Raiders Meet This Make-or-Break Moment in Week 9 vs. Jaguars

The Las Vegas Raiders have to show some sign of life following their Week 8 bye. Can they start to turn their season around against the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands the ball to Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders desperately needed their Week 8 bye. This team came into the 2025 NFL season with a lot of optimism after embarking on a transformative offseason. With their high-profile additions — namely, Head Coach Pete Carroll, Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly, quarterback Geno Smith, and running back Ashton Jeanty — many thought the Raiders could accelerate their rebuild this year and possibly even make a run at the playoffs.

Through seven games, those postseason aspirations are practically dead in the water. Las Vegas went into its bye at just 2-5. Now, the Raiders are faced with a massive fork in the road. In Week 9, they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in their final game before the November 4 NFL trade deadline.

If they drop to 2-6, they may as well sell off their veteran parts and prepare for a tank to bolster their chances of landing elite talents in the 2026 draft. However, if they can get a win — against one of the top Wild Card contenders in the AFC conference, no less — that could keep their playoff dreams alive at least a bit longer.

Oct 12, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) reacts after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Raiders home dogs in Week 9

The Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars are kind of similar teams this year. They both came into the season with high expectations after significant turnover in their respective offseasons. Both were seen as possible feisty competitors that would fall just outside of the playoff picture more likely than not.

Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

However, Jacksonville is exceeding its projections while Las Vegas has come up short of its own. The Jaguars are 4-3, but they took two brutal losses going into their Week 8 bye. Had they at least kept the games close against the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, the odds for their upcoming matchup against the Raiders would likely be quite different.

Instead, FanDuel has Las Vegas as slight home underdogs, given three points on the spread and tabbed at +146 on the moneyline. Both defenses in this game have played encouragingly well through the early season, while the offenses have both underwhelmed. The over/under is currently set at 44.5 points.

Raiders surronded by teams playing rookie QBs https://t.co/Op8LAA04hQ

— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) October 29, 2025

This contest will show which organization took better advantage of the bye and has a more realistic chance of turning its season around and possibly making a playoff run. Will it be the Raiders under veteran stalwart Pete Carroll? Or will it be the Jaguars and upstart head coach Liam Coen?

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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