The next chapter in the preparation for the new season has arrived for the Las Vegas Raiders with the announcement of its 2023 schedule on Thursday.
In addition, Thursday also comes with the announcement of five signings from its nine picks from the NFL Draft couple weeks ago. The Raiders have yet to announce deals from first-round pick Tyree Wilson and second-round pick Michael Mayer.
As a result, it has been a busy day for the Silver and Black as their 2023 schedule is revealed. It is one thing to know the opponents, but to know the schedule is another thing. It feels more complete for the staff, the coaches and the fans to prepare for the season.
The 2023 NFL regular season is going to be the second year where all 32 teams will be playing 17 games in 18 weeks before the playoffs.
2023 Las Vegas Raiders schedule
- Week 1 (Sept. 10): at Denver
- Week 2 (Sept. 17): at Buffalo
- Week 3 (Sept. 24): vs. Pittsburgh (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 4 (Oct. 1): at Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 5 (Oct. 9): vs. Green Bay (Monday Night Football)
- Week 6 (Oct. 15): vs. New England
- Week 7 (Oct. 22): at Chicago
- Week 8 (Oct. 30): at Detroit (Monday Night Football)
- Week 9 (Nov. 5): vs. New York Giants
- Week 10 (Nov. 12): vs. New York Jets (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 11 (Nov. 19): at Miami
- Week 12 (Nov. 26): vs. Kansas City
- Week 13: BYE
- Week 14 (Dec. 10): vs. Minnesota
- Week 15 (Dec. 14): vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Thursday Night Football)
- Week 16 (Dec. 25): at Kansas City
- Week 17 (Dec. 31): at Indianapolis
- Week 18 (TBD): vs. Denver
From the Raiders schedule, here are the top 5 games.
Related: Top takeaways from the 2023 NFL schedule release
1. Week 16: Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
Playing on any holiday during the NFL Season – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Veteran’s Day – means a lot to the players for a variety of reasons. The Las Vegas Raiders will get a share that by playing on Christmas at Arrowhead Stadium against the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Although this is a new Raiders team with a new quarterback, when Las Vegas went to Kansas City last year, they jumped out to a 17-0 lead on primetime before losing the lead to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, the latter of whom caught four touchdowns.
This is probably going to be the only snow game the Raiders are going to face all year as four of the final seven weeks are at home and the other road game being inside Lucas Oil Stadium against Indianapolis in late December.
2. Week 2: Las Vegas Raiders @ Buffalo Bills
The stretch of going up against high-quality quarterbacks on the schedule continues as Las Vegas faces Josh Allen. It is going to challenge the Raiders’ secondary with receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis leading the way. This is going to be a big early season test on the road as the Silver and Black travels to Buffalo for the first time since 2017.
This game also continues a stretch where the team opens with three of their first four games away from Allegiant Stadium, like last year.
Related: Top 10 games on the 2023 NFL schedule
3. Week 10: Las Vegas Raiders vs New York Jets
This is going to be the first time Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams will get to face his former teammate and quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, since they were played together with the Green Bay Packers. It will also be a challenge for Adams, who will probably be going up against last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Sauce Gardner.
This is one of five primetime games for the Silver and Black and one of four primetime games at home in Sin City. It will also be the Jets’ first trip to Las Vegas.
This is going to be the first time these two teams squared off since 2020 when former Raiders tight end Darren Waller recorded more than 200 yards and former quarterback Derek Carr threw a long touchdown pass in the final minute.
Related: Updated 2023 NFL schedule information
4. Week 5: Las Vegas Raiders vs Green Bay Packers
On the same track, Adams will get to face his former team, the Green Bay Packers. It comes five weeks before facing his former quarterback at home to conclude the Week 5 slate of games for Monday Night Football.
As a result, some of Adams’ former teammates he will face include running back Aaron Jones, quarterback Jordan Love and tackle David Bakhtiari, depending on his recovery from suffering a knee injury last year.
Like the Jets, this is going to be the first time the Packers come to Las Vegas and the first matchup between the two teams since 2019 in Green Bay.
5. Week 6: New England Patriots
One of the rematches not including the Raiders’ AFC West opponents will be against the New England Patriots inside Allegiant Stadium. Last year when these two teams played, it was first time general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels were facing their former organization. And that game ended with a pick-six by Chandler Jones to give the Las Vegas Raiders the win as time expired.
As a result, this is going to be quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s first time as a Raider facing the team that drafted him nearly 10 years ago.