5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (Aug 5)

Downs...

3. Another Step Back For The Raiders

Is Vinnie Mac still booking the renamed "Vicious Viking Raiders"?

That'd explain why Erik and Ivar look dominant one week, then like they couldn't kick their own arses the next. The pair came across as savage maulers when they wrecked Xavier Woods' ankle last Friday, but Kofi Kingston made them look like a couple of total t*ts here.

Kofi took the fight to those Raiders...and he won it despite being on his own. Seriously? WWE needs to pick a direction for the reborn heels and stick to it, because they'll struggle big time if they're expected to play human yo-yos on TV for the foreseeable.

Having The Raiders hammer two jobbers was fine. Booking Kingston to hold his own against both, defeat Erik and put them down with a kendo stick? Yeah, that was too much, and it even steps on Xavier's impact as a vengeful babyface when he returns.

Where's the threat if Kofi can handle these boys solo?