Oakland Raiders 2016 Schedule: First glance predictions

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September 20, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper (89) runs against Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Daryl Smith (51) during the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 37-33. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Weeks 1-4: On The Road

The Raiders kick off the 2016 NFL season with three road contests in four games, with the NFL apparently trying to limit the number of regular season games affected by the Coliseum’s infield dirt. While road games are always a challenge, the Raiders were also gifted with some of their easiest tests during this time: the Saints at the Superdome, the Falcons in Oakland, the Titans in Nashville and the Ravens in Baltimore.

The season opener in New Orleans could set the tone for the entire season. The Superdome was in recent years a notoriously tough place for opposing teams, but that was when New Orleans was a perennial powerhouse team that appeared in the playoffs regularly. The Saints are no longer such a team. The Saints have finished 7-9 in each of the past two seasons (7-9 at home in that stretch) and their defense has been so atrocious that even the otherworldly abilities of an aging Drew Brees were not enough. Worse, the franchise managed to ship off its’ best young offensive player (Jimmy Graham) and has not done anything to get better markedly on either side of the ball in the past three years.

That said, Drew Brees to Brandin Cooks is still dangerous, and the Saints have some weapons – like CJ Spiller and Ben Watson – that could come out of nowhere and hurt the Raiders. But a retooled Raider secondary combined with what could be a historically good pass rush could limit what Brees and Cooks are able to do down the field, and the Saints haven’t been able to run the ball well in years and likely won’t rediscover this ability against the Raiders front. Look for the Raiders to win a game that could turn into a bit of a quarterback duel.

Prediction: Raiders 38, Saints 27.

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The Raiders home opener comes a week later against the Atlanta Falcons, who are in their second year under head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons improved from 4-12 to 8-8 last year, behind an improved Kyle Shanahan offense, a very solid year for QB Matt Ryan and a 1,000 yard rushing season from rookie running back Devonte Freeman along with a stellar season from wideout Julio Jones (136 catches, 1871 yards, 8 TDs). The Falcons defense finished 16th in total defense, but was a ball-hawking unit that forced 23 turnovers last year and limited opposing quarterbacks to 19 touchdown passes in 16 games.

The Falcons have gotten better using free agency this offseason, adding some good depth to their defensive front and adding another wideout in Mohammed Sanu, and should improve on their 2015 record. That said, Kyle Shanahan offenses are notoriously conservative in their approach and the Falcons may not have the guys to score a lot against a tough Raider defense. Look for the matchup between two defensive head coaches to end up in a defensive struggle, with Derek Carr doing enough to put the Raiders over the top.

Prediction: Raiders 21, Falcons 20.

Week Three takes the Raiders to Nashville, where they will face the Titans for the second straight year. The Titans just traded their first overall pick to the Rams (along with their fourth and sixth rounder) for a veritable mountain of draft picks – four top 100 picks this year, and two top 100 picks next year. The Titans haven’t done much in free agency to improve a roster that lost the most games in the league last season, but they will have a wealth of rookie talent entering the 2016 season.

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Raiders fans know what it’s like to have a team with a second year QB and a bunch of young, unproven talent around him: unpredictable. And it’s hard to predict exactly how good the Titans can be. But the Raiders have talent that is a bit more proven on the field and on the roster right now, and have seen Mariota already. Expect the Raiders to win convincingly in Nashville.

Prediction: Raiders 31, Titans 13.

The Raiders will stay on the road the following week and head to Baltimore, where the Ravens may be looking for some revenge after losing a close game in Oakland last year with a depleted roster. Key starters like Terrell Suggs should be back healthy for Baltimore, and that defense remains one of the toughest and best coached units in the league.

The Raiders upgraded offensive line should help keep Derek Carr upright, but the Baltimore secondary and scheme will still give him fits, and the Ravens are notoriously tight against the run. The Ravens offense is led by the ever-consistent but not flashy Joe Flacco, and look for them to get the run game going for 2016 as well. The Raiders, coming off a road game, playing in the Eastern time zone, will struggle to get going and never catch up in the defensive battle.

Prediction: Ravens 24, Raiders 20.

Weeks 1-4 record: 3-1

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