As we’ve recently said, in various formats, we think the Raiders need to make a decision about coach Lane Kiffin’s status, implement it, and move on.

But we also think that Kiffin needs to quit talking about his status.  Otherwise, he might eventually say something that really will give owner Al Davis cause to fire Kiffin — and not to owe him the balance of the money due under his contract.

On Wednesday, Kiffin talked about the personal toll that his status has taken.  In so doing, he came off, with all due respect, as a guy who is using anything he can to win the P.R. battle.

“That’s the unfortunate thing about this business and this situation here,” Kiffin said.  “My wife’s pregnant with our third child, and it’s due in January, so she has a lot of concerns . . .  You know how this thing is, all of a sudden she’s got realtors coming by the house asking if we’re putting the house up.

“So it’s tough, especially on a pregnant woman that doesn’t know where she’s gonna be when her child’s delivered.  If there was any regret, that’s what it would be.”

Kiffin also played the passive-aggressive game, explaining that he won’t resign because of the coaches and players whom he persuaded to come to a place where they didn’t necessarily want to be.

“A number of them were very worried about coming here, which is most of the coaches that you contact in the hiring process have a lot of concerns about coming here,” Kiffin said.  “They took a chance . . . so the last thing I’m going to do is bail on them.”

Finally, Kiffin said that he has received calls of support from others around the league.

“I’ve had a number of calls from head coaches in the NFL, some that I don’t have very close relationships with,” Kiffin said.  “I’m just seeing a lot of encouraging words from head coaches and some general managers as well.”

Lane, Lane, Lane.  Though you aren’t going to quit, what you’re essentially doing at this point is jabbing a stick in the eye of whoever it is that’s running the show in the hopes that they’ll fire you.  And you’re likewise giving the franchise solid ammunition to support its eventual position that, as to a severance package, you’ll get nothing and like it.

The better approach, if you truly want out, is to quit and be done with it.

In the end, Kiffin’s grievance will be resolved by someone who’ll look at his words and read between the lines and possibly conclude that this was a transparent effort by Kiffin to get fired without breaching his contract.

Meanwhile, Chargers coach Norv Turner was asked on Wednesday about his experiences as the coach of the Raiders.

“I think you know that’s a question I’m not going to answer,” Turner said.

Kiffin would have been wise to employ the same strategy.