Last season, Oakland Raiders cornerback Darrien Gordon nearly did in his former Denver Broncos teammates with a 78-yard punt return in the second half.

This season, will it be Tory James providing the haunting moves?

The Raiders' nickel cornerback certainly made a name for himself Sunday in Oakland's come-from-behind 37-31 win over Indianapolis.

	Gordon

	James

He intercepted two passes, the second in the end zone to preserve the win, improving the Raiders' record to 2-0 for the first time since 1995.

"I heard he got two picks," said Broncos safety Eric Brown, who missed the end of the Raiders contest to take the field for Denver's 42-14 win over Atlanta.

"I didn't see them. But I heard they were gimmes."

Brown chuckled at the comments, knowing they might provide a little bulletin-board material for the Broncos' AFC West showdown with the Raiders at Network Associates Coliseum on Sunday. But he wasn't worried.

"They're coming off a big win, so they're pretty confident," Brown said.

"But we're coming off a big win, so we're feeling good, too. It's going to be a little war."

It always is, but now James has joined Gordon in black-and-silver as the Raiders bid to end their five-game losing streak to the Broncos.

"I can feel it. This team is just coming together," said James, who left the Broncos in the off-season to sign a five-year, $18 million deal with Oakland.

"After a win like we had against Indianapolis, we're ready. It's a great group of guys. I love playing with them."

Gordon, who missed the Raiders' game Sunday because of his mother's death, made it clear last year he wanted revenge against a Broncos staff he felt disrespected him. He directed an obscene gesture at Denver defensive coordinator Greg Robinson after the teams first met last season.

	“	I really and truly feel home here. That's something I didn't feel in Denver, especially my last year there. ”
		— Darrien Gordon, Raiders cornerback

James is mellower than Gordon and wasn't about to stoke the rivalry, saying only that it "wasn't tough" to leave Denver.

"It was meant to be like that," he said. "Everything happens for a reason. I really and truly feel home here. That's something I didn't feel in Denver, especially my last year there.

"I feel it here. Everybody accepted me here. They let me go out and make plays."

James, the heir apparent to starting corner Eric Allen, insists he will prepare for Sunday's game no differently.

But if he performs anything like Gordon has against his former teams, James is in for a big day. Gordon always had blockbuster efforts against his first team, San Diego, whenever the Broncos and Chargers met.

Last Oct. 10 against the Broncos, Gordon got rolling again. He entered the game averaging only 4.8 yards a return, but nearly won the game for Oakland with a 78-yarder. Chris Watson saved the touchdown by dragging Gordon down at the 5, and Oakland ended up settling for a field goal to tie the score at 13.

Jason Elam gave Denver the lead for good with a 26-yard field goal 4-1/2 minutes later, and James preserved the win with his third career interception, which he returned 45 yards.

Even Broncos players teased James at the time, saying the interception was a gimme.

"I don't think nothing in this league is a gimme," James said. "If they want to call them that, I'll take them."

With two interceptions already this season, James is on his way to topping his effort in 1999, when he led the Broncos with five.

"Tory was a great player," Broncos linebacker Al Wilson said. "I wish he could still be around, but that's the way the league goes. I wish him all the success, and hopefully he'll have a great year.

"But we don't want him to have too big of a game against us."

Lynn DeBruin writes for the Denver Rocky Mountain News.