(My Sportsbook) - Believe it or not, scoring points still counts for something in the NFL these days. Proving that fact are the Oakland Raiders, who are the highest-scoring team in the league and the last undefeated team as a result. All the talk about the importance of a stingy defense and a ball control offense makes for boring speeches about the good old days, but racking up yardage and throwing the ball 40 times per game is what makes for thrilling victories in the modern era.

With their slew of senior citizens and a coach nobody knows, the Raiders have raced out to a 4-0 start following a 49-31 win over the offensive-minded Buffalo Bills in Week 5. QB Rich Gannon, the NFL's highest-rated passer, threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. The grey-haired Gannon has gotten help from veteran wide receivers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown, while RB Charlie Garner has been playing like a man possessed.

"We're not conservative on offense," said Raiders first-year coach Bill Callahan. "We're going to continue to press the ball down the field. The schedule is going to get increasingly difficult, but this team thrives on it."

However, Garner has a mild hamstring injury and is questionable for this week's game. If the nimble back can't play, it may be a small setback. But you still get the feeling that Oakland will be able to compensate against the shellshocked St. Louis Rams.

The clock may be ticking, but the aging core of Oakland's offense is still setting the standard for their (much) younger NFL brethren. Gannon has been virtually unstoppable in Callahan's system, while Rice and Jerry Porter have each averaged over 14 yards per catch.

Porter broke out last week with seven catches for 117 yards. He has scored a touchdown in three straight games and adds yet another talented target for Callahan to utilize. The West Virginia product has two great role models to learn from, and the 6-foot-2 Porter has used that knowledge to make a serious impact.

"With the addition of Jerry Porter, and what he accomplished [in Week 5], it gives us an added dimension," said the Callahan. " When you can take a guy like Porter and play him a little more productively, it just takes the pressure off Jerry and Tim in that respect, and then of course Charlie gives you that dimension of becoming a receiver out of the backfield and on the perimeter.

"There more downfield weapons with the addition of those two young players emerging."

Garner has been the perfect West Coast back in his time in the NFL. He has played exclusively in that system in his nine seasons; with Philadelphia, San Francisco and the Raiders. He had 94 rushing yards and 83 receiving yards last week, while scoring one TD on the ground and another through the air. He will be depended on as the season progresses to maintain his level of play since his older teammates may slow down in the latter weeks of the campaign.

By the way, did Callahan really call Garner a young player? He's 30. I guess anyone under 35 is considered young in Oakland.

Anyway, the Rams are just not good enough on defense to hold the Raiders in check this week. St. Louis allows 25 points per game, and Oakland's passing attack should move the ball at will. Callahan is thrilled with the amount of success that his team has had, but he isn't ready to slow down.

"We're excited about where we're at," said Callahan, "but we have a long way to go."

COMING UP: The Raiders host the San Diego Chargers in Week 7.