Oakland Raiders 2008 Schedule Poses Challenge for Rebuilding Team

The NFL's official 2008 schedule has been released and fans of the Oakland Raiders should not have to wait long to find out where their team stands, with 3 of the first 4 games against division opponents. The opener is at home in the late half of ESPN's Monday Night Football doubleheader versus Denver, followed by a road game at Kansas City in week two. After a trip to Buffalo in week three, then comes the third game of the AFC West trifecta with the Raiders hosting San Diego.

Oh well, NFL teams must play divisional opponents twice a season anyhow, so you might as well get them out of the way early. The biggest problem for Oakland in recent years has been winning games within the AFC West, although the Silver and Black did win at Kansas City and at home versus Denver late in the 2007 campaign. With last year's number one pick in the NFL draft, JaMarcus Russell most likely taking the reins of Lane Kiffin's offense, Russell will be thrown into the fire early. Of course, that's assuming the Raiders' curmudgeon owner Al Davis doesn't fire Kiffin before the season. Davis reportedly sent Kiffin a letter last January asking for Kiffin's resignation, which last season's rookie Head Coach has thus far refused to tender.

That would be a tough way for any team to open the season, with a trio of divisonal games in the season's first quarter, but as stated earlier, you have to play them sometime. The Oakland Raiders' bye is in week 5 and the schedule would seem to be easier in the middle with a road trip to New Orleans, the New York Jets at home, at Baltimore and the Atlanta Falcons at home in Oakland as the season reaches the halfway point. The most interesting of these games at first glance would be the Raiders vs. the Saints and Sean Payton, the Raiders almost head coach of a few years ago, and new Raider DeAngelo Hall going against his old team, Atlanta. Given Hall's controversies in Atlanta, that should be an intriguing matchup.

The 2008 NFL season's third quarter begins for the Oakland Raiders at home against Carolina in week 10, so there are three winnable home games in a four week span for the team. Then come tough road trips to Miami and Denver which could offer a drastic change in climates a week apart. With Bill Parcells running the Dolphins now, getting one win in those two games would not be a bad proposition, Denver always being tough on visitors. Week 13 brings the Oakland Raiders' game twelve, a rematch with the archrival Kansas City Chiefs, this time at home in Oakland.

The month of December brings the final quarter of the NFL's regular season. The Raiders open the month at San Diego against former head coach Norv Turner and the Chargers powerful offense. Then, Oakland gets another lump of coal in the stocking with Bill Belichick and his elves led by Tom Brady coming to the Bay Area. If the Raiders win either of the games against the two teams in last January's AFC championship it will be a big plus.

The schedule tapers off slightly at the end with the Houston Texans coming to Oakland in a winnable contest. The regular season and most likely the entire season for the Oakland Raiders ends with a trip to Tampa Bay and former head coach Jon "Chucky" Gruden on the last Sunday of 2008. Both teams should be juiced for the rematch of the Super Bowl of a few years ago. The Buccaneers could be preparing for the playoffs and resting starters, so the outcome of this one is hard to project.

However, for the season outlook, while the Oakland Raiders should be improved with a years experience for JaMarcus Russell and some free agent acquisitions, the outlook is 6-10 or 7-9 at best. The trade for DeAngelo Hall will strengthen the secondary and the defense overall, but with an inexperienced quarterback and a lack of proven weapons on offense for Russell to get the ball to, Raider fans shouldn't expect enough improvement to qualify for postseason play.

With constant turmoil between Al Davis and Lane Kiffin and other issues, the only way the team can do much better is if Javon Walker bounces back in a big way. Even if that happens, there is a lack of other proven weapons, although Zach Miller showed promise as a rookie at tight end in 2007.

Sources: www.nfl.com