14 turnovers and 9 games later, the Oakland Raiders will finally bench quarterback JaMarcus Russell this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bruce Gradkowski, who came in to relieve Russell’s horrid performances the last couple games, will replace Russell.

What else can one say about Russell’s season? This day was going to come, the only issue was actually when.

Who knows how Gradkowski will do but it can’t be worse than what Russell has done.

Gradkowski does not have the arm Russell does but by the looks of his short playing-time this season, he looks like a quarterback with a brain.

He looks like he’s aware of what’s going on around him and works in the pocket very comfortably.

Sure, Russell had the cannon arm but it’s not like he used it well.

Look for the Raiders to play the short passing game a lot more this weekend with Gradkowski under center.

And while we’re on the topic of first-round busts, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is turning out to be a big one.

The guy is not catching anything. Last week, versus the Chiefs, he dropped a ball that would have set up a first-and-goal on the Chiefs’ two and he also had one bounce of his chest in the closing seconds of the game that resulted in an interception.

He has not been effective in the offense at all. If anything, the rookie right next to him, Louis Murphy, looks to be putting more effort out on the field.

Hey, but he’s fast, and that’s all the Raiders want.