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Oakland Raiders Head To Mexico For Monday Night Football Clash Against Houston Texans

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The Oakland Raiders will come off their bye and begin the final seven games of the regular season with a game against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico as part of the NFL's International Series. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT (7:30 p.m. local time). The game will mark the second regular season game that the Raiders have played outside of the United States, as they traveled to London to host the Miami Dolphins in 2014. The Raiders have played a preseason game at Estadio Azteca, squaring off against the Dallas Cowboys on August 27, 2001. Monday night's game will be the second regular season game played in Mexico City, as the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers played in the first international regular season game on October 2, 2005. The game will be televised live on ESPN in the United States and on Televisa and ESPN in Mexico, marking the first Monday Night Football game to be played outside the US.

Here is the Game Preview, presented by 95.7 The Game.

THE SETTING

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Date:Monday, Nov. 21, 2016Kickoff:5:30 p.m. PTSite:Estadio Azteca (1966)Capacity/Surface:77,000/Overseeded BermudaRegular Season:Texans lead, 6-3

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Before their bye week, the Raiders beat the Denver Broncos in Oakland, 30-20, on Sunday Night Football. The Raiders' defense led the way in the contest, limiting the Broncos to 299 total yards, including just 33 rushing. DE Khalil Mack led the defensive attack with two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. S Reggie Nelson sealed the game in the fourth quarter with the game's only interception. The offense was led by a dominant rushing attack, as the team ran it 43 times for 218 yards. The offensive line paved the way for RB Latavius Murray to rush for 114 yards and a career-high three touchdowns on the night. RBs Jalen Richard and DeAndré Washington combined to add another 97 rushing yards in the win.

Next week, the Raiders will welcome the defending NFC Champions to Oakland, as the Carolina Panthers will play their first game at the Coliseum since 2008. The Texans will return home to host the San Diego Chargers next Sunday.

MACK ON THE ATTACK

In the four games before the Raiders bye, DE Khalil Mack ranked third in the NFL with six sacks from Weeks 6-9, including two multi-sack performances. For his performance in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos, Mack was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career after he posted two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed, while helping hold the Broncos to just 33 rushing yards. From Weeks 6-9, Mack has posted 18 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed, helping Oakland to a 3-1 record in those games.

TEXANS SNAPSHOT

BROADCAST INFORMATION

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TELEVISION

ESPN

Play-by-play: Sean McDonough
Color Analyst:Jon Gruden

Sideline:Lisa Salters

NATIONAL RADIO

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Westwood One Sports
Play-by-play: Armando Quintero
Color Analyst: Benny Ricardo

Sideline:Brady Poppinga

RADIO

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Flagship: 95.7 The Game
Play-by-play: Greg Papa
Color Analyst: Tom Flores
Sideline: Lincoln Kennedy

Spanish Radio

Flagship: KSOL 98.9 FM (Radio Estereo Sol, 98.9 y 99.1)
Play-by-play: Fernando Arias
Color Analyst: Ambrosio Rico

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Overview:Head Coach Bill O'Brien is currently in his third season at the helm of the Houston Texans. O'Brien led the Texans to consecutive 9-7 records during his first two years in Houston, the most wins by any head coach in franchise history through their first two years. After winning the AFC South in 2015, the Texans enter this week's matchup at the top of the AFC South with a 6-3 record.


Offense: Taking over the Texans' offense is newcomer QB Brock Osweiler. In his fifth year, Osweiler has thrown for 1,818 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions through 10 weeks. WR DeAndre Hopkins has been Osweiler's top target this season, leading the team with 45 receptions, 482 yards and three touchdowns. TE C.J. Fiedorowicz is also tied for the team lead with three touchdowns, adding 29 receptions for 305 receiving yards. Pacing the running game is RB Lamar Miller, who ranks seventh in the NFL with 720 yards on 168 carries (4.3 avg.). The fifth-year veteran has found the end zone twice so far this season.


Defense: With defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel in charge, the Texans' defense continues to be one of the best in the league. Even with the absence of the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year DE J.J. Watt, the unit ranks third in the NFL in pass defense (196.8 yards per game). They also rank fourth in the league in total yards per game, holding opponents to an average of just 317.4 yards. In his second year, ILB Benardrick McKinney is leading the team with 80 total tackles (44 solo), including three sacks. After setting a franchise record with 45 sacks in 2015, the Texans have recorded 19 so far this year. Houston has recorded four interceptions this season with CB Kareem Jackson recording the INT-TD, which came last week at Jacksonville.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Pro Connections

• Texans P Shane Lechler was a fifth-round draft pick by the Raiders in 2000, appearing in 206 games from 2000-2012. In his 13 years with the Raiders, Lecher recorded 1,014 punts for 48,215 yards. Lechler still holds the Raiders franchise record for most career punts inside the 20 (322), highest career gross average (47.5) and longest punt (80).

An exclusive look at the past matchups between the Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans.

• Originally selected by the Raiders in the third round (95th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft, Texans C Tony Bergstrom played four years in Oakland, appearing in 25 games with four starts.

• Texans DE Antonio Smith spent the 2014 season with the Raiders, starting all 16 games and recording 18 tackles with three sacks.

• Raiders defensive line coach Jethro Franklin held the same position with the Houston Texans for two seasons from 2007-08.

• Raiders special teams coordinator Brad Seely worked with Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien with the New England Patriots for two years where Seely held the same role and O'Brien started as an offensive assistant in 2007 before being promoted to wide receivers in 2008. Seely also worked with defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel in New England from 2001-04.

• Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel (defensive coordinator/Head Coach) worked with Raiders running backs coach Bernie Parmalee (tight ends) with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2010-12.

• Texans offensive line coach Mike Devlin played four seasons with Raiders wide receivers coach Rob Moore with the Arizona Cardinals from 1996-99.

College Connections

• Texans offensive coordinator George Godsey worked with Raiders RB Latavius Murray at UCF from 2009-2010 as the Knights running backs coach. Murray also played four years with Texans CB A.J. Bouye at UCF from 2009-2012.

• Texans ILB Brian Cushing was coached by Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. (linebackers) during his four seasons (2005- 08) at USC. Cushing also worked with Raiders defensive assistant Sam Anno and Raiders defensive line coach Jethro Franklin and was teammates with Raiders LB Malcolm Smith during his time at USC.

• Texans TE Stephen Anderson played four seasons (2012-15) at Cal after redshirting in 2011 where he finished his career with 101 receptions for 1,260 yards and seven touchdowns.

• Texans RB Tyler Ervin played four seasons (2011-12, 14-15) at San Jose State, appearing in 47 games with 24 starts for the Spartans.

• Raiders have four players on the roster who played collegiately in Texas: WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), CB DJ Hayden (Houston), FB Jamize Olawale (North Texas) and RB DeAndré Washington (Texas Tech). QB Derek Carr (Clements High School in Sugarland, Texas) and LB Cory James (Del Rio High School) both played high school football in Texas.

Hometown Connections

• Raiders CB DJ Hayden, a native of Houston, Texas, played two years at the University of Houston after transferring from Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas, where he earned All-Conference USA honors in each of his two seasons.

• Raiders G/T Kelechi Osemele is a native of Houston, Texas where he attended Langham Creek High School, earning 5A Region III AllDistrict XVII honors as a senior at right tackle. • Raiders assistant special teams coach Tracy Smith is a native of Beaumont, Texas.

• Texans TE Stephen Anderson is a native of San Jose, Calif., where he recorded 83 catches for 1,340 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in 2010 at Piedmont Hills High School.

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