iously, how can this be so? The Raiders -- owners of the worst record in the NFL last season at 2-14 -- have been saddled with the most difficult schedule in 2007? Huh-whaah?!
Aye, 'tis true. Along with AFS correspondent DJ Burrito's beloved Buffalo Bills, the 2007 Raiders are calendared to face franchises that had a combined winning percent of .539 in 2006.
Let's explain how this came to be. Here is how NFL schedules are generated since the 2002 season's re-alignment. Steady now:
* Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).
* The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).
* The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).
* Two intraconference games based on the previous year's standings (2 games). These games will match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference will be matched in the same way each year.
Awrioght-then. First off, the other three teams in the AFC West division (SD, KC, DEN) are either good or better-than-good. San Diego had the best record in the NFL last season at 14-2. Both Denver and AFS correspondent Kyle's Kansas City Chiefs each went 9-7.
The two divisions that the Raiders draw in 2007 are the AFC South (IND, JAC, TEN, HOU) and the "Black And Blue" NFC North (CHI, GB, MIN, DET). There are some particularly powerful teams in there. Da Bearsss had the best record in the NFC with Lovie's keen Cover Two D. SFist Eve's Indianapolis Colts rode their precision one-back offensive scheme all the way to Super Bowl XLI.
Though the AFC South's Titans and Jaguars both finished at .500 in 2006, both squads fall squarely under the label of fiery teams that no one wants to see on their slate in 2007: the Jags because of their punishing style of play in all aspects of the game, and the Titans for the undefendable QB Vince "he-just-wins-games" Young.
The two intraconference last-place teams are the still-unformed Cleveland Browns, and the underperforming Miami Dolphins -- both of which could beat the Raiders. In fact the Browns did beat the Raiders in 2006.
Yeah, this Raider season ain't shaping up to be a whole lot of fun. But we're not going to sugar-coat it for you. And we're not even to the draft yet. Damn you, NFL, damn you.
Just as we did with the 49ers, after the jump we have analysis, forecasting, and a simplified text version of the Raiders' 2007 schedule suitable for wallet or wall. Just copy, paste, print, and grouse.
* Photo of Al Davis surrounded by sword-wielding squirrels via blog.nbx.com. No, we have no idea. Yes, we had to use it.
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