When the NFL Returns to Mexico
The National Football League to play its 1st Ever Monday Night Football Game Played in Outside the U.S.
In Week 11, the National Football League returns to Mexico for the first time since October 2, 2005 when a crowd of 103,467 witnessed the league’s first international regular-season game as the Arizona Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-14 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
On Monday night (8:30 PM ET), two first-place teams – the Oakland Raiders (7-2) and Houston Texans (6-3) – will meet at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in the first-ever Monday Night Football game to be played outside the United States. The game will be televised live on ESPN in the U.S. and on Televisa and ESPN in Mexico.
“Expanding our International Series of regular-season games to Mexico marks an important step in our continued international growth,” says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell “We have a tremendous, passionate fan base in Mexico and we know the atmosphere on game day will be outstanding.”
Four of the NFL’s 10 largest single-game attendance totals have come in Mexico, including the top two: 112,376 fans on August 15, 1994 (American Bowl preseason game between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers) and 106,424 on August 17, 1998 (American Bowl preseason game between the Cowboys and New England Patriots). Both of those contests were also played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
A look ahead:
Houston Texans (6-3) at Oakland Raiders (7-2) in Mexico City (Monday, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET)
This return to south of border marks the first NFL game in Mexico since 2005 (Arizona 31, San Francisco 14 on October 2, 2005).
The Texans have won two in a row, including last week’s 24-21 win at Jacksonville. Houston cornerback Kareem Jackson had a 42-yard interception-return touchdown and quarterback Brock Osweiler threw two touchdown passes in the victory over the Jaguars.
The Raiders have won three consecutive games and six of their past seven. Oakland had a bye in Week 10 and defeated Denver 30-20 in Week 9. In that contest, Raiders running back Latavius Murray rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, only the third time a player has rushed for at least 100 yards and three touchdowns against the defending Super Bowl champions. Oakland quarterback Derek Carr has 17 touchdowns and three interceptions this season and his 5.67 TD/INT ratio is the best mark in the league among players with at least 15 touchdown passes.
