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With the NFL regular season fast approaching, we at SportsUntapped are taking our crystal balls out of storage and examining each team’s full 16-game schedule to prognosticate how the 2012 season will play out. We’ll look at all 32 teams and reveal each one’s final record. Next up: Carson Palmer and the Oakland Raiders, who’ll try to win nine or more games for the first time since 2002.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Last year’s record: 8-8

Vegas Over/Under on 2012 Regular Season Wins: 7

First four games:

Sep 10 San Diego 10:15 pm
Sep 16 @Miami 1:00 pm
Sep 23 Pittsburgh 4:25 pm
Sep 30 @Denver 4:05 pm

If the Raiders can’t beat the Chargers at home on the opening Monday night, they could find themselves in an early hole with tough games in Week 3 and Week 4. They definitely lose to the Steelers in Week 3, but beat the Dolphins on the road and split the two division games for a 2-2 mark at the end of September.

Second four games:

Week 5 BYE
Oct 14 @Atlanta 1:00 pm
Oct 21 Jacksonville 4:25 pm
Oct 28 @Kansas City 4:05 pm
Nov 4 Tampa Bay 4:05 pm

Even coming out of the bye, that trip to Atlanta looks like another sure loss. They’ll probably also lose at Arrowhead, or drop one of the easy-looking home games to stay even at 4-4 midway through the season.

First four games of the second half:

Nov 11 @Baltimore 1:00 pm
Nov 18 New Orleans 4:05 pm
Nov 25 @Cincinnati 1:00 pm
Dec 2 Cleveland 4:25 pm

Oakland’s last three games in November are all against playoff teams from last season and involve two cross-country trips. It’s hard to see the Raiders winning more than one of those, most likely Carson Palmer’s return to Cincinnati. Oakland should be able to beat the Browns at home, but that still leaves them at 6-6 with four to play.

Last four games:

Dec 6 Denver 8:20 pm
Dec 16 Kansas City 4:25 pm
Dec 23 @Carolina 1:00 pm
Dec 30 @San Diego 4:25 pm

Winning three of their last four might be enough for the Raiders to win the West, but I still don’t think they’re good enough to consistently beat mediocre teams. I see two more losses in this final stretch and a third straight 8-8 season.