A Silver and Black NFL Prime Time... Wha?

Al Davis is either paying off Roger Goodell or threatening to sue the league again.

That's the only conclusion I came to after the NFL released it's kickoff and Thanksgiving schedule for the 2009 season.

Most of it makes sense:

The season, as per usual, starts off with the defending Super Bowl champions hosting a game on Thursday night. This year it's the Steelers hosting the Titans in what should be a bone crushing game where a grand total of 15 points are scored.

It won't be entertaining from a offensive perspective, but it's the Super Bowl champs against the team with the best record in the AFC last season. The matchup makes sense for the NFL.

The first Sunday night game will have Chicago visiting Green Bay. Meh. I don't get particularly excited about either of these teams and their championship hopes next season, but it's a classic rivalry. Again, I understand the NFL's thinking on this.

The first Monday night football game is Buffalo at New England. Great ratings possibilities with the return of Tom Brady and the Bills coming to Foxboro with newly signed knucklehead, T.O. Makes total sense.

Even two of the three Thanksgiving Day games are fine:

Green Bay at Detroit isn't particularly exciting, but that has more to do with Detroit and they always play on Thanksgiving so there isn't anything to be done there. At least it's a division game.

The NFL network gets the Giants at the Broncos. Who knows what will be going on with these two teams by Thanksgiving? But the Giants are a upper echelon team and the Broncos are traditionally strong at home, so a good matchup on paper.

I commend the NFL for scheduling interesting games for a national audience to see.....except for two.

The game following the Bills/Patriots matchup on the opening Monday night is San Diego at Oakland.

The other game on Thanksgiving is Oakland at Dallas.

Oakland? The Oakland Raiders?

What in the past seven years of NFL football makes you think the Oakland Raiders need to be watched by a national audience? Twice? I admit it's funny to see the Animal House like tumult coming out of the Raiders camp, but that team is no fun to watch on the field.

In fact, just three years ago we were "treated" to a San Diego at Oakland game to begin the season. The Chargers won 27-0 and the game wasn't even that close. Aaron Brooks (hey! remember him?) threw for 68 yards and was sacked nine times. Niiinnnne times.

Simply stated, the Raiders are San Diego's beotch.

Hell, the Raiders were pummeled by the Broncos on Monday Night just last year!

So let's do it again! In fact, let's put Oakland on national television during Thanksgiving too!

The Raiders very well could be better this year, but that's not saying much. The team has had a double digit loss season every year since 2002. That doesn't bode well for an entertaining contest.

The NFL could have given us the new look Chiefs with Matt Cassel, or the Rex Ryan Jets, or the freakin Cardinals. The Cardinals did go to the Super Bowl last year. Maybe they deserve a national game for once. The Denver Broncos would be the perfect team to open the season at San Diego with the Jay Cutler soap opera and the rivalry he has with Phillip Rivers. I would love to see that.

Nope. We get the Raiders. Twice.

Maybe Al's going to move them to Los Angeles again.