Jason Ross: Thursday Night Football Finally Matters
Every team gets a Thursday night game. This is a win for "fairness," but has been a loss for NFL fans.
We have had to sit through Jacksonville and Tennessee, Cleveland at Baltimore and Arizona against the 49ers. These schedules are made before the stories are written about these teams, but this Thursday everyone is going to win. Well, kind of.
We get the Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs in a huge game for the AFC West.
I wish this game was going to be played on Sunday to make it a regular prep week for both teams. If there has ever been potential for a "schedule loss" this is it for the Raiders. Oakland has a short week and has to travel.
This season, the road teams have not fared well on Thursday nights. That is not new to just 2016. In fact, back in 2014, it was Carr's rookie season and the Raiders were winless at the time. I predicted in about week 5 that the Raiders first win would come on Thursday night at home against the Chiefs.
So we take you to November 20, 2014 at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders were (0-10) and Kansas City came in at (7-3). Carr got his first professional win while rain fell through the night. I predicted that mainly because of the schedule and how much it favored the Raiders in this case.
So now we are in the same spot Thursday in Kansas City.
The Raiders are a very good team. Kansas City is also a good team. An Oakland win and the division is almost a wrap for the Raiders. A loss and the Chiefs then are in the driver's seat.
This game means a lot and I personally hope the Raiders find a way. I think the challenge will be tough and they can't use the schedule as an excuse. I think if they lose it could be part of the reason but let's remember that the Chiefs took care of the Raiders earlier in the season on full rest for both teams.
It is the NFL that we live in now and so the Raiders have to embrace it and try to overcome the odds. There is plenty for them to lose in this game but a whole lot more to gain.
