During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the Oakland Raiders easiest games are the focus.
Oakland Raiders Easiest Games in 2016
9) Week 7 @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Beginning the list of easiest games for Oakland will be the frontend of their Florida road trip, as the Raiders will go into Jacksonville to take on what should be a much improved Jaguars team. The Jaguars shared the title of “Off-season Champions” with the Raiders, but that far from guarantees a trip to the playoffs.
With the return of Dante Fowler Jr. from an injury that cost him his rookie season, along with the introduction of newly drafted rookies Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack, the Jacksonville defense will be talented, but raw. They may not be quite ready to contend with the best of the NFL. However, the talented receiving group led by Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, along with budding young quarterback Blake Bortles will be a significant challenge for the rebooted Oakland secondary. This match-up is a winnable one for the Raiders, and could be the type of tough road victory they need to capture in order to end the franchise’s playoff drought.
10) Week 9 vs. Denver Broncos
Perhaps the first controversial placing on this list is the defending Super Bowl champions sitting as the 10th most difficult game for the Raiders in 2016. Yet this is truly a testament to how steep of a potential fall off the Broncos might experience this year. The defense will be fearsome, and even potentially one of the best in the NFL again. However, all signs point to Mark Sanchez starting under center in Week 1, and that’s not going to cut it on the road in Oakland. With their bye week coming the following week, the Raiders will be looking to bring momentum into the second half of the season. And with a Denver Broncos team coming into the O.co Coliseum where they were nearly beat the year before, and after losing multiple pieces of their championship roster, Oakland should have a considerable advantage.
11) Week 8 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The last two weeks of November will serve as a vacation to Florida for the Raiders. They will visit Jacksonville and Tampa Bay in consecutive weeks. In the latter game, Oakland has an opportunity to pick up an important victory against a team that should still be a year away from serious playoff contention. New coach Dirk Koetter is a step in the right direction for the Buccaneers. Quarterback Jameis Winston has also shown glimpses of his first overall talent. Along with this, Oakland will be spending their second week on the East Coast, but this is a match-up where the Raiders are just one step ahead of Tampa Bay.
12) Week 15 @ San Diego Chargers
In their re-match with divisional foe San Diego, the Raiders will this visit Qualcomm Stadium and the Chargers, though the same outcome should be expected. The match-up will likely come down to how much Philip Rivers can do for his team. It will be up to the Oakland defense to contain him. Last year Derek Carr led his offense into San Diego and nearly blew the Chargers out. It was one of Oakland’s best offensive games of the year. That type of performance won’t be necessary to get the win this season. This road matchup is a manageable one for the Raiders, and one they should be expected to get.
13) Week 13 vs. Buffalo Bills
Another lucky break the Raiders’ received from the NFL schedule builders will be hosting, rather than visiting Buffalo in the beginning of December. Rex Ryan and the Bills should be formidable opponents coming down the stretch of the season, though most of their season will lie on the shoulders of Tyrod Taylor. Buffalo will likely be at least in playoff contention entering December. Taylor will need to backup his breakout 2015 season if they want to reach the playoff threshold. Regardless, Oakland’s roster boasts more proven talent at this point. With home field on their side this should be a victory for the Raiders.
14) Week 2 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Fortunately for Jack Del Rio and his Raiders, two of the three easiest games on their schedule appear in week 2 in Tennessee, and then in week 3 when they host the Falcons. However, the true difficulty of this match-up will be determined by Dan Quinn’s development of the defense. There are still question marks entering 2016. Matt Ryan may spearhead a talented offense with Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones. It will still be a tall order for Atlanta to walk into the Black Hole and take down the much improved Raiders.
15) Week 3 @ Tennessee Titans
The Titans added offensive talent with the addition of DeMarco Murray in the backfield. They also drafted Jack Conklin, who will surely improve the offensive line. This directly benefits Marcus Mariota as he will look to build on his rookie season. With all that said, the Titans should be the weakest opponent Derek Carr and the Raiders face his year. However, the east coast trip to Tennessee does present a slight challenge. Of all the Raiders’ games outside of Oakland, this looks to be the easiest.
16) Week 5 vs. San Diego Chargers
After sweeping their California-neighbor the previous year, the Oakland Raiders are primed to get the better of the Chargers once again in 2016. San Diego suffered a disappointing 2015 campaign. That can be partially attributed to a plethora of injuries. However, even a healthy roster is still a step below the rest of the AFC West. Quarterback Philip Rivers is capable of carrying his team to a victory no matter who opponent or location. However there is a significant gap in talent between the two teams. Add in Oakland’s home field advantage and this week 5 match-up looks to be the easiest on the Raiders’ schedule.
Check out the Oakland Raiders hardest games of 2016.
HONOLULU, HI – SUNDAY, JANUARY 31: Team Rice quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders scrambles to pass against Team Irvin during the first half of the 2016 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 31, 2016 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
