Quarterback Derek Carr
The Oakland Raiders secured an impressive record of 12-4 in 2016, and faced a plethora of playoff contending teams throughout the year. While the Silver and Black's opponents have been known for the past few months, now we have the dates and times for those 16 regular season games.
Following the NFL's release of the 2017 regular season schedule Thursday evening; here are some things you should know about the Raiders slate of games.
- In recent years, the league has seen the emergence of the next generation of quarterbacks, and among those to be considered at the forefront of that movement are Raiders signal-caller Derek Carr and the Tennessee Titans Marcus Mariota. For the second season in a row, the Raiders will open up the schedule on the road; it should be interesting to watch two of the NFL's most promising gunslingers go head-to-head in Music City.
- Derek Carr and Co., will get their first taste of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Week 2 against the New York Jets. Head Coach Jack Del Rio's team was able to perform at a high level in front of Raider Nation last year, en route to earning a 6-2 home record.
- The Silver and Black were one of the NFL's hottest teams last year, and played under the primetime lights a total of three times. This year, the Raiders will be broadcast on primetime television five times, the first coming in Week 3 against the Washington Redskins on Sunday Night Football. This will be the second road game for the team, with three road matchups coming within the first month of the season.
- Promptly after the Raiders' trip to Washington, D.C., they'll depart for the Mile High City to take on their first division rival, the Denver Broncos. The Raiders and Broncos split the season series last year, each coming away with a victory on their home turf.
- One of the biggest games circled on the calendar is the Raiders international showdown with the reigning Super Bowl champs at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The Silver and Black will return to Mexico in 2017 to face the New England Patriots in Week 11, after defeating the Houston Texans 27-20 last year in Week 11.
- As I said previously, Carr and Mariota are among the young players dubbed as the new wave of dynamic quarterbacks, but also included in that group is reigning Rookie of the Year Dak Prescott. After leading the Dallas Cowboys to the NFC divisional round of the playoffs in January, Prescott will enter the Coliseum in Week 15, and square off against defensive end Khalil Mack on the gridiron in a primetime matchup.
- In a holiday special, the Raiders will travel to Philadelphia and take on the Eagles in a primetime Christmas day game, which will air on ESPN's Monday Night Football.
