Oakland Raiders 2012 Schedule: Power Ranking the Raiders' Games

The Oakland Raiders have an interesting schedule in 2012 that includes two prime-time games and a regular season starting and ending with games against the San Diego Chargers.

The Raiders also play two non-division game they played last year: at home versus the Cleveland Browns and in Miami versus the Dolphins. 

The 2012 schedule includes six games against playoff teams (four of which are on the road) and nine games against defenses ranked 20th or worse against the run last season.

The major storylines will be games against Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer's return to Cincinnati, but they may not be the toughest. 

The following is the schedule from easiest to most difficult. 

16. Week 9: Buccaneers at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 16

Rushing Offense Rank: 30

Passing Defense Rank: 21

Rushing Defense Rank: 32

The Raiders face the Buccaneers at home in Week 9. The Buccaneers should snap back from their highly disappointing 2011, but have far too many problems in too many areas to correct in one offseason. 

We don't yet know what the final rosters of either team will look like, but the Bucs have issues in the running game, defending the pass and run, and Josh Freeman seemed to take a step back last season.

Rushing is what the Raiders do best and new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp is known for his rushing attack. The Bucs had the worst-ranked rush defense last season and Darren McFadden should be able to take advantage of this porous defense.

The Raiders win if Darren McFadden is healthy and lose if they can't defend the pass.

15. Week 13: Browns at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 24

Rushing Offense Rank: 28

Passing Defense Rank: 2

Rushing Defense Rank: 30

When the Cleveland Browns came to Oakland in 2011, the Raiders took a commanding lead on the back of two special teams touchdowns. Jacoby Ford returned a kick for a score, and Shane Lechler and Kevin Boss connected on a fake field goal. 

When Jason Campbell was injured, the Raiders offense became one dimensional and the Browns scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. The Browns fell short of the comeback when Colt McCoy's pass was broken up by Tyvon Branch.

Will the Browns have a new quarterback or stick with Colt McCoy? The Browns, unlike the Bucs, have one area they don't need to address; the pass defense was one of the best in the league in 2011.

The Raiders will win if they can run the ball and play defense. The Raiders will lose if the Browns force the Raiders to score by passing, or defending the run much better than they did in 2011.

14. Week 15: Chiefs at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 25

Rushing Offense Rank: 15

Passing Defense Rank: 6

Rushing Defense Rank: 26

Much like the Raiders, the Chiefs lost their starting running back and starting quarterback to injury last season. The Chiefs did their best to keep their defense intact and made some upgrades on the offensive side of the ball.

Eric Winston came over from the Houston Texans and will solidify the Chiefs' offensive line, and Jamaal Charles and Matt Cassel should be ready for the season.

It may come down to the Raiders' improvement in the secondary as the two teams will run the ball equally and have similar problems defending the run.

Expect the Chiefs and Raiders have tough battles in 2012 like the one at the end of 2011.

The Raiders will win if they can stop the run and will lose if they can't stop the pass.

13. Week 14: Broncos at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 31

Rushing Offense Rank: 1 (Tebow-Adjusted 12)

Passing Defense Rank: 18

Rushing Defense Rank: 22

The Broncos made the big splash in free agency by bringing in Peyton Manning. If healthy, Manning is and elite quarterback that should improve the Broncos' passing offense from 31st to something at least respectable, if not top 10 in the league.

The rushing offense was inflated with Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback and the Broncos would have been a very respectable 12th in rushing offense without him.

It was an improved, but below-average Broncos defense in 2011 that hasn't added any significant pieces in the offseason. Jack Del Rio will help mitigate the loss of Dennis Allen to the Raiders, but there is only so much the Broncos can get out of their personnel.

Expect the games against the Broncos to be high scoring as both offenses should be able to produce and both defenses attempt to improve.

12. Week 8: Raiders at Chiefs

Passing Offense Rank: 25

Rushing Offense Rank: 15

Passing Defense Rank: 6

Rushing Defense Rank: 26

Nothing all that different about the first matchup against the Chiefs except that it's in Kansas City.

The home-field advantage hasn't held true in recent years when in comes to AFC West battles, but it's still harder to play on the road and Arrowhead is notoriously a tough place to play.

The Raiders will win if they don't eat too much barbecue before the game.

11. Week 4: Raiders at Broncos

Passing Offense Rank: 31

Rushing Offense Rank: 1 (Tebow Adjusted 12)

Passing Defense Rank: 18

Rushing Defense Rank: 22

Von Miller forced a Jacoby Ford fumble on the first play from scrimmage last season. Miller will have the be the difference-maker in the game in Denver because weather shouldn't be; the Raiders head to Denver in November when temperatures should still be mild.

Again this game is slightly more difficult because it is on the road. Peyton Manning will still be in the early honeymoon period with the fans in Denver and the crowd should have a lot of energy.

The Raiders will win if Sebastian Janikowski connects on a field goal 64 yards or longer.

10. Week 7: Jaguars at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 32

Rushing Offense Rank: 12

Passing Defense Rank: 8

Rushing Defense Rank: 9

There will be many that have this game penciled in the win column. People will overlook the Jaguars because they didn't win many games last season.

Overlooking a team like the Jaguars is easy because it's a passing league and the Jaguars didn't have much of a passing game in 2011. Blaine Gabbert had a rough start to his career, but will get an opportunity to turn things around in 2012 with a revamped group of receivers. 

What many fail to realize is how good the Jaguars were in other areas.

The defense was more than respectable and Maurice Jones-Drew is still an elite running back. If the passing game improves even slightly, the Jaguars will be able to compete with most teams.

The Raiders' weakness in the past has been against the run, so stopping Jones-Drew will be a priority. One way to take the ball out of Jones-Drew's hands is to score, but the Jaguars have a balanced defense that can shut down an offense on any given day. 

As has been the case for many years, the Raiders simply must stop the run to beat teams like the Jaguars. Can they finally fix the run defense?

9. Week 16: Raiders at Panthers

Passing Offense Rank: 13

Rushing Offense Rank: 3

Passing Defense: 24

Rushing Defense: 25

The offense exploded in Carolina thanks to rookie Cam Newton, but it wasn't enough to propel the Panthers to a winning record.

The Panthers offense will continue to produce, but the defense needs a lot of help.

It's a long season and there is no predicting the injuries that take place to this point, but bank on at least a handful of them.

If both teams have all their offensive weapons, this game should be fun to watch if nothing else. 

The Raiders will win if Carson Palmer has two passing touchdowns.

8. Week 2: Raiders at Dolphins

Passing Offense Rank: 23

Rushing Offense Rank: 11

Passing Defense Rank: 25

Rushing Defense Rank: 3

Rolando McClain's arrest was not why the Raiders lost in Miami last season. The Dolphins are actually a very tough matchup for the Raiders. Miami can stop the run, which happens to be the strength of the Raiders' offense.

When the Raiders travel to Miami on a short week, they need to stop the run and force Matt Moore or a rookie quarterback to beat them. 

It's a harder game than it has to be because it is an early game on the East Coast and the Raiders have a short week. It's a recipe for a loss, but the Raiders have time before the season to get in an extra day of advanced scouting on the Dolphins and shouldn't be too banged up from one game.

The Raiders have Carson Palmer and a trio of young receivers and should use them against a suspect Miami secondary.

If the Raiders win, they will have passed effectively and forced the Miami quarterback to beat them.

7. Week 1: Chargers at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 6

Rushing Offense Rank: 16

Passing Defense Rank: 13

Rushing Defense Rank: 20

Vincent Jackson is gone and the Chargers are only getting older. The front seven has a lot of issues and the Chargers are looking to bring in pass-rushers in the draft.

This is a team on the decline, but the offense should still be there for them and make them a tough play for anyone. 

Pressuring Philip Rivers and running the ball was the key last season. When the Raiders did both, they won the game; when they did neither, they lost the game.

The Raiders will win if they do both and will lose if they do neither.

6. Week 12: Raiders at Bengals

Passing Offense Rank: 20

Rushing Offense Rank: 19

Passing Defense Rank: 9

Rushing Defense Rank: 10

The Bengals broke in a rookie quarterback and receiver last season and are expecting additional growth in their second season. The defense was solid against the pass and the run, and haven't made wholesale changes on that side of the ball.

What the Bengals need desperately is a running game. BenJarvus Green-Ellis was signed in the offseason, but the Bengals might draft a speed back to complement him.

The Bengals are poised to add to their roster by utilizing their extra first-round selection obtained in return for sending Carson Palmer to Oakland.

The Raiders will win if they balance the run and pass on offense.

5. Week 17: Raiders at Chargers

Passing Offense Rank: 6

Rushing Offense Rank: 16

Passing Defense Rank: 13

Rushing Defense Rank: 20

Being an effective head coach is about leadership and knowing how to motivate a team to perform at or exceed their physical talent level. Norv Turner is a great offensive coordinator, but the Chargers underachieve every year.

The slow-starting Chargers haven't been able to overcome the slow starts and make the playoffs, but the rankings always suggest the team is better than their record indicates.

This game is at the end of the season, so expect the best from the Chargers if Turner is still clinging to his job.

This is a ninth home game for the Raiders, so the impact of this being a road game is barely felt. It's the propensity to start slow and finish strong that makes this a more difficult matchup than Week 1.

It is still a road game and the only back-to-back road game the Raiders have all season. 

4. Week 11: Saints at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 1

Rushing Offense Rank: 6

Passing Defense Rank: 30

Rushing Defense Rank: 12

In the past, the Raiders have used preseason games against the Saints as a measuring stick of their playoff aspirations. In every case the Raiders have come away disappointed with the results.

It's a home game and no one knows how the bounty scandal is going to impact New Orleans, but the Saints still have Drew Brees and they have added quality defensive players in free agency.

Perhaps new Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie's defense will surprise the world. Perhaps new head coach Dennis Allen watched Drew Brees practice enough that he has found a tiny flaw he can exploit.

The Raiders will need to play one of their most complete games of the season to beat the Saints, even at home. 

3. Week 6: Raiders at Falcons

Passing Offense Rank: 8

Rushing Offense Rank: 17

Passing Defense Rank: 20

Rushing Defense Rank: 6

The Falcons invested a lot of resources to get Julio Jones in the draft last year. Jones looked good and will help Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Michael Turner carry the Falcons into the playoffs.

The run defense took a hit when Curtis Lofton signed in New Orleans and they also need help defending the pass. 

The Raiders are lucky enough to head to Atlanta after a bye week and will be well-rested and will have had plenty of time to scout the Falcons' offense and defense.

It could be the Raiders' young group of receivers against the Falcons in a game in which both offenses decide to air it out, or it could be Darren McFadden and Michael Turner doing the damage to determine the outcome.

2. Week 3: Steelers at Raiders

Passing Offense Rank: 10

Rushing Offense Rank: 14

Passing Defense Rank: 1

Rushing Defense Rank: 8

The Steelers might be the most complete defense the Raiders will face all season. The Steelers haven't played well on the road they travel to the West Coast to face a completely new offense and defense.

Mike Wallace should ultimately sign with the Steelers, in which case the Raiders will need to devise a way to cover him. 

More importantly the Raiders will need to figure out how to put points on the board. The Steelers are capable of bottling up running lanes, and things could get ugly if Carson Palmer starts forcing throws into tight coverage.

To win the game the Raiders must figure out how to put points on the board by going through, under, over or around the Steelers defense. Pressure of Ben Roethlisberger and blanket coverage of Mike Wallace is necessary. 

1. Week 10: Raiders at Ravens

Passing Offense Rank: 19

Rushing Offense Rank: 10

Passing Defense Rank: 4

Rushing Defense Rank: 2

If the Raiders consider themselves contenders and not pretenders, they need to win a quality game on the road.

The Ravens are the toughest defense the Raiders will face, and defense usually trumps good offense. The Ravens didn't lose a single home game in 2011.

The Raiders will have to stop Ray Rice and force Joe Flacco to make mistakes in the passing game to give themselves a chance.

This is a statement game and the Raiders can prove to the rest of the league that they are legitimate with a Week 10 win in Baltimore.

Even a close loss might grab the attention of NFL observers if the Raiders play well. 

The Raiders will win if they can trade Rolando McClain for Ray Lewis.