Oakland Raiders: Five potential bellweather games to circle on the calendar

Week Four vs. Cleveland Browns

This one may not be “key” or truly important to anything in the sense of the word, but it does look like it’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting games on Oakland’s schedule this season.

For the last two years, the Browns have been the worst team in the NFL by far – compiling a record of 1-31 along the way.

But, the Browns have been very active this offseason and are going to look entirely different than the last time the two teams met – a 27-20 Raiders win back in 2015. This year though, the Browns have absolutely beefed up their roster, with additions like Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, and Carlos Hyde, among others.

The addition of Landry, who will join Josh Gordon, is particularly interesting – and potentially lethal. And this is before the firepower they’ll add in the draft – did somebody say Saquon Barkley?

With an offense that has the potential to be one of the most powerful in the league, and a defense that can definitely step up and make some plays, these are most definitely not your father’s Browns. This is a team that looks capable of winning some ballgames.

This is also a team that will present the Raiders with a good test. More specifically, a good test on the defensive side of the ball to see how their rebuilt secondary holds up against a couple of burners in Landry and Gordon.