Oakland Raiders: Will the Hot-Streak Continue as the Schedule Gets Tough?

The Oakland Raiders have been on an offensive outburst during their three-game winning streak, averaging 38 points per game, along with over 450 yards as well. This is the Oakland Raiders first three-game winning streak since 2002, when they made the Super Bowl.

The NFL just seems to be a better league when the Raiders are good, and their recent resurgence makes them the hottest team in football. Raider fans are thrilled at the position their team is in, but they are one Sebastian Janikowski field goal away from being 6-3, and in first place in the AFC West. Janikowski missed a game-winning field in Week 3 in Arizona, which the Raiders lost to the Cardinals.

Although the breakout year of third-year back Darren McFadden is one of the main reasons the Raiders are on their hot-streak, many overlook the fact that they have only committed two turnovers during those three games. Those two turnovers both came in Week 9 against Kansas City, which they ended up winning. The Raiders success leaves them a half-game out of first place and 3-0 within the division heading into the bye-week.

The Raiders have been playing great football and will need to play even better as their schedule gets tough down the strength. They head to Pittsburgh in Week 11 to take on the Steelers. This will be a difficult test for the Raiders because the Steelers can take away Oakland's main strength—the running game. The Steelers are No. 1 in the league against the rush, just giving up 58 yards per game.

This is going to be an exciting matchup because the Raiders currently rank second in the NFL in rushing offense, averaging 162 yards per contest. The Steelers will look to contain Darren McFadden, the fourth-leading rusher in the league.

This will put the game on the shoulders of quarterback Jason Campbell, who has played very well over the past three weeks. The Steelers defensive weak point is their passing defense, which is 24th in the league. The speed of Jacoby Ford and the Raiders receivers will have to step up if the Raiders want to make a statement and win this game. A win would solidify the Raiders as a legit contender in the AFC.

Expect this Week 11 matchup to be a close one with the Raiders coming out on top, 24-20.