The Raiders battle the Broncos tonight on Monday Night Football. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
RAIDERS ON MONDAY NIGHT: The Oakland Raiders will play on Monday Night Football for the 63rdtime when the Silver and Black travels to Denver for the 2011 season opener on September 12. The Raiders have compiled an outstanding 36-25-1 record since the introduction of the primetime series in 1970 and have opened the season on Monday Night Football three times in the last five years. The Raiders had an amazing run of dominance from the beginning on Monday Night Football, winning the team's first four contests and reeling off 14-straight victories in Monday Night Football games from 1975-81.
RAIDERS-BRONCOS MNF TRADITION: The Raiders and the Broncos have met on Monday Night Football 15 times since the introduction of the primetime series in 1970, more than any other two NFL teams. Of the 15 meetings, 10 contests have taken place in Denver and the two original AFL franchises have squared off on Monday Night Football 10 times since 1993. The two teams played on Monday Night Football each year from 1999-03 and last met on a Monday in the 2008 season opener. The first meeting between the two was a 23-23 tie at Denver October 22, 1973.* *
RAIDERS IN PRIME TIME TO KICK OFF SEASON: This Monday night's game marks the fifth time in the past seven years that the Silver and Black have opened the regular season in prime time and on national television. The Raiders premiered Monday Night Football on ESPN to open the 2009, 2006 (versus San Diego) and 2008 (versus Denver) seasons and participated in the NFL's Thursday night regular season kickoff at New England in 2005.
RAIDERS VERSUS AFC WEST IN ROAD OPENERS: The Raiders are 10-8-0 in regular season road openers versus fellow American Football Conference Western Division foes.
PAIR OF ACES: Last season, the Raiders were one of only eight teams to have two rushers total at least 500 yards on the ground. Both of those rushers return for 2011–Darren McFadden, who ran for a career-high 1,157 yards and Michael Bush, who also registered high career high with 655 yards. The Raiders ranked second on the entire NFL in rushing last year.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: RB Darren McFadden led the entire NFL in most rushes of 20 yards or longer, ripping off 14 such runs while rushing for a career-high 1,157 yards in 2011. He also had four runs of 40 yards or longer and two of at least 50 yards.
ACTIVE STATISTICAL LEADERS: Heading into the 2011 NFL regular season, two Raiders are ranked in the top 10 among active statistical leaders, P Shane Lechler and K Sebastian Janikowski. Lechler leads all punters with a 47.3-yard career average while Janikowski enters 2011 ranked seventh with 1,142 points.
