SAN DIEGO

AS MUCH AS Al Davis cherishes loyalty — and loyalty is everything to the Raiders boss — there has to come a time when he takes a cold look at each employee's value to the organization.

Loyalty alone is not enough to determine value. Not if the organization is to have any chance at succeeding.

Right now, in the wake of allegations that coach Tom Cable has battered women, coming shortly after allegations that he assaulted one of his own assistants, the loyal coach has become a liability.

Maybe not so much to his players; the off-field actions of a coach don't always affect the on-field performance. Indeed, no Raider so far has even insinuated Cable is to blame for the team's weak overall performance.

Nothing about the Raiders' effort in a 24-16 defeat to San Diego on Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium changes that. This was another case of the Raiders playing well enough to be respected but poorly enough to rack up another loss.