Raiders Sell Out Again; Game To Be Televised On CBS13
OAKLAND (CBS13) -- For the second straight week, the Oakland Raiders have sold out tickets in time to avoid a television blackout.
The Raiders' Sunday game against the New England Patriots will air on CBS13 at 1 p.m. Kevin Harlan will call the play-by-play, and former NFL player Solomon Wilcots will be the color analyst.
The Raiders (2-1) also sold out last Sunday's game against the New York Jets, and fans at the Coliseum were rewarded with a 34-24 win. It's the first time the Raiders have sold out consecutive games since the 2008 season. They only sold out one game each of the past two seasons.
The Patriots (2-1) come in off a 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills in a game New England led 21-0 at halftime before the Bills rallied. The Raiders also gave up a big lead, 21-3, in losing 38-35 to the Bills in Week 2.
It's been a decade since the "Tuck Rule Game," a controversial 16-13 New England win in the 2001 AFC playoffs. On Sunday, there's plenty of significance, even as early as Week 4.
For the Silver and Black, consecutive wins over the Jets and Patriots would mean an impressive 3-1 start. It would be an early validation of the coaching change from Tom Cable to Hue Jackson, and it would give them a head start on their first winning record and divisional title since the 2002 Super Bowl season.
"It's a group that one, expects to win," Jackson said. "It's a group that works to win. It's a group that is becoming something and they're working at it each and every day. I think they can see the vision, that they have an opportunity, regardless of who we play, where we play to win.
"But I hope the rest of the league can see this is a different and improved football team."
The Patriots have noticed.
"They're very physical, they're tough, they're big, they're fast," said Tom Brady, who comes off the rarest of performances, throwing four interceptions against the Bills. "It's always a certain kind of player out there: big, fast, and tough. They play well at home. It's going to be a big challenge."
New England hardly ever faces big challenges so early. A loss Sunday would match its total from last season.
"We are trying to bring a fresh new plan, new energy," Brady said. "We're trying to put it together against a good football team. We're going to learn more about our team going on the road and playing a tough opponent than anything more than that."
Sunday's game can also be heard on KHTH 1140-AM.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
