Raiders' Darren McFadden ready to run (w/video)

ALAMEDA - Darren McFadden has never felt this good in mid-October.

The only thing that hurts - and it hurts a lot - is the Raiders’ 0-5 record. But a roll call of McFadden maladies throughout his seven-year career is devoid of aches and pains.

No sign of turf toe or an aching shoulder. Two strong knees. Hamstrings are good. His locker is absent of shoe inserts to deal with Lisfranc sprains.

“It may not show in the stats, but this is the best I’ve felt five games into the season,” McFadden said Thursday. “I don’t have any nagging injuries, nicks or anything slowing me down. I feel like I can go out there and let it loose 100 percent.”

After four games of running hard and getting nowhere, McFadden showed flashes of his form in 2010 and 2011, when he was among the NFL’s most productive backs. He had 80 yards on 14 carries Sunday in a 31-28 loss to San Diego, with two rushes for 11 yards negated by penalties. Only once was he thrown for a loss.

“Right now he’s got a lot of juice to him, and that’s really good,” Raiders coach Tony Sparano said.

That juice, and the memory of how electric McFadden was in the good times, has kept the fans on his side. For the most part, a frustrated fan base that has turned on some players still reveres McFadden.

McFadden’s No. 20 jersey ranks No. 42 in the NFL in sales, the only Raiders player in the top 50.

Why the love affair? McFadden believes it’s because they understand each other.

“Raider fans are some of the most loyal you’ll ever come across,” McFadden said. “That’s the same with me. I’m a loyal person.”

McFadden returned to the Raiders on a one-year contract and when asked if he would consider coming back, said, “Oh yeah, no doubt.”

After starting out the season as the second back to Maurice Jones-Drew, the roles have flipped with Jones-Drew opening the season slowed by hand surgery. Jones-Drew added 30 yards in four carries against San Diego, which Sparano sees as a good sign.

“There are very few backs in this league now that are one-trick ponies, where they’re the only show in town,” Sparano said.

McFadden retains two qualities Sparano considers crucial - the ability to gain yards in the red zone and the speed to go the distance. He had five rushing touchdowns last season while taking a back seat to Rashad Jennings because of injury.

The San Diego game boosted McFadden’s stats to a pedestrian 231 yards on 59 carries, with his 3.9 average better than the 3.3 he had each of the last two years. His longest run of 17 yards came against the Chargers. Sparano thinks the big one is coming.

“That will come, there’s no question about it,” Sparano said. “Every time he gets the ball, there’s the threat of that big, long run happening.”

McFadden, who flashed a moment of minor irritation at being tripped up in the open field against the Chargers, said, “You want to go out and get your first big run. I’m looking forward to it.”