Raiders Return To Primetime For Christmas Clash With Philadelphia Eagles

The Oakland Raiders will head out on the road this week for a matchup on Christmas night against the NFC East Champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday, Dec. 25 at 5:30 p.m. PT. The game marks the final trip to the East Coast of the year for the Raiders and their first game in Philadelphia since 2005. The Eagles came to Oakland in 2009 and 2013.

Here is the Game Preview, presented by 95.7 The GAME.

This will mark the first time this year that the Raiders have played on Monday Night Football, and the second time this year for the Eagles. Last season, Oakland was featured on Monday night once as well, beating the Houston Texans in Mexico City.

Last week, the Raiders hosted the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football and fell in a close contest, 17-20. The defense held the Cowboys to just 330 yards of total offense. DE Khalil Mack led the way for the unit, posting two sacks on the night. CB Sean Smith recorded his first two interceptions of the year, picking off QB Dak Prescott on the game's first drive and then again in the third quarter. LB NaVorro Bowman again led the team with 11 tackles in the game. QB Derek Carr threw for 171 yards on 21-of-38 passing with two touchdowns, both hauled in by WR Derek Carr. Crabtree finished with seven catches for 39 yards in addition to his two scores. WR Seth Roberts led the team with 52 receiving yards on three receptions. The Raiders rushed for 122 yards in the game, including 76 from RB Marshawn Lynch and another 47 from Carr, his highest total of the season.

Next week, the Raiders will have a short week as they close out their regular season with a trip to Los Angeles to play the Chargers. Week 17's game will mark the first visit for the Silver and Black to the StubHub Center. The Eagles will stay at home and host the Dallas Cowboys for their final regular season game before heading into the postseason.

MACK IN DECEMBER

Since entering the NFL in 2014, no player has racked up as many sacks as DE Khalil Mack in the month that matters most. Mack has accounted for an unparalleled 17 sacks in December since his rookie campaign.

Mack is also in the midst of a five-game sack streak, posting a sack in each game since Week 11. Following up on Mack's eight-game sack streak last year, he is one of only two players with a sack streak of at least five games in each of the last two years (Joey Bosa).

TEXANS SNAPSHOT

	BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION ESPN Play-by-play: Sean McDonough Color Analyst:Jon Gruden Sideline:Lisa Salters NATIONAL RADIO Westwood One Sports Play-by-play: Ian Eagle Color Analyst: Boomer Esiason Sideline:Scott Kaplan RADIO **Raiders Radio Network (33 Stations)** Flagship: 95.7 The Game Play-by-play: Greg Papa Color Analyst: Tom Flores Sideline: Lincoln Kennedy Spanish Radio Flagship: KIQI 1010 Play-by-play: Fernando Arias Color Analyst: Ambrosio Rico

Overview:With Head Coach Doug Pederson at the helm for his second season, the Eagles clinched their first playoff berth since 2013. Philadelphia is coming off a 34-29 victory against the New York Giants, which secured a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Eagles have posted a 12-2 record, which are the most wins by the team since 2004 when Philadelphia set a franchise record going 13-3 in the regular season.

Offense: Second-year QB Carson Wentz, who was in the middle of an incredible breakout season and leading the league with 33 touchdowns, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 14 when the Eagles cliched their spot in the playoffs. Philadelphia has now turned to sixth-year QB Nick Foles, who threw for 237 yards and four touchdowns in last week's victory. The Eagles have three receivers who've eclipsed 700 yards with WR Alshon Jeffery (781), WR Nelson Agholor (722) and TE Zach Ertz (719). Combined, the three have accounted for 25 touchdowns this season, with Jeffery recording a team-best nine. Ertz also leads the team with 63 receptions. In his first season with the Eagles, eighth-year veteran RB LeGarette Blount paces the team with 159 carries for 717 yards (4.5 avg.) and two touchdowns.

Defense: In his second season as defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz' unit has recorded 17 interceptions in 2017, ranking third in the NFL. Leading the way is CB Jalen Millis, who has record the unit's only defensive touchdown. Millis' three picks are tied for first on the team with S Rodney McLeod and CB Patrick Robinson. DE Brandon Graham has recorded a career-best 9.5 sacks through 14 weeks, which is tied for eighth in the NFC.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Pro Connections

• Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo held the same position with the Raiders from 2007-08 and 2012-14, helping develop Raiders QB Derek Carr.

• Eagles G/C Stefen Wisniewski originally entered the league with Oakland as a second-round draft pick in 2011 where he started at left guard as a rookie before transitioning to center for the 2012 season. Wisniewski's uncle, Steve, was an eight-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro First Team member as a guard for the Raiders from 1989-2001.

• Raiders player personnel assistant Howie Long Jr. is the younger brother of Eagles DE Chris Long. Their father, Howie Long, played for the Raiders for 13 seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame following seven Pro Bowl appearances.

• Raiders running backs coach Bernie Parmalee (running back) played with Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson (quarterback) for the Miami Dolphins from 1992-95.

• Raiders offensive coordinator Todd Downing served on Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz' staff with the Detroit Lions from 2009-13, first as an offensive quality control coach before being promoted to assistant quarterbacks and later quarterbacks coach.

College Connections

• Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo was the quarterbacks coach at San Jose State in 2010 and was promoted to offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach in 2011.

• Eagles special teams coordinator Dave Fipp coached collegiately in the Bay Area at both San Jose State from 2005-07 and Holy Cross from 1998- 99.

• Eagles LB Mychal Kendricks spent four years playing at Cal from 2008-11 and was named the 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after leading the team with a career-high 106 tackles.

• Eagles TE Zach Ertz played three seasons at Stanford, appearing in 38 games and recording 112 receptions for 1,434 yards with 15 touchdowns.

• Eagles G Isaac Seumalo's father, Joe, is currently the defensive line coach at San Jose State.

• Eagles assistant special teams coach Matthew Harper started his collegiate career playing two seasons at City College of San Francisco from 2004-05.

• Raiders S Karl Joseph played in the same secondary as Eagles CB Rasul Douglas for one season at West Virginia, where the two competed against Eagles WR Shelton Gibson at practice in 2015. Additionally, Raiders LB Bruce Irvin and Eagles LB Najee Goode played together at West Virginia from 2010-11.

• Raiders DE Khalil Mack and Eagles DE Steven Means were teammates at Buffalo from 2010-12, where the two tallied a combined 31.5 sacks during their three years together.

• Raiders S Shalom Luani and Eagles DT Destiny Vaeao played on the same defense at Washington State in 2015. Additionally, the two are both from American Samoa as Luani is a native of Masausi and Vaeao is a native of Pago Pago.

Hometown Connections

• Raiders LS Jon Condo is a native of Philipsburg, Pa., where he attended Philipsburg-Osceola High School.

• Raiders DL Jihad Ward is a native of Philadelphia, Pa., where he attended Edward W. Bok Technical High School. • Eagles TE Zach Ertz is a native of Danville, Calif., where he attended Monte Vista High School and was named first-team all-state as a senior.

• Eagles DT Elijah Qualls attended Casa Grande (CA) High School.

• Eagles QB Nate Sudfeld is a native of Modesto, Calif., attending Modesto Christian High School.