2007 Oakland Raiders season
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The 2007 Oakland Raiders season was the 48th overall season of the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
franchise, the franchise's 38th season in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, their 13th season since their return to Oakland and the 1st season under
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Lane Kiffin Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin formerly was the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the Nati ...
. The team finished the season with a 4–12 record. It began with the team's fourth head coach in six seasons. By virtue of the team's 2–14 finish in
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
(the worst in the NFL for that year), they acquired the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. With that first pick, the Raiders selected
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
quarterback
JaMarcus Russell JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Highly successful at LSU, where he was MVP of the 2007 Sugar ...
, who went on to be one of the greatest busts in NFL history. As in
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
and
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, the Raiders faced both participants from the previous season's Super Bowl. In 2007, they had home games scheduled against the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
from
Super Bowl XLI Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...
. They lost to both teams.


Offseason

The first casualty of the Raiders' disastrous 2006 season was head coach
Art Shell Arthur Lee Shell Jr. (born November 26, 1946) is an American former professional football player in the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL), a Hall of Fame offensive tackle and a two-time former head co ...
, who was fired on January 4, 2007. His career record as head coach of the Raiders (including playoffs) was 58–56. The team interviewed a number of candidates after Shell's firing, including
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
assistant coach
James Lofton James David Lofton (born July 5, 1956) is an American former professional football player and coach. He is a former coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Gre ...
, former
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
head coach
Jim Fassel James Edward Fassel (August 31, 1949 – June 7, 2021) was an American college and professional football player and coach. He was the head coach of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1997 to 2003. He was offensive coor ...
, and Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...
assistant head coach
Steve Sarkisian Stephen Sarkisian (born March 8, 1974)Stephens, Ken. – "QB GENEALOGY – Steve Sarkisian is latest in long line of talented BYU quarterbacks". – FUN FACT, Sarkisian’s father is actually Texas Tech Head Coach, Joey McGuire. ''Dallas Mo ...
, considered to be the front runner for the position, withdrew his name from consideration on January 19. On January 22, the team announced the hiring of 31-year-old USC offensive coordinator
Lane Kiffin Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin formerly was the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the Nati ...
, the youngest coach in franchise history and the youngest coach in the NFL. Kiffin's first staffing hire was former
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, who accepted the same position in Oakland on January 28. Oakland signed Super Bowl winning running back
Dominic Rhodes Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Midwestern State and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001. Rhodes was also a member ...
away from the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
on March 9, 2007. The next day, the Raiders brought in
Justin Griffith Justin Montrel Griffith (born July 21, 1980) is a former Fullback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State. Griffith has a ...
from the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
to help the blocking game. With the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft the Raiders selected quarterback
JaMarcus Russell JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Highly successful at LSU, where he was MVP of the 2007 Sugar ...
from
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
.


Draft Selections


Players


Staff


Schedule


Pre-season


Regular season


Standings


Week 1: vs. Detroit Lions

With Josh McCown getting the start at quarterback, the Raiders began their 2007 campaign at home in an interconference fight with the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
. After a scoreless first quarter, Oakland trailed early as Lions QB
Jon Kitna Jon Kelly Kitna (born September 21, 1972) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Central Washington ...
completed a 13-yard TD pass to WR Roy Williams. Detroit increased its lead before halftime with kicker
Jason Hanson Jason Hanson (born June 17, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a kicker who spent his entire 21-year career with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football with the Washi ...
getting a 46-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Lions continued with their early lead as Kitna completed a 16-yard TD pass to rookie WR
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
. Afterwards, the Raiders began to come back as McCown completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
, followed by RB
LaMont Jordan LaMont Damon Jordan (born November 11, 1978) is an American football coach and former running back. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Maryland. Jordan also played for the ...
getting a 12-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Detroit responded with Hanson kicking a 46-yard field goal, while Oakland took the lead with McCown completing a 7-yard TD pass to FB
Justin Griffith Justin Montrel Griffith (born July 21, 1980) is a former Fullback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State. Griffith has a ...
. However, their lead didn't hold as the Lions scored 17 unanswered points (a 32-yard TD pass from Kitna to WR
Shaun McDonald Shaun Terrance McDonald (born June 30, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State. McDonald has also played fo ...
, Hanson getting a 23-yard field goal, and RB
Tatum Bell Tatum Antoine Bell (born March 2, 1981) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma State. He is son of Tony and Terry Bell. H ...
getting a 14-yard TD run) to end the game. With the loss, Oakland began their season at 0–1.


Week 2: at Denver Broncos

Hoping to rebound from their embarrassing home loss to the Lions, the Raiders flew to
Invesco Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High (previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Invesco Field at Mile High and Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, New Mile High or Mile High Stadium) is an American football stadium ...
for an AFC West duel with the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland trailed early as Broncos QB
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
completed a 9-yard TD pass to WR
Brandon Stokley Brandon Ray Stokley (born June 23, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver and current radio personality. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at University of L ...
for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Raiders got on the board with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 38-yard field goal. However, Denver continued to pound away as RB
Cecil Sapp Cecil Sapp (born December 23, 1978) is a former American football Fullback (American football), fullback. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Colorado State Rams football, Colorado ...
got a 4-yard TD run, while kicker
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
got a 23-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Oakland began to come back as QB Josh McCown (who was a gametime decision heading into the game) completed a 46-yard TD pass to WR Jerry Porter for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Raiders took the lead as DT
Gerard Warren Gerard Thurston Warren (born July 25, 1978) is an American former college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of ...
sacked Cutler in the end zone for a safety, while LB Thomas Howard returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown (followed by a successful two-point conversion pass from McCown to WR
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
). However, the Broncos tied the game up with Elam's 20-yard field goal. In overtime, Oakland managed to make Denver go three-and-out on their first possession. A 33-yard run by RB
LaMont Jordan LaMont Damon Jordan (born November 11, 1978) is an American football coach and former running back. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Maryland. Jordan also played for the ...
helped set up Janikowski for a game-winning 52-yard field goal. Broncos head coach
Mike Shanahan Michael Edward Shanahan (born August 24, 1952) is a former American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led ...
called timeout before the kick could begin. Janikowski's second try hit off the very tip of the left goal post and was no good, giving Denver a chance to win the game. The Broncos won with Elam getting a 23-yard field goal. With the loss, not only did the Raiders fall to 0–2, but they had lost 11-straight games (currently the NFL's longest losing streak) dating back to Week 9 of the 2006 season.


Week 3: vs. Cleveland Browns

Though the Raiders had lost eleven straight games dating back to Week 9 of the 2006 season, they were favored to beat the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
.
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
kicked a 32-yard field goal with a 3–0 lead with 37 seconds left in the 1st quarter. Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 22-yard field goal, and the Raiders lead 6–0 with 11 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Josh McCown threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
with a good
point after touchdown The conversion, try (American football, also known as a point(s) after touchdown, PAT, or (depending on the number of points) extra point/2-point conversion), or convert (Canadian football) occurs immediately after a touchdown during which the sc ...
(PAT). The Raiders lead 13–0 with 4 minutes and 45 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 23-yard field goal. The Raiders lead 16–0 with 2 minutes and 5 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.
Joshua Cribbs Joshua Cribbs (born June 9, 1983) is an American former football return specialist and wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Kent State University, and was signed by the Cleveland Browns ...
returns a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with a good point after touchdown with the Raiders leading 16–7 with 1 minute and 53 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.
Phil Dawson Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is a former American football placekicker. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds their franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He pl ...
kicked a 23-yard field goal with the Raiders still in the lead, 16–10 with 11 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. After halftime, Derek Anderson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to
Braylon Edwards Braylon Jamel Edwards (born February 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Michigan, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was recognize ...
with an extra point, and the Browns lead 17–16 with 9 minutes and 16 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. LaMont Jordan runs a 1-yard touchdown with an extra point, Raiders lead 23–17 with 11 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 48-yard field goal with the Raiders leading 26–17 with 8 minutes and 11 seconds left in the 4th quarter. Derek Anderson runs a 1-yard touchdown and extra point with the Raiders still leading 26–24 with 3 minutes and 33 seconds left in the 4th quarter. After getting the ball back with 1:04 left on the clock, Derek Anderson drove the Browns down to the Oakland 22-yard line. However, as the ball for Dawson's game-winning field goal was snapped, Raiders coach
Lane Kiffin Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin formerly was the offensive coordinator for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the Nati ...
called a timeout, imitating the strategy used by the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
last week. On Dawson's second attempt, the ball was blocked by
Tommy Kelly Tommy Terrell Kelly (born December 27, 1980) is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Mississippi State and was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent i ...
, ending the game and ending an 11-game losing streak for the Raiders as they improved to 1–2.


Week 4: at Miami Dolphins

Coming off a last-second home win over the Browns, the Raiders flew to
Dolphin Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I colleg ...
for a Week 4 duel with the winless
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. With QB Josh McCown out with an injury, QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
got a chance to get redemption against his former team. The game was delayed for 30 minutes due to thunderstorms in the Miami area. In the first quarter, Oakland got off to a fast start with Culpepper completing a 7-yard TD pass to WR Jerry Porter, along with getting a 2-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Dolphins responded with RB
Ronnie Brown Ronnie G. Brown Jr. (born December 12, 1981) is a former American football running back. After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers. He and Cadill ...
getting a 9-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the third quarter, Miami drew closer with kicker
Jay Feely Thomas James "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker and current sportscaster. He started his career with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League as a street free agent in 1999 before playing for seve ...
nailing a 29-yard field goal. The Raiders continued their offensive revival with Culpepper getting a 5-yard TD run. The Dolphins responded with QB
Trent Green Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He played college football for Indiana University. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in ...
completing a 3-yard TD pass to TE
Justin Peelle Justin Morris Peelle (born March 15, 1979) is a former American football tight end who is currently the tight ends coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Oregon, he was drafted b ...
. In the fourth quarter, Oakland sealed its first road win since Week 11 of the 2005 season with Culpepper hooking up with Porter again on a 27-yard TD pass, along with getting a 3-yard TD run. With the win, the Raiders entered their bye week at 2–2.


Week 6: at San Diego Chargers

Coming off their bye week, the Raiders flew to
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. The stadium opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium and was known as Jack Murphy Stadium from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 to 2017, the stadiu ...
for their Week 6 divisional duel with the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland trailed early as Chargers RB
LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
got a 3-yard and a 27-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Raiders responded with LB Thomas Howard returning an interception 66 yards for a touchdown, along with the only score of the period. In the third quarter, San Diego replied with Tomlinson getting a 13-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Oakland tried to rally as QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
completed a 1-yard TD pass to rookie TE
Zach Miller Zach Miller may refer to: * Zach Miller (tight end, born 1984), NFL tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago Bears *Zach Miller (tight end, born 1985) Zachary Joseph Miller (born December 11, 1985) is a former ...
. The Chargers destroyed any remaining signs of hope with Tomlinson getting a 41-yard TD run. With the loss, the Raiders fell to 2–3.


Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hoping to rebound from their divisional road loss to the Chargers, the Raiders went home for a Week 7 divisional duel with their nemesis, the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
. In the first half, Oakland trailed as Chiefs kicker
Dave Rayner David Michael Rayner (born October 26, 1982) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan ...
got a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Raiders got on the board with QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
completing a 21-yard TD pass to WR
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Kansas City retook the lead with RB Larry Johnson getting a 1-yard TD run (with a failed 2-point conversion). Oakland managed to respond with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 37-yard field goal, along with trying to turn a late-game drive into some winning points. The game ended with an interception. With the loss, not only did the Raiders fall to 2–4, but it also marked their 17th-straight divisional loss, the most since 1970.


Week 8: at Tennessee Titans

Trying to snap a two-game skid, the Raiders flew to
LP Field Nissan Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, it is primarily used for football and is the home field of the Tennessee Titans of the Nati ...
for a Week 8 intraconference duel with the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland struck first with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 50-yard field goal. The Titans responded with kicker
Rob Bironas James Robert Douglas Bironas (January 29, 1978 – September 20, 2014) was an American football placekicker who played the majority of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Auburn University and Georgia ...
getting a 35-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Raiders jumped back into the lead with Janikowski kicking a 43-yard and a 54-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Tennessee drew close with RB Chris Henry getting a 24-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Titans took the lead with Bironas getting a 23-yard field goal. QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
tried to lead Oakland back into the lead, but Tennessee's defense held them off. With their third-straight loss, not only did the Raiders fall to 2–5, but they have now lost 14 out of their last 15 road games.


Week 9: vs. Houston Texans

Trying to snap a three-game skid, the Raiders went home for a Week 9 intraconference duel with the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland's struggles continued as Texans RB
Ahman Green Ahman Rashad Green (; born February 16, 1977) is a former American football running back who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Green played college football at Nebraska and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 3rd ro ...
got an 8-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, things continued to get worse the Raiders as Houston increased its lead with RB
Ron Dayne Ronald Dayne (born March 14, 1978) is a former professional American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. Dayne played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisco ...
getting a 14-yard TD run, while kicker
Kris Brown Kristopher Clayton Brown (born December 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons in the late 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Neb ...
nailed a 40-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Oakland finally managed to get on the board as kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
nailed a 22-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Raiders drew closer as RB
Justin Fargas Justin Alejandro Fargas (born January 25, 1980) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Michigan and Southern California and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Colleg ...
got a 1-yard TD run. The Texans pulled away as QB
Sage Rosenfels Sage Jamen Rosenfels (born March 6, 1978) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Iowa State. He was then drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played with the Miami Dolp ...
completed a 42-yard TD pass to WR
André Davis André N. Davis (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Davis also pl ...
. Oakland's only response was QB Josh McCown completing a 28-yard TD pass to WR
Tim Dwight Timothy John Dwight Jr. (born July 13, 1975) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University ...
. With their fourth-straight loss, the Raiders fell to 2–6.


Week 10: vs. Chicago Bears

Trying to snap a four-game losing skid, the Raiders stayed at home for a Week 10 interconference duel with the defending NFC champions, the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland struck first with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 37-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Bears tied the game with kicker
Robbie Gould Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...
getting a 32-yard field goal for the only score of the period. After a scoreless third quarter, the Raiders regained the lead with Janikowski nailing a 52-yard field goal. Oakland's struggles continued as QB
Rex Grossman Rex Daniel Grossman III (born August 23, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, most notably with the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Florida, where he rece ...
completed a 59-yard TD pass to WR
Bernard Berrian Bernard Berrian (born December 27, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State. Berrian also played for the Minnes ...
, along with RB
Cedric Benson Cedric Myron Benson (December 28, 1982 – August 17, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was recognized as a co ...
getting a 3-yard TD run. With their fifth-straight loss, the Raiders fell to 2–7.


Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings

Trying to snap a five-game skid, the Raiders flew to the
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League ...
for a Week 11 interconference duel with the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
, as QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
got the start against his former team. In the first quarter, Oakland trailed early as Vikings RB
Chester Taylor Chester Lamar Taylor (born September 22, 1979) also known as Che Tay is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2006, he signed ...
managed to get a 10-yard TD run, along with a safety (due to Culpepper committing a penalty while in his own endzone). The Raiders got on the board as kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
managed to get a 42-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Minnesota increased its lead with kicker
Ryan Longwell Ryan Walker Longwell (born August 16, 1974Ryan Longwell
NFLPA.com. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
getting a 30-yard field goal. Afterwards, Oakland took the lead as Culpepper completed a 10-yard TD pass to TE John Madsen, along with Janikowski kicking a 30-yard field goal. The Vikings answered with Taylor getting a 38-yard TD run. The Raiders tied the game heading into halftime as Janikowski kicked a 42-yard and a 49-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Minnesota regained the lead with Longwell kicking a 38-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Vikings ended its scoring day with Taylor getting a 6-yard TD run. Oakland tried to come back as Janikowski nailed a 52-yard field goal. However, Minnesota held on for the win. With their sixth-straight loss, the Raiders fell to 2–8, securing the team's fifth consecutive non-winning season.


Week 12: at Kansas City Chiefs

Trying to snap a six-game losing skid, the Raiders flew to
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
for a Week 12 AFC West rematch with the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland took the early lead as kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
managed to get a 25-yard field goal. However, the Chiefs took the lead with RB
Kolby Smith Kolby Kendrall Smith (born December 15, 1984) is a former American football running back and coach who is an offensive assistant for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth ...
getting a 10-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Raiders drew closer as Janikowski kicked a 54-yard field goal. However, Kansas City managed to get one last strike prior to halftime as kicker
Dave Rayner David Michael Rayner (born October 26, 1982) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan ...
nailed a 30-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Oakland regained the lead with RB
LaMont Jordan LaMont Damon Jordan (born November 11, 1978) is an American football coach and former running back. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Maryland. Jordan also played for the ...
getting a 5-yard TD run. However, the Chiefs retook the lead with Smith getting a 5-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Raiders once again jumped into the lead as RB
Justin Fargas Justin Alejandro Fargas (born January 25, 1980) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Michigan and Southern California and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Colleg ...
got a 14-yard TD run. This time, the defense managed to hold on for the win. With the win, not only did the Raiders improve to 3–8, but they managed to do four things with their one win. First, they snapped their six-game losing skid. Second, they snapped a nine-game losing skid to the Chiefs. Third, they snapped a 17-game losing streak against divisional opponents with their first divisional win since 2004. And finally, they surpassed their regular season win total from last season.


Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos

Coming off their divisional road win over the Chiefs, the Raiders went home for a Week 13 AFC West rematch with the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland stormed ahead early as QB Josh McCown completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR
Tim Dwight Timothy John Dwight Jr. (born July 13, 1975) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University ...
. Afterwards, the Broncos answered with RB
Travis Henry Travis Deion Henry (born October 29, 1978) is a former American football running back who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Tennessee. He was drafted by the Bills in t ...
getting a 4-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Raiders regained the lead with McCown completing a 13-yard TD pass to TE
Zach Miller Zach Miller may refer to: * Zach Miller (tight end, born 1984), NFL tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago Bears *Zach Miller (tight end, born 1985) Zachary Joseph Miller (born December 11, 1985) is a former ...
for the only score of the period. In the third quarter, Oakland increased its lead with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 38-yard field goal, while McCown completed a 13-yard TD pass to WR Jerry Porter. Denver managed to keep itself in the game with kicker
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
getting a 29-yard and a 44-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Broncos got close as Henry got a 3-yard TD run. Afterwards, the Raiders pulled away with Janikowski connecting on a 44-yard field goal, while RB
Justin Fargas Justin Alejandro Fargas (born January 25, 1980) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Michigan and Southern California and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Colleg ...
managed to get a 5-yard TD run. With the win, Oakland improved to 4–8. For the Raiders, the win marked back-to-back divisional win after losing their previous 17 AFC West games. During the second quarter, rookie QB
JaMarcus Russell JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Highly successful at LSU, where he was MVP of the 2007 Sugar ...
made his NFL debut as he completed 4 of 7 for 56 yards.


Week 14 at Green Bay Packers

Trying to look for their first three-game winning streak since
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, the Raiders travel to Green Bay to face the
Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the thi ...
. Oakland and Green Bay did not score in first quarter, but score in the second. Halfback Ryan Grant run a six-yard touchdown with
kicker Kicker or The Kicker may refer to: Sports * Placekicker, a position in American and Canadian football * ''Kicker'' (sports magazine), in Germany * Kicker, the German colloquial term for an association football player * Kicker, the word used i ...
Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...
kicking an extra point. Later, Raiders' punter Shane Lechler punts the ball to
Will Blackmon William Edwards Blackmon (born October 27, 1984) is a former American football safety and return specialist. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Pack ...
with a fifty seven-yard
punt return In gridiron football, a punt is a kick performed by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground. The most common use of this tactic is to punt the ball downfield to the opposing team, usually on the final d ...
for a touchdown and Crosby kicks for an extra point. Later on the second quarter, quarterback Josh McCown throws a twenty five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jerry Porter with a Sebastian Janikowski point after touchdown. In the third quarter, Mason Crosby kicks a forty four-yard
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
. Quarterback
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
throws an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Greg Jennings Gregory Jennings Jr. (born September 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Western Michigan an ...
with Mason Crosby extra point. With a Raiders possession, quarterback Josh McCown fumbles in Raiders' end zone and
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Will Blackmon William Edwards Blackmon (born October 27, 1984) is a former American football safety and return specialist. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Pack ...
recovers the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. And again, Crosby kicks an extra point. In fourth quarter, Brett Favre throws a forty six-yard touchdown pass to
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
Donald Lee with Crosby kicking an extra point. With the loss, the Raiders fell to 4–9, marking their fifth-straight losing season since their
Super Bowl XXXVII Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to decide the National Football League (NFL) cham ...
appearance.


Week 15: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Packers, the Raiders went home for a Week 15 intraconference duel with the defending Super Bowl champions, the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. In the first quarter, Oakland trailed early as Colts kicker
Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...
managed to get a 22-yard field goal, while CB T.J. Rushing returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, the Raiders got on the board with QB Josh McCown completing a 3-yard TD pass to WR
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
for the only score of the period. In the third quarter, Indianapolis increased its lead with Vinatieri nailing a 19-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Oakland took the lead with RB
Justin Fargas Justin Alejandro Fargas (born January 25, 1980) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Michigan and Southern California and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Colleg ...
getting a 2-yard run. However, the Colts sealed the win with QB
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
completing a 20-yard TD pass to WR Anthony Gonzalez. With the loss, not only did the Raiders fall to 4–10, but it also marked their 5th-straight time in which Oakland had at least 10 losses in a season. During this game Justin Fargas rushed for a season total of 1,000 yards, despite being given the starting job for nine games.


Week 16 at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Raiders were stymied almost totally by the Jaguars in Week 16. The Raiders defense allowed seven touchdowns: two passing TDs each from
David Garrard David Douglas Garrard (born February 14, 1978) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at East Carolina and wa ...
and Jaguars backup QB
Quinn Gray Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. (born May 21, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played for four seasons in the National Football League and one season each in the United Football League and NFL Europe. He played college football at Flor ...
, and three rushing TDs. The Raiders only managed 215 yards of total offense. The game was punctuated by an ugly incident with 21 seconds left in the first half, where
Warren Sapp Warren Carlos Sapp (born December 19, 1972) is an American former football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sapp played college football at Miami, where h ...
argued with officials over a penalty the team wanted to accept. The argument led to four unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Raiders, three of them on Sapp, and Sapp was ejected from the game. Although one of the officials accused Sapp of bumping him, he was not suspended. JaMarcus Russell entered the game during the first quarter, and played the rest of the game. Although he threw three interceptions, he finally threw his first career touchdown pass in the NFL, to
Zach Miller Zach Miller may refer to: * Zach Miller (tight end, born 1984), NFL tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago Bears *Zach Miller (tight end, born 1985) Zachary Joseph Miller (born December 11, 1985) is a former ...
, with 11 seconds to go in the game. He followed it up with a pass to
Ronald Curry Ronald Antonio Curry (born May 28, 1979) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the S ...
for a two-point conversion.
Dominic Rhodes Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Midwestern State and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001. Rhodes was also a member ...
rushed for 115 yards.
Kirk Morrison Kirk David Morrison (born February 19, 1982) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft and also played for the Jacksonville Jagu ...
managed to intercept a pass by David Garrard, one of only three picks the Jaguars QB threw all season. With the loss, the Raiders fell to 4–11.


Week 17 vs. San Diego Chargers

After a lackluster performance in Jacksonville, JaMarcus Russell made his first career start at home against divisional rival San Diego. Russell still had some difficulty with turnovers as he threw an interception early in the game and fumbled the ball which was recovered in the end zone by San Diego for a touchdown. He did, however, improve his passing game by throwing for over 200 yards including a touchdown to Jerry Porter, his first touchdown at home as a Raider. Oakland lost their final game of their season. They finished at 4–12, which was an improvement over last year's 2–14 record.


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:2007 Oakland Raiders Season
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
Oakland Raiders seasons
Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...