Oakland Raiders 2009 regular season schedule announced
The Oakland Raiders 2009 regular season schedule was released on Tuesday night. Their 16-game campaign will feature a nationally televised home opener on Monday night versus the San Diego Chargers and a Thanksgiving day match-up on the road against the Dallas Cowboys.
Here is the schedule in its entirety:
Monday, September 14 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 7:15 p.m. ESPN
Sunday, September 20 at Kansas City Chiefs 10:00 a.m. CBS
Sunday, September 27 DENVER BRONCOS 1:15 p.m. CBS
Sunday, October 4 at Houston Texans 10:00 a.m. CBS
Sunday, October 11 at New York Giants 10:00 a.m. CBS
Sunday, October 18 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday, October 25 NEW YORK JETS 1:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday, November 1 at San Diego Chargers 1:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday, November 8 BYE
Sunday, November 15 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 1:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday, November 22 CINCINNATI BENGALS 1:15 p.m. CBS
Thursday, November 26 at Dallas Cowboys 1:15 p.m. CBS
Sunday, December 6 at Pittsburgh Steelers 10:00 a.m. CBS
Sunday, December 13 WASHINGTON REDSKINS 1:05 p.m. FOX
Sunday, December 20 at Denver Broncos 1:05 p.m. CBS
Sunday, December 27 at Cleveland Browns 10:00 a.m. CBS
Sunday, January 3, 2010 BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:05 p.m. CBS
There are a few things I look for once the schedule is announced. When are the back-to-back road games and against whom? How does the December schedule look like? How many home stretches and against what opponents? The placement of playoff teams from the prior season on the schedule. The location of the bye week and if there are any stretches versus divisional foes.
Oakland gets a break in their first set of back-to-back road games against the Texans and Giants. Houston is not known to be an overly difficult road test, and playing at the Meadowlands in early October may not be as treacherous as the later months of the season when the winds kick in and the weather plays tricks on visiting clubs. The back-to-back stretch at Dallas and at Pittsburgh is very difficult. Playing on the road versus the Cowboys on Thanksgiving is tough, but then following that up with a game against the defending Super Bowl champions may be tougher.
As for December road games; at Pitt., at Den., and at Cle., can be an issue especially if mother nature decides to inject some elements into these contests.
Oakland has to establish a presence at home during their home stretches. Back-to-back home games in late October versus the Eagles and Jets could be key. These are teams flying from the east coast, that are difficult to project at this point in terms what they will look like, but can provide a good litmus test when teams start establishing themselves around the league.
The consecutive home games in mid-November prior to their back-to-back versus Pitt. and Dall. is vital. Oakland has to have a good showing against the Chiefs and Bengals before facing one of the toughest 2 weeks this team has had in recent years.
The BYE week is placed very nicely mid-way through the season.
But more importantly, the start of the season is what makes this schedule for the Raiders very interesting.
You have to love the fact that they start off with three straight vs. SD, KC and DEN. Oakland can establish where they are right off the bat. No excuses! Tom Cable can set the table early and see where the team is. If they are good enough to hang with the big boys, and win key games within the division early, it can have a nice domino effect to the season. And since the perception is that the AFC West is very weak right now, which is a vary valid point as evidenced by what has occurred over the last year, then the Raiders have a chance to really make a splash early, or continue their awful showings against west rivals since 2003.
Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
