defensive tackle Richard Seymour said, "this is as good a time as any."

They're right. And they're perceptive enough to know they never again want to take part in such sheer ineptitude, beginning with Boller and Palmer sharing equally in six interceptions. After such an incoherent offensive performance, easily the worst since Hue Jackson arrived last year, taking a week to regroup never looked so good."