Ahead of Wednesday’s release of the NFL season schedule, we already know the Las Vegas Raiders 2024 schedule will once again be full of long road challenges.
According to data compiled by Bookies.com, the Raiders are slated to travel the seventh-highest distance among the rest of the league’s teams, covering 23,345 miles and crossing 34 time zone changes.
Raiders 2024 schedule stocked with more East Coast trips
The Raiders 2024 schedule includes road games in Miami, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Once again, they play nearly one-quarter of their season in the Eastern time zone.
A round trip to Miami alone amounts to 4,348 miles. Baltimore is another 4,208 miles and Las Vegas must also venture 3,968 miles to face Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Additionally, trips to Cincinnati, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Denver add more miles to the team’s road schedule.
The demanding travel requirements of the Raiders 2024 schedule highlight the physical and mental challenges that players and coaches face, which the Raiders have become accustomed to.
Last season, the Raiders got a reprieve, logging just 21,546 miles during their 8-9 2023 season.
Commanders and Steelers: cakewalk 2024 NFL road schedule
Interestingly, this season’s team with the least amount of travel is the Washington Commanders. They will only cover around 10,550 miles and cross just 10 time zones—less than half of what the Raiders will go through. A considerable portion of the Commanders’ travels stems from a single trip to Arizona, showcasing how travel burdens vary across teams in the league.
The Steelers always seem to have a more favorable travel schedule. They cover only 12,047 miles and venture out of the Eastern time zone twice in 18 weeks.
As the Raiders gear up for their extensive road trip, it’s worth noting that once again this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers enjoy a comparatively lighter travel schedule.
The Steelers always seem to have a more favorable travel schedule. They cover only 12,047 miles and venture out of the Eastern time zone twice in 18 weeks. They have short trips to nearby cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati, which hardly affect their overall mileage. This gives them an advantage by avoiding the strenuous travel many other teams endure. The Raiders 2024 schedule doesn’t afford them the same luxury.
Related: Revamped Raiders Offensive Line: Draft picks and veteran signings to boost 2024 performance
Raiders 2024 NFL schedule on the road vs. rest of AFC West?
The good news for Raider Nation on the Raiders 2024 schedule: One of their biggest division rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers, faces a brutal travel schedule and will travel 26,803 miles and visit the Eastern time zone five times. The Kansas City Chiefs travel 16,719 miles, and the Denver Broncos will rack up 19,670 miles traveling to the Eastern time zone four times, including to cold-weather New York and Baltimore.
- Los Angeles Chargers 2024 Road Miles: 26,803
- Las Vegas Raiders 2024 Road Miles: 23,345
- Denver Broncos 2024 Road Miles: 19,670
- Kansas City Chiefs 2024 Road MIles: 16,719
When the Raiders 2024 schedule requires ravel to the East Coast will be revealed Wednesday. That’s also a factor with travel, depending on the time of the year. With Miami and Tampa Bay on the schedule, weather isn’t a factor, even if those are late in the season. However, their Cincinnati, Baltimore, Kansas City, and Denver trips for Las Vegas could be even more challenging if they come late in the season and are in back-to-back weeks.
Along with long flights and frequent time zone adjustments, travel can have a huge impact on a team’s performance, especially when playing consecutive away games. Managing travel effectively will be crucial for the Raiders to ensure players have enough recovery time and maintain peak energy levels all season.
On the other hand, teams like the Commanders and Steelers will benefit from shorter travel distances, leading to well-rested players and potentially more consistent performances. The differing travel demands add another interesting dimension to the NFL season, showing how scheduling logistics can affect a team’s success.
As the they gear up for another season of long flights and mixed time zones, they must embrace the obstacles it presents. With the Raider Way under coach Antonio Pierce being about toughness and focus, they might embrace the challenge as another way to pit the Silver and Black against the world.
Scott Gulbransen is an editor, writer & host for Sportsnaut and is the host of the Audacy Sports original Las Vegas Raiders podcast Silver and Black Today. He’s covered the Raiders since 2017 and can be followed on X.com @LVGully.