Caller: How do you keep up with a Mustang? Easy, you don't if you're a Greyhound on the football field with the Mustangs last Friday night at Atascadero High.

Our Mustangs went down there with victory in mind, and that's what we took. We have an explosive offense when they're clicking, but defenses win championships and I feel that the defense is finally getting some coverage, unlike last year. Keep up the good work sports staff. This week's prediction: Gilroy High, 42-14 victory over visiting Palo Alto. Go Mustangs.

Green Phone: Dear rhetorical question-asking reader,

Thanks for the submission. Gilroy got the win, even if it wasn't pretty. The defense definitely stepped up against the Greyhounds, which bodes well for the upcoming contest considering the aggressive passing attack Palo Alto employs.

As for the backhanded compliment about our coverage of the defense this season compared to last season - thank you, I guess - but it's worth noting that the defense didn't really step it up in 2007 until the second half of the Pacific Grove game on Oct. 12 (Week 6).

Cornerback Ryan Costa went down with a broken leg on a punt return and the defense immediately took it as a challenge and inspiration, shutting out the Breakers in the second half after allowing 19 points in the first.

There was the opening day shutout of Mountain View last season, which was great but not exactly unexpected, followed by a very close Oak Grove game (27-21) and then a blowout loss at Serra (52-31). A close win over Salinas in Week 5 (23-18) and a 47-0 drubbing of Alvarez are hard to rate - both teams were bad, real bad.

Once the Mustangs switched up their alignment from a 3-4 base to a nickel package that added a defensive back, things started clicking. Saying all that, Gilroy's defense only allowed 22.6 points per game in 2007, which in hindsight is pretty impressive.

So far this season, Gilroy's defense has looked like the strength of the team. Considering Gilroy's offense has been known to have drives that score or stall in less than a minute, having a stout defense that can handle being on the field the majority of the game will be key.

Caller: I would like to know how come you didn't put in any scores in the paper last week. ... It'd be nice if we can keep tabs on some of the local teams.

Green Phone: Dear Are you sure you want to know about the Raiders?

We will do our best to start putting scores from local NFL and college teams' games in the print edition. Unfortunately, there isn't enough space sometimes. We try to make sure we have as much local content as possible in print. Without trying to sound rude, Tuesday is a bit late to be finding out scores if you're a big fan, but we will try to make sure there are scores on the local pro and college team going forward.

Caller: I just wanted to give my opinion on Lane Kiffin, if the Oakland Raiders would be any better (without him). It might help them, motivate them. But Al Davis seems to always be changing coaches until he's satisfied, but the thing is [Davis] is running the team ... and it seems Lane Kiffin is just Al Davis' puppet anyway. So, Lane Kiffin might be better off just leaving and going somewhere else like all the other good coaches who have left. Until Al Davis sells the team or leaves or steps aside, things will never change. The Raiders have a good winning tradition and it would be good if that could come back and they could stay on that tradition.

Green Phone: Dear Pining for the day Al Davis steps aside,

The Raiders are so dysfunctional right now, Green Phone won't even bother getting into it. Just check out this fiasco.