Moe Moton
The NFL released its full 272-game schedule Wednesday, providing a road map for Las Vegas Raiders fans to follow their team throughout the 2024 season.
Technically, the Raiders will open the campaign with two road games, though they still have a stronghold on the Los Angeles market. They will have a large fan presence at SoFi Stadium in their season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Let’s get into game-by-game predictions for their 2024 season.
Related: 2024 NFL schedule
Week 1: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers
On one hand, the Raiders are 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Los Angeles Chargers, but they’re 1-4 at SoFi Stadium and have lost three consecutive games to the Bolts in Los Angeles. The Raiders should want to see the Chargers in Week 1 though. Los Angeles has a new coaching staff, which suggests the team may be a bit out of sorts in its first game. The Raiders get the win over a more energized Chargers team than they faced in Week 15 last year.
- Result: Win
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Week 2: Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens
The Raiders beat the Baltimore Ravens in overtime when these teams squared off in Week 1 of the 2021 season at Allegiant Stadium. That Ravens team lost multiple players for the season weeks before the game.
This offseason, Baltimore signed Derrick Henry, and quarterback Lamar Jackson has dropped to 205 pounds, his lightest weight since his rookie year. Even with the addition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, the Raiders could struggle to contain Jackson and stop Henry on the ground.
- Result: Loss
Week 3: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Carolina Panthers
The Raiders will host a rebuilding Carolina Panthers squad in this spot. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has new wide receivers, Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette, but he’s learning his second offensive system in two years. Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson will feast on the Panthers offensive line and leave Young’s facemask print on the field at Allegiant Stadium in a Raiders rout.
- Result: Win
Week 4: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns
Last season, the Cleveland Browns made the playoffs thanks in large part to quarterback Joe Flacco who took over for Deshaun Watson. Flacco signed with the Indianapolis Colts, and Watson will be back under center. Since the Browns acquired Watson, he’s thrown for 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 59.8 percent completion rate in 12 games.
Watson isn’t the Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback who led the Houston Texans to the playoffs between 2018 and 2019. In a low-scoring defensive battle, the Raiders offense will make fewer mistakes and capitalize on a crucial Browns turnover for the victory.
- Result: Win
Related: Top-20 games on the 2024 NFL schedule
Week 5: Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos
The Raiders go back on the road to face the Denver Broncos, and they should be favored in this game. Denver may start rookie first-rounder Bo Nix or journeyman Jarrett Stidham at quarterback. This offseason, the Broncos traded wideout Jerry Jeudy and cut safety Justin Simmons. Denver hasn’t beaten the Silver and Black since Week 17 of the 2019 season. Raiders will extend their win streak over the rebuilding Broncos to nine games.
- Result: Win
Week 6: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Silver and Black has lost its last two games to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers signed quarterback Russell Wilson, who’s an upgrade over Kenny Pickett, whom the team traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
With a serviceable passing attack, the Steelers will be a tougher opponent than their teams in the last two years. Besides that, Pittsburgh’s defense remains stout. This may be the first game in which fans start to express serious concerns about offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
- Result: Loss
Related: 10 worst primetime games on the 2024 NFL schedule
Week 7: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams
The Raiders will return to SoFi Stadium in Week 7, but this time, they’ll face a team with an offensive rhythm. The Los Angeles Rams fielded the eighth-ranked scoring offense in 2023. Head coach and offensive play-caller Sean McVay knows how to use his playmakers, but Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has a lot to prove in that regard. The Raiders drop this game and questions about Getsy get louder.
- Result: Loss
Related: Breaking down the Los Angeles Rams schedule
Week 8: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas delivered a defensive Silver and Black beatdown to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas last year. Though the Chiefs will seek revenge, they won’t get it on the road. The Raiders feature running backs Zamir White and Alexander Mattison on the ground to play bully ball in another upset victory over the reigning champions. Getsy restores some faith in his play-calling with a simple physical game plan.
- Result: Win
Week 9: Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals
In 2023, the Cincinnati Bengals lost quarterback Joe Burrow midway through the season and finished 9-8. He’s back under center with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins together as one of the league’s best receiver duos. The Raiders should also be able to move the ball on the Bengals, whose defense allowed the second-most yards and ranked 21st in scoring last season.
However, in a battle between offenses, Burrow gets the benefit of the doubt over Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell in a matchup between dueling offensive attacks.
- Result: Loss
Related: Las Vegas Raiders standing in Sportsnaut’s off-season NFL power rankings
Week 11: Las Vegas Raiders at Miami Dolphins
Coming off a Week 10 bye, the Raiders travel to Miami to face the Dolphins. Last year, Miami had a clunky performance against Las Vegas, turning the ball over three times but still won 20-13. Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins will be licking his chops as he plays against his former team and should have a solid outing.
But the Dolphins’ offense is loaded and unlikely to have consecutive sloppy performances against the Raiders at home. Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham Jr., De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert will be too much for Las Vegas’ defense to handle in Miami.
- Result: Loss
Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Denver Broncos
The Raiders will host the completion of their season series sweep over the Denver Broncos. In this matchup, we could see Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew have their best game of the season against a Broncos squad that doesn’t have a proven edge-rusher. Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer will run up and down the field on Denver’s defense at home.
- Result: Win
Related: Ranking all Sunday Night Football Games on 2024 NFL schedule
Week 13: Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
On Black Friday, the Chiefs will get their revenge against the Raiders in Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce dial in to make sure their rivals don’t embarrass them again in front of the home crowd. After losing two consecutive games to the Raiders, the Chiefs get the season series split as they try to gain momentum before the playoffs.
- Result: Loss
Week 14: Las Vegas Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The road warrior Raiders head back to Florida to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which may be a low-scoring game. Buccaneers head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles has fielded a stingy unit in terms of points allowed over the previous four years. The Raiders’ defense ranked ninth in scoring last season.
Up to this point, though, the Raiders haven’t signed a veteran cornerback, which means Jakorian Bennett, Brandon Facyson, rookie fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson or rookie seventh-rounder M.J. Devonshire could start on the boundary opposite Jack Jones. Mike Evans or Chris Godwin could rack up a lot of yards and a couple of touchdowns against the Raiders’ secondary if they don’t add a veteran cornerback with starting experience.
- Result: Loss
Week 15: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Atlanta Falcons
At this point in the season, quarterback Kirk Cousins should be settled into the Atlanta Falcons’ offense. Cousins will have Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Darnell Mooney in the passing game, which will put some pressure on the Raiders ‘secondary opposite of Jack Jones like Tampa Bay Buccaneers could do in the previous week. Cousins improves his Monday Night Football record with a road victory.
Result: Loss
Week 16: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Raiders get back into the win column at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. After quarterback Trevor Lawrence led Jacksonville to a thrilling Wild Card Round playoff win over the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2022 campaign, he’s regressed and turned the ball over at an alarming rate.
Safety Tre’Von Moehrig and cornerback Jack Jones could come away with interceptions in this game. Maybe Christian Wilkins scores a big-man touchdown on a fumble recovery, too.
- Result: Win
Week 17: Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
The Silver and Black will go to quarterback Derek Carr’s new home and stomp all over his carpet.
The New Orleans Saints may have offensive line issues throughout the 2024 season. They moved rookie Taliese Fuaga from his natural position at right tackle to the left side. Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Offensive tackle Trevor Penning, a 2022 first-rounder, has been a disappointment. Maxx Crosby says hello to Carr with multiple sacks in a performance that puts him firmly in the All-Pro discussion.
- Result: Win
Week 18: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers
At this point in the season, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh should have a firm handle on the roster. If the team is relatively healthy for this matchup, Los Angeles will put together a much better performance in the season finale than it did in the season opener. Chargers eke out a road win to split the 2024 season series.
- Result: Loss
Las Vegas Raiders 2024 season record projection: 8-9
Raiders finish 8-9 for the season mostly because of offensive inefficiencies with questionable play-calling. Furthermore, as of May, Las Vegas also has a glaring need for a veteran cornerback who can shore up the secondary in case Jakorian Bennett, Decamerion Richardson and M.J. Devonshire aren’t ready to start in the upcoming season.
Maurice Moton covers the Las Vegas Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
