The NFL Schedule Makers Did Raiders Multiple Favors

The Las Vegas Raiders have a challenging schedule, but the way it was set up by the league's schedule makers leaves them room to have a successful season. The schedulers do not pick the teams or where they play.

They only decided the dates, and with that, they did the Raiders a few favors.

1 Early Kansas City Game

The Chiefs will be without quarterback Patrick Mahomes for at least the first few weeks of the season, if not the entire season. Las Vegas is scheduled to host the Chiefs in Week 4. This gives the Raiders a very legitimate shot at beating the Chiefs early in the season and potentially building momentum.

Kansas City has dominated the Raiders and the AFC West for essentially the entire past decade, but they are a lot less intimidating without Mahomes on the field. Las Vegas has a difficult schedule, but facing the Chiefs minus Mahomes early is a plus.

3 Home Games Followed by Quick Trip to Arizona After Bye Week

The Raiders have a late Bye Week this season. Las Vegas' week off will be in Week 13. However, they have three home games immediately after the Bye Week. Then, they have a quick trip to Arizona. Two of those four games are winnable games against the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals.

A late Bye has its downsides, but in this case, it gives the Raiders a chance to regroup and potentially go on a run to end the season. That hypothetical run could be a solid run to end the season and transition strongly into 2027, or it could be for a playoff spot. Either way, those four games are huge.

Midseason Matchup vs. Seattle

Las Vegas faces some of the best teams in the league during the 2026 season, which is why they have one of the toughest strength-of-schedule ratings. One of those matchups will be against the defending Super Bowl champions and Klint Kubiak's old team, the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks are the better team, with a more established way of doing things, even after the coaching staff and roster losses they took this offseason. Still, the Raiders playing Seattle early in the season would have given them little time to prepare for the juggernaut that is the Seahawks.

May 2, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) speaks during a news conference at the team’s Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Had the Raiders faced the Seahawks late in the season, Las Vegas could be in a bad spot, as they are not expected to win many games this season. The Raiders are likely to be the most competitive when they face the Seahawks in Week 10.

The Raiders' roster has improved, but they are not on the level of the defending Super Bowl champions. Raiders General Manager John Spytek offered insight into how he approached assembling a new, improved roster this offseason.

"I think it's very important. If you can find the right guys that play that position, and you can put those strategically in the different position rooms. And so, not that those guys need to mentor those guys, but just if they can watch a true pro prepare how they go about their routine throughout the week, how they take care of their bodies, how they prepare in the offseason. I think it's really valuable,” Spytek said.

“The onus isn't on the vet to mentor those guys. It's just on to do the right thing. And I've been around guys in Tampa for years that did it the right way, and that's why some of our young players were able to play so fast and so well, because they were around the right guys, they saw the right way to do things, and when they got a chance to get on the field, they were ready."

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