It was interesting enough that just over two months after dealing quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders, the Cincinnati Bengals needed their former signal caller to lose to get them into the playoffs.

After falling to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, the Bengals needed either Denver or Oakland to lose their final game.  Both teams eventually loss. 

Had the Raiders simply won their game they would have secured an AFC West title, an accolade they were hoping to secure when they dealt a pair of draft picks for the self-proclaimed retired quarterback.

When the deal was made on October 18 the Raiders were 4-2 and in the driver’s seat in the division. Palmer would guide the Raiders to a 4-6 mark in his 10 games under center.

There were many factors that hurt his success. The obvious issues of joining a team mid-season and coming off your couch led to some rustiness and required a fair amount of time to adjust. Moreover, the lingering injury to Darren McFadden, the Raiders’ most explosive weapon, and many of the team's young and talented receivers also took their toll.

Let’s not forget about the Raiders’ defense either. The unit did not live up to their end, particularly in the season-ending loss to the Chargers on Sunday.

Palmer himself sees his first year in Oakland a failure and indicated that to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"It was this year," he said. "It didn't work out for us this year. I always feel like when you don't win, the quarterback can always play better, and I can definitely play better. It stinks to sit here and say next year, what are we going to do next year.

"We'll get back together, look at film, find ways to get better, find a way to get to the playoffs next year."

THE NUMBERS
60.7% completion
2,753 yards
13 TD
16 INT
80.5 QB rating
8.39 yards per pass (career high/previous best 7.54 in 2005)

FINAL TAKE:  The Raiders gave up a ton and failed to win a weak AFC West.  If they are unable to make the postseason in 2012 this trade will be a huge failure. Meanwhile, Palmer’s former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, and his replacement, rookie Andy Dalton, will be playing in a post-season game this weekend.  For the Bengals, it worked out a great. If Dalton leads Cincinnati to a playoff win, something Palmer failed to do in his eight years under center, the Bengals will look even better.

NFL oakland raiders, carson palmer, cincinnati bengals