K Sebastian Janikowski (11) tries a field goal attempt out of the hold of P Shane Lechler (9) during the Raiders 2007 meeting with the Detroit Lions in Oakland. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
DATE: Sunday, December 18, 2011, 1:05 p.m. PT | SITE: O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA
THIS WEEK: The Oakland Raiders, members of the American Football Conference Western Division, are now in their 52nd season of pro football competition. The Raiders faced AFC teams for the first nine games of 2011 with three straight contests versus fellow AFC West members. This week, the Silver and Black face an inter-conference opponent for the fourth time in the past five weeks with a home game versus the NFC North Detroit Lions.
TELEVISION: This week's game will be televised on FOX, with Thom Brennaman handling play-by-play, and former NFL coachBrian Billick as color analyst and Laura Okmin as sideline reporter. If sold out per NFL blackout rules, the game will be broadcast in the Bay Area onKTVU Channel 2. The game will also air in Sacramento on KXTL Channel 40 in Sacramento.
RADIO: The game will air live on Raiders Radio Network originating on KITS LIVE 105.3 FM, the Silver and Black's flagship for the multi-state Radio Network. Greg Papa and Raiders two-time Super Bowl winning head coach Tom Flores will man the booth for the 14th straight year. The radio pregame and postgame shows feature Raider Legends George Atkinson and David Humm.
SPANISH RADIO:Raider games in the 2011 airs in Spanish in the Bay Area on radio station KCNL 104.9 FM withFernando Arias and Ambrosio Ricohandling announcing duties.
SERIES:The Oakland Raiders lead the Detroit Lions 6-4 in the regular season series since the teams first met in 1970, when the Lions defeated the Raiders 28-14.
CONNECTIONS
RAIDERS: T Joe Barksdale is from Detroit… G Jared Veldheer is from Grand Rapids… LB Kamerion Wimbley played with Lions DT Andre Fluellen at Florida State… RB Darren McFadden played with Lions CB Chris Houston at Arkansas… TE David Ausberry played at USC with Lions DE Lawrence Jackson… P Shane Lechler played with Lions LS Don Muhlbach at Texas A&M… LB Aaron Curry played at Wake Forest with Lions CB Alphonso Smith… TE Brandon Myers played at Iowa with Lions S Amari Spievey… Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders coached with Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham at Cal, with the San Diego Chargers, and with the Kansas City Chiefs… Saunders also coached with Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and assistant quarterbacks coach Todd Downing with the St. Louis Rams… CB DeMarcus Van Dyke was coached at Miami (FL) by Lions secondary coach Tim Walton.
LIONS:CB Eric Wright is from San Francisco… WR Rashied Davis played at San Jose State and played in the Arena Football League for the San Jose Sabercats…* *Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham coached for the Silver and Black from 1991-94, linebackers, defensive line, and as defensive coordinator… Tight ends coach Tim Lappano spent time in the Bay Area coaching at Cal (1992-95) and with the San Francisco 49ers (2003-04).
LAST GAME:The Oakland Raiders lost to the Packers, 46-14, last Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Raiders mounted a nine-play, 80-yard drive in the third quarter, culminating with a two-yard RB Michael Bush touchdown run. LB Rolando McClain sacked the Green Bay quarterback—his second sack on the day— in the end zone for a safety and TE Kevin Boss caught a five-yard TD pass from QB Carson Palmer to cap a 12-play, 77-yard drive. K Sebastian Janikowski converted on both PAT opportunities.
BLOCK THAT KICK:DL Desmond Bryant blocked a PAT during the December 11 contest against the Packers in Green Bay. The Raiders have also posted a punt block and a field goal block this season.
BAT THAT PASS:DL John Henderson batted down two passes during the December 11 contest against the Packers in Green Bay. The two passes defensed tied a career-high for Henderson and marked the ninth time in his career that he has posted two passes defensed.
RAIDER SAFETY:LB Rolando McClain sacked the quarterback in the end zone for a safety at Green Bay on December 11. The sack marked the second of the game for McClain, who established a career-high, and marked the first safety by a Raider since LB Quentin Groves recorded a sack against Denver on December 19, 2010.
PICK FOR MITCHELL: S Mike Mitchell recorded his first interception of the season, picking off a pass at Green Bay on December 11. The interception in the end zone marked the second of Mitchell's career and he became the 10th different Raider to record a pick this season.
DHB GETS GAME-HIGH FIVE: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey led all receivers with five catches for 78 yards at Green Bay on December 11. It marked the fourth time this season that Heyward-Bey has hauled in at least five passes in a game.
TOUCHDOWN BUSH: RB Michael Bush scored a touchdown on a two-yard run at Green Bay on December 11, marking his team-leading seventh rushing touchdown of the season. Bush, who has scored 21 career rushing touchdowns, set a career-high with eight rushing scores last year.
NEXT WEEK:The Raiders finish out the 2011 regular season versus two AFC West foes— next week at Kansas City against the Chiefs on Saturday, December 24. The Raiders close out the regular season against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, January 1 at O.co Coliseum.
