Raiders’ opponents known for 2018 season
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Raiders know their opponents for the 2018 regular season. They must wait to learn the passport requirement.
The NFL schedule won’t be finalized with dates and times until April. But the general framework already is determined, featuring games against the entire NFC West and AFC North. A potential wrinkle is the Raiders’ participation level in the International Series, namely the possibility a “home” game will be located abroad.
For two straight years, the club has lost an Oakland game to a Mexico City assignment. It defeated the Houston Texans there in 2015 and lost to the New England Patriots this past November. In 2014, the Raiders again sacrificed a homefield game when facing the Miami Dolphins in a London defeat.
International mystery aside, there is no drama. Along with the usual AFC West slate, the Raiders will play at home against the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts. They will travel to face the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.
This marks the third consecutive schedule to include a road game versus the Dolphins.
In the previous two, the franchise elected to stay all week in Florida leading up, training there between East Coast games. It’s unclear if the team will do so again. Coach Jack Del Rio, a major proponent of the trip, was fired Sunday. The team went 2-0 in Miami Gardens.
Notable
— Defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes was upbeat Monday, one day after suffered a significant knee injury during the fourth quarter of the Raiders’ season-finale loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. A source told the Review-Journal that Vanderdoes tore his left ACL. “Oh I’m fine, I didn’t get hurt,” Vanderdoes said. “The source wasn’t valid. I’m fine. Just a bruise.” He paused and then followed up with a grin. “Nah, I’m just (messing) with you guys. Yeah, I tore my knee, but it is what it is.”
— A coin toss will determine who, between the Raiders and 49ers, will own the No. 9 overall draft pick April 26. That coin toss is expected to be held early at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The combine is set for Feb. 27-March 5.
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
