The Oakland Raiders season was the franchise's 37th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 47th overall, the 12th back in Oakland, and the only under head coach Art Shell (in his second stint). They failed to improve on their 4–12 record from 2005, and instead went 2–14 for their 4th consecutive losing season. It was the worst record in the 2006 NFL season, the worst season since the team went 1–13 in 1962, and their worst since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, thus earning the right to the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL draft.
Despite being one of the league's best defenses, the 2006 Raiders' offense struggled heavily, being the worst offense in the league in 2006, having only 168 points scored (10.5 per game), which is the fifth-fewest by an NFL team in a 16-game schedule.Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1978 to 2012, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points For. Oakland's two starting quarterbacks – Andrew Walter and Aaron Brooks – each threw only three touchdown passes all year; a seventh was thrown by backup Marques Tuiasosopo.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rai/2006.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com: 2006 Oakland Raiders Art Shell had re-hired offensive coordinator Tom Walsh who had been out of coaching and was working on a dude ranch. The offense struggled so bad that Walsh had to be demoted and former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop who had been coaching tight ends was promoted but the offense remained a frustration to many fans.
Since losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Raiders had a four-year aggregate record of 15–49 from 2003 to 2006, the worst in the NFL over that span. The only two games that the Raiders won were against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals, who incidentally would play against each other in Super Bowl XLIII just 2 seasons later. The Raiders would beat both teams again in 2018.
According to Born Free Raider, the 2006 Raiders had the 6th largest offensive-defensive gap in the history, ranking 32nd in offense, but 18th in defense, behind the 2011 Patriots, 2002 and 2004 Chiefs, the 1992 Seahawks, and the 1991 Eagles.
Offseason
Former Raiders head coach Art Shell, frequently regarded as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history, and who won two Super Bowls and went to multiple Pro Bowls as a member of the Raiders, received an interview. Since firing Shell in 1994, Davis had said numerous times that he regretted the decision. Shell was renamed head coach on February 11, 2006.
Shell's staff for the 2006 season consisted of new offensive coordinator Tom Walsh (who was assistant head coach under Shell during his earlier tenure with the Raiders) and new offensive line coach Jackie Slater. Irv Eatman, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, assisted Slater in coaching the offensive line. Special teams coach Joe Avezzano, who took the position in 2004, was replaced; Rob Ryan returned to the team for his third season as defensive coordinator.
Quarterback Kerry Collins, who was 7–21 as a starter over two seasons, was released to create salary cap space. He was replaced by free agent Aaron Brooks, previously of the New Orleans Saints with Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo as the backups. The Raiders signed Toniu Fonoti but his contract he signed with Oakland was rescinded after he failed a physical.
One of the biggest losses of the offseason was cornerback Charles Woodson. First round draft pick of 2006 Michael Huff, linebacker Thomas Howard (2nd-round pick) and offensive lineman Paul McQuistan joined the team. Wide receiver Doug Gabriel was traded to the New England Patriots on September 2, 2006. They brought back Jeff George during the last week of the 2006 pre-season, but he did not make the team. Other notable additions for 2006 were cornerbacks Tyrone Poole and Duane Starks, undrafted free agent tight end John Madsen and defensive end Lance Johnstone who returned to the team. Marcellus Rivers and Rod Smart were signed before training camp but did not make the final 53-man roster.
Roster
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 11 San Diego Chargers L 0–27 0–1 McAfee Coliseum 62,578 2 September 17 at Baltimore Ravens L 6–28 0–2 M&T Bank Stadium 70,744 3 Bye 4 October 1 Cleveland Browns L 21–24 0–3 McAfee Coliseum 61,426 5 October 8 at San Francisco 49ers L 20–34 0–4 Monster Park 68,368 6 October 15 at Denver Broncos L 3–13 0–5 Invesco Field at Mile High 76,691 7 October 22 Arizona Cardinals W 22–9 1–5 McAfee Coliseum 61,595 8 October 29 Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–13 2–5 McAfee Coliseum 62,385 9 November 6 at Seattle Seahawks L 0–16 2–6 Qwest Field 67,816 10 November 12 Denver Broncos L 13–17 2–7 McAfee Coliseum 62,094 11 November 19 at Kansas City Chiefs L 13–17 2–8 Arrowhead Stadium 78,097 12 November 26 at San Diego Chargers L 14–21 2–9 Qualcomm Stadium 66,105 13 December 3 Houston Texans L 14–23 2–10 McAfee Coliseum 46,276 14 December 10 at Cincinnati Bengals L 10–27 2–11 Paul Brown Stadium 65,882 15 December 17 St. Louis Rams L 0–20 2–12 McAfee Coliseum 50,164 16 December 23 Kansas City Chiefs L 9–20 2–13 McAfee Coliseum 61,446 17 December 31 at New York Jets L 3–23 2–14 Giants Stadium 78,039
Standings
Regular season The Raiders played all three of their divisional opponents at least once during prime time, and faced former division rival Seattle Seahawks in a prime time game as well. They also had a chance of playing in up to two more prime time games by virtue of the NFL's newly implemented flexible scheduling system.
They made their debut on NBC Sunday Night Football in Denver against the division rival Broncos. They returned to Monday Night later in the season against the Seattle Seahawks where the Raiders played at Qwest Field for the first time. On Christmas Week, the Raiders made their debut on the NFL Network at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 1: vs. San Diego Chargers
at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California
The Raiders started the regular season with a 27–0 shut-out home loss at the hands of the San Diego Chargers on September 11, during the second game of a Monday Night Football doubleheader on opening weekend. The team was shut out at home for only the second time in the franchise's history, the first one being a 17–0 loss to the division rival Denver Broncos on October 4, 1981.
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
The Raiders traveled to Baltimore, Maryland to take on the Ravens. Oakland could only muster six points, however, all of them coming from Kicker Sebastian Janikowski (34-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter), while Baltimore maintained their lead throughout the game. With the loss, the Raiders fell to 0–2.
Week 4: vs. Cleveland Browns
at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California
Not even their Week 3 Bye could help out Oakland. Despite jumping out to a 21–3 lead and going into halftime ahead 21–10, and despite a touchdown by linebacker Sam Williams and two interceptions by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, the Raiders failed to shut down the Browns' offense, allowing 14 third quarter points. In the days after the game, coach Art Shell said that Raider higher-ups responsible for deciding whether or not a challenge is worthwhile told him that one was not following a third and 16 play from the Cleveland Browns' 45-yard-line that went for fifteen yards in the fourth quarter. Shell said that after reviewing the telecast of the game, "I was miffed, because we should have challenged it." Following that, a fourth and 1 hand-off to LaMont Jordan was stopped in the backfield for a loss of two, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
The Raiders traveled across the bay to Monster Park in San Francisco to take on the 49ers.
The 49ers got on the board first with an Alex Smith to Arnaz Battle touchdown pass midway through the first quarter. The Raiders responded with a 33-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. Janikowski then converted a 36 yarder early in the second quarter. Randy Moss scored his 100th career touchdown reception on a 22-yard pass from Andrew Walter, as the Raiders went into halftime with a 13–7 lead.
The 49ers then went on to score 24 unanswered points in the second half, as Smith connected on touchdown passes with Battle once again, and Maurice Hicks in the third quarter. Joe Nedney converted a chip shot 19-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. On the next Raiders play from scrimmage, Melvin Oliver recovered a fumble for a touchdown, as Walter tried to lateral a pass to LaMont Jordan, who let it hit the ground, and assumed it was an incomplete pass. Marques Tuiasosopo hit Courtney Anderson with a touchdown pass late in the game, but it was too little too late. Nedney completed the scoring with a 39-yard field goal.
Week 6: at Denver Broncos
at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
The Raiders travelled to INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver to face the division rival Broncos on Sunday Night Football.
An excellent assessment of the Raiders' futility thus far in the season was provided by a reader of ESPN.com's Bill Simmons. In Simmons' NFL Week 6 preview, "Dave from Washington" submitted: "The Raiders suck so bad that they are 15-point underdogs to a team that scores 12.2 points a game. This has to be a sports first."
For the third time in the season, Oakland failed to score a touchdown, falling to the Broncos in a 13–3 loss. Surprising Week 6 victories by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans left the Raiders as the NFL's sole winless team.
Week 7: vs. Arizona Cardinals
at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California
On October 22, 2006, the Raiders hosted the Arizona Cardinals in Oakland on the Fox Television Network.
In a game where former Raiders coach John Madden received his Hall of Fame ring in a pregame ceremony, the Raiders jumped out to an early 7-point lead after a Cardinal drive ended in a missed field goal. The long drive, capped by a ReShard Lee rush for a touchdown was their second drive of the game.
On another 1st Quarter Cardinal drive, Derrick Burgess tipped a Matt Leinart pass and the ball was intercepted by Terdell Sands. This set up a one play drive in which Andrew Walter tossed a 32-yard pass to Randy Moss for their second touchdown.
After the teams traded field goals in the 2nd quarter, the Raiders defense stiffened in the 3rd. Michael Huff, the player the Raiders took instead of Leinart in April's draft, tackled running back Marcel Shipp in the end zone for a safety. The safety was preceded by an incomplete pass and 2 consecutive sacks for losses by the Raiders defense.
Andrew Walter finished with 17 of 30 for 260 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and left the game with a mild hamstring injury.
While containing the Cardinals to 9 points from field goals, the Raiders ended their 11-game losing streak dating back almost a year, to November 20, 2005, and finally got their first win of the season.
Week 8: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California
On October 29, 2006, the Raiders hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in Oakland on CBS. The color commentator for the game was former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, with play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan.
The game was all defense as the Raiders' and Steelers' offenses struggled to gain yardage. It wasn't until the 4th quarter when the Steelers fought to come back from a 7-point deficit and got their yardage total to over 300.