Raiders Have Hard Schedule in 2026, Here's What Really Matters

The Las Vegas Raiders have undergone more changes than nearly any team in the National Football League. Las Vegas has made sweeping changes to its coaching staff and roster. The Raiders enter the 2026 season improved over last season, but with questions that remain.

Raiders' 2026 Schedule

In addition to the many coaching and roster-related questions that remain for the Raiders, they also face a noteworthy challenge on the horizon. The NFL is set to release each team's schedule for the 2026 season later this week, bringing a little more clarity to the upcoming season.

The Raiders' opponents have been set. They will play their normal six games within the AFC West, with two games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos. The Raiders' schedule is filled with both winnable and unwinnable games.

Before the full schedule is released, take a look at each team's strength of schedule for 2026. 👀

📺: NFL Schedule Release - Thursday at 8pm ET on ESPN/NFLN pic.twitter.com/eChBp3QMVa
— NFL (@NFL) May 11, 2026

The Raiders' schedule includes games against teams like the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots. However, the Raiders will also face the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New Orleans Saints.

The teams Las Vegas will face are already set. The intrigue around the schedule release primarily centers on the dates teams will face each other. As their matchup against the Patriots last season confirmed, when teams play each other, it undoubtedly matters and affects game outcomes.

What Really Matters Heading Into 2026

Regardless of who the Raiders play, when or where, Las Vegas must enter the 2026 season with realistic expectations. Under Spytek and Kubiak, it appears likely. After all they have been through the past few seasons, Las Vegas is not expected to contend for a playoff spot.

This allows them to enter the season with no pressure whatsoever, other than to get Kubiak and Mendoza firmly set up in Las Vegas. Developing Mendoza and laying the foundation of a long tenure for Kubiak should be the Raiders' main goal for 2026. Their rebuild will take time. Baby steps are okay.

Wins are not necessarily the Raiders' focus heading into the 2026 season. Teams play to win the game; however, progress can be measured in ways beyond wins alone. Mendoza's gradual development into Las Vegas' starting quarterback should be the main concern.

Kubiak getting more comfortable and getting a solid first season under his belt should be the next most significant concern. Before selecting Mendoza, Kubiak explained how he preferred to bring Mendoza along. So far, the Raiders are right on schedule.

"I think in a perfect world that he's watching a mature adult go and run an offense and run the team, but the situation is you might have that player, you might not. You might not have that veteran just showing the way, so he might come in and have to play immediately, but you'd rather him learn before he gets in the game,” Kubiak said.

“You don't always get to pick. Just doesn't work out the exact way you want it to, but at the end of the day, you want to make sure that you're bringing in an individual, drafting a guy that is mature enough to handle some adversity, whether it's him starting the first game or him starting the first game in year two."

Luckily for Mendoza and Kubiak, the Raiders do get to pick when their No. 1 overall draft pick finally gets to take the field at quarterback, and things are working out exactly how the Raiders' front office wanted them to. The additions of Kubiak and Cousins were coordinated.

They were coordinated with Mendoza's arrival and expected development moving forward. Las Vegas has combined for seven wins over the past two seasons. Entering the 2026 season with any expectations more than being better than last season, and developing Mendoza, would be a mistake.

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