A Saturday afternoon affair it is
Well, you now have plans for Saturday, Dec. 18.
It’s a Raiders game day.
The NFL announced the Raiders’ Week 15 game at the Cleveland Browns will be part of a Saturday AFC doubleheader, kicking off at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Week 15 Saturday Doubleheader on @nflnetwork
4:30p ET — @Raiders vs. @Browns
8:20p ET — @Patriots vs. @Colts
Release: https://t.co/2bIl88m9cG pic.twitter.com/blFe0WrxFZ
— NFL Media (@NFLMedia) November 23, 2021
When the NFL 2021 schedule was released in May, the game was listed as either a Saturday or Sunday game. It could have AFC playoff implications. The Raiders are currently 5-5 and the Browns are 6-5.
This was always going to be a challenging portion of Las Vegas’ schedule and it just got a little tougher. They play at the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 12, so the Raiders now have back-to-back road games in likely poor weather six days apart.
Of course, since the game in Cleveland is starting at 4:30 p.m. locally, most of the game will be played under the lights … most likely in cold weather. Nighttime December winds off Lake Erie can get dicey.
The rest of the Raiders’ regular-season schedule is set, but Sunday games can always be flexed.