Raiders Face Brutal 3-Week Stretch That Will Determine Their Season

The Las Vegas Raiders will have an uphill climb as they enter the 2026 season with one of the most challenging schedules of any team in the National Football League this season.

Apr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (center) speaks at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center flanked by general manager John Spytek (left) and head coach Klint Kubiak after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' 2026 regular-season schedule has its high points and difficult stretches, both of which play a significant role in how the season goes for Las Vegas.

Jul 24, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; A Las Vegas Raiders shield logo flag at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders' Schedule

Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

From top to bottom, the Las Vegas team has one of the most challenging schedules in the National Football League. The Raiders play many of the best teams in the league, including some of those teams in a short span, adding to what will already be a challenging season filled with changes.

Las Vegas is no stranger to facing uphill battles and unfavorable situations. However, this offseason has prepared them to do so better than previous offseasons. This is good news for a Raiders team that has improved but still has a way to go to see the impact of those changes on the field.

Sep 17, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) prepares to block Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) to protect quarterback Josh Allen (17) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Brutal Stretch

Aug 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Mason Richman (78) blocks Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Treven Ma'ae (68) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The difficulty of Las Vegas' schedule was spread out relatively evenly over the course of the season. However, there is a three-week span early in the season that will go a long way toward deciding how the 2026 season will go for the Raiders. This is especially true considering the past few seasons.

The Raiders have won seven games combined over the past two seasons. Las Vegas got off to poor starts in both cases. In 2024, the Raiders started the season 2-5. They also started the 2025 season 2-5. In 2026, their early-season schedule is difficult, to say the least.

Aug 16, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Sincere McCormick (28) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chase Lucas (26) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Within the first seven weeks of the 2026 season, the Raiders will face the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots on the road. They will also face the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs, without Patrick Mahomes, at home early in the season.

The Chiefs are beatable without Mahomes, but they are far from an easy win and could very well be a loss. Starting in Week 5, the Raiders play the Patriots, Bills, and Rams in consecutive weeks. It is not impossible for them to lose all three of those games.

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) knocks the ball away intended for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (11) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images | Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

Even if the Raiders split their first four games of the season against the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Chargers, and Chiefs, if they lose all three games against the Bills, Rams, and Patriots, they would still find themselves at 2-5 for the third consecutive season.

Those three games against the Rams, Bills, and Patriots will determine the season. Las Vegas has been unable to bounce back from 2-5 starts two seasons in a row. Few teams in the league can do so, and believing the 2026 Raiders could do so would be unreasonable.

Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Right after the Raiders get done with that three-game stretch, they fly to the East Coast to face the New York Jets. The Jets are the Jets, but the Raiders are in no position to overlook them, especially after making a cross-country trip from Las Vegas, while potentially on a three-game losing streak.

Week 5 through Week 8 will largely determine the Raiders' 2026 season. Regardless of how they start the season or how they finish, Raiders general manager John Spytek believes he has begun setting Las Vegas up for eventual success. He hopes that success comes this season, but it will be tough.

May 2, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs through a drill during a Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

"I think we're going to build this team the right way, and this league is littered with examples of teams that went from a top five pick to the NFC Championship, the Super Bowl. We've seen it the last couple years,” Spytek said. 

“I mean, the Patriots won four games last year, and they were in the big game. The year before, the Commanders picked second and were in the NFC Championship game. So, we're going to build it the right way, and we'll see what comes."