Now before anyone goes and has Lane Kiffin fired today, consider this.

There is a school of thought in the Raiders building that owner Al Davis will be keeping Kiffin and will use the press conference today to criticize the media for rumor mongering.

The Oakland Raiders will hold a “significant” news conference this afternoon, which currently is scheduled for 2 p.m. PT. Raiders owner Al Davis will be attending and speaking.

Rarely are head coaches fired this early in the season. In fact, since 1970, it has happened only five times, and not once since 1989, when Raiders owner Al Davis fired his head coach Mike Shanahan after the team started 1-3.

Matt Millen made a far better television analyst than general manager. But his greatest strength as a GM was holding onto the job. Until now.

Please retrieve the blog item posted at this time last week. Please retrieve the blog item posted Monday. Please retrieve every item every item ever blogged on Raiders coach Lane Kiffin in the past year. Kiffin is safe. For another day. For another week. Again.

Despite almost daily speculation that his next day is his last day at the helm of the Raiders, coach Lane Kiffin said Monday he’s the coach until he hears otherwise from owner Al Davis.

Asked if Kiffin will be coaching the Raiders on Sunday, all the person would say is, Nothing’s going to happen today.

Sounds like today is the day. The Raiders will fire Lane Kiffin, and the guillotine could fall soon.

The moment Raiders coach Lane Kiffin loses his next game, and that could be as early as Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, he is on the clock, a candidate to be fired at any moment.

Those on the Lane Kiffin Watch can leave the building, get some rest, do whatever they want. The Watch for the night now appears to be over.

Those on alert for what Al Davis will do with Kane Kiffin need to pay attention Tuesday. Tension in the building, according to those there, is high. Those there are nervously waiting to see if this is the day — Lane Kiffin’s last with the Raiders.