2011 NFL Schedule: 10 Games That Will Define the Oakland Raiders in 2011

The 2011 NFL schedule has been released, and the Oakland Raiders' road to the Super Bowl starts in Denver.

The Raiders will battle their usual divisional foes but will also be playing the tough NFC North and the AFC East, as well as the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns.

Let's take a look at the Raiders' top 10 games of the season to watch for in 2011.

Week 1: Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos

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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 19: Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders runs with the ball during their game against the Denver Broncos at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 19, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Raiders will be back in prime time as they visit the Broncos on Monday Night. Last time the Raiders went to Denver, they put up the most points in team history.

Darren McFadden ran all over the Broncos defense and scored at will. The Broncos and their fans still remember that beating, and they'll be ready for the Raiders. 

Week 3: New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 25: Mark Sanchez #6 of the New York Jets in action against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 25, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Mark Sanchez and the Jets visit the Raiders in Week 3. This should feature two teams that want to bully their opponents. 

Rex Ryan will be making headlines with his usual talk during the week, but don't be surprised if Hue Jackson adds a couple quotes for the Jets to read. 

Jackson will not be outdone by any coach, including the Big Man in New York. This will be a vital game early in the season.

Week 4: New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders

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19 Jan 2002: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots scrambles against the defense of Rod Coleman #57 of the Oakland Raiders during the AFC playoff game at Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachuesetts. The Patriots came from behind to win 16-

Tom Brady and the Patriots will visit the Black Hole in Week 4 of the NFL season. Expect this game to be sold out right away.

There are plenty of Raider fans who still remember the "tuck rule" and who can't wait to unleash their fury on the Patriots.

This will be a big game for Oakland as they look to make the next step, facing their second playoff team in a row. 

The Raiders will face two of their toughest tests in the first four weeks of the season.

Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 02: Running back Michael Bush #29 of the Oakland Raiders runs down field in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Tim Umphrey/Getty Images)

Last time the Chiefs visited Oakland, they were ran over by Jacoby Ford. It was one of the most exciting games of the year and the hardest one to live blog.

The Raiders will play the defending AFC West Champs in Week 7. They get the first crack at them at home, and it's the perfect game to set the tone for the rest of the season.

Week 11: Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 28: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Adrian Peterson vs. Darren McFadden will be talked about all week leading up to this game. Can the Raiders stop Peterson? Will McFadden's speed be too much for the Vikings to handle?

It's anyone's guess who the quarterback will be for the Vikings, but the Raiders need to make sure they are ready. 

This is where the playoff contenders and the pretenders will start to show.

Week 12: Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears looks on while taking on the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Jay Cutler will visit the Raiders for the first time since being traded away from Denver. This game will feature two storied franchises vs. each other, the Bears and the Raiders.

Both teams play a physical style of defense and both have dangerous special teams players. Devin Hester and Jacoby Ford could be the X Factors in this game.

Can Jason Campbell do enough to put up points against the Bears defense? Will Matt Forte run wild against an Oakland defense that struggles against the run?

Week 14: Oakland Raiders vs. Green Bay Packers

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GREEN BAY, WI - FEBRUARY 08: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hoists the Lombardi Trophy during the Packers victory ceremony at Lambeau Field on February 8, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matt Ludtke/Getty Images)

The Raiders visit the defending Super Bowl Champions in Week 14. The Frozen Tundra in Lambeau Field will be cold and ready for the California team.

Can the Raiders stop the passing attack of the Packers? Will Charles Woodson be playing next to Nnamdi Asomugha? If the Raiders plan on being in the playoff race this late in the season this game will be crucial.

Packers vs. Raiders in Week 14? Can you think of a better game than this?

Week 15: Detroit Lions vs. Oakland Raiders

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DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 03: Ndamukong Suh #90 of the Detroit Lions speaks during a press conference where he accepted Pepsi's 2010 NFL Rookie of the Year Award at the Super Bowl XLV media center on February 3, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. The Green Bay Packers w

The Raiders' offensive line will have their hands full when the Lions come to town. Ndamukong Suh and the Lions will try their best to spoil any playoff hopes the Raiders may have.

The Raiders did not do a good job at beating teams outside of their division. They struggled to beat teams they should have beat.

This will be a great opportunity for the Raiders to show they are a real contender by winning the games they should be favored to win.

Week 16: Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Quarterback Matt Cassel #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to pass against the Baltimore Ravens in their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vish

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Raiders in Week 16 of the 2011 NFL season. This could be a game that decided the AFC West or could eliminate someone from playoff contention.

The Raiders do have a winning streak at Arrowhead and they beat up on the Chiefs to end the season in 2010.

This game could be moved to prime time towards the end of the year.

Week 17: San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders

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SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 05: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers is chased out of the pocket by Richard Seymour #92 of the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at Qualcomm Stadium on December 5, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Raiders

The NFL schedule makers may be thinking the same thing I am about the 2011 season. The Raiders and the Chargers will be the top two teams in the AFC West and this could be the AFC West Championship game.

The Chargers had a 13-game win streak against the Raiders until Oakland won both meetings last season.

This could be the game that passes the AFC West torch to the Raiders if San Diego can't win.

The Raiders season looks tough, but if they are serious about contending for the playoffs, they'll have to earn it. 

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