Oakland’s schedule could be beneficial in 2009

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Thursday, April 16, 2009  |  Comments( 25 )

Oakland Raiders
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The Oakland Raiders' favorable schedule could lead to a return to prominence in 2009. Thanks in large part to a relatively weak AFC West, things are setting up nicely in Oakland.

While the Raiders square off against the likes of the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, they have several winnable games during the upcoming season. Four teams will be making the cross-country trip to the Bay Area, giving Oakland a significant advantage during those matchups.

The Raiders welcome the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets in Weeks 6 and 7 and should take advantage of the roughly 3,000-mile trip each team will have to endure. In addition, the Washington Redskins head to Oakland in mid-December and the Baltimore Ravens make the same trip in the regular-season finale.

Other favorable games on the schedule include tussles against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. If the Raiders can manage a winning record within the division and take advantage of the cross-country trips, a winning season for the first time in five years may be on the horizon.

One area of Oakland’s schedule that could pose difficult to navigate comes between Weeks 12 and 16. The Raiders will head to the road in four of five weeks during that stretch.

Road trips to Dallas and Pittsburgh will prove to be tremendous tasks and after a home game with Washington, Oakland finds itself back on the road. Before wrapping up the regular season with Baltimore at home, the Raiders travel to Denver and then to Cleveland.

All in all, the Raiders will have a chance to show drastic improvement from a year ago. With a head coach now firmly in place and several talented young players, Oakland's schedule could play a major role in significant progress made during the 2009 season.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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CommentsComments: 25  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Spoakland		05:04 AM
04/17/2009
There do seem to be alternating easy stretches and hard ones. If the Raiders have improved themselves significantly, by opening ...
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No.2
svduran1		07:01 AM
04/17/2009
Just give me a Warriors Death. Is that too much to ask? People like John Madden never retire, it's just not in there bones to ...
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No.3
07:54 AM
04/17/2009
There is no way John Madden takes on the General Manager position (nor do I think Al wants to hire anyone for that position). ...
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