Raiders' First Vegas Game vs. Brees, Saints

New Orleans Will Come to Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night in Week 2

by Tom LaMarre

The Las Vegas Raiders are scheduled to play their first home game in brand-new Allegiant Stadium, which is still under construction, on Monday Night Football against quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in the second week of the NFL season on Sept. 21.

The question is if fans will be allowed should the Coronavirus pandemic be extended or have a resurgence in the fall.

“I’m very excited for Vegas Raiders fans to help us,” Gruden said. “ … I’m really excited for Drew Brees and the Saints to be coming to Las Vegas for the first game in our new stadium. What a test that will be.

“We’ve got quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Brees coming to Las Vegas for games and I can’t wait to get the season started. I hope we can get outside soon and practice to get ready for the season.

“We’re building a really good team with some outstanding young players, and if we can come out of the blocks ready to go we can have a good season. We’ve got four of the first five games against playoff teams, so we’ll have to be ready, but if we take care of business, we have three of the last four games at home.”

The Raiders play their first regular season game since moving from Oakland on the road against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 13, according to the 2020 NFL schedule announced on Thursday.

The Silver and Black will face Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 11 at Arrowhead Stadium, with the rematch against their archrival set for a Sunday night game at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 22.

Other AFC West matchups include games against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant on Nov. 15 and the final game of the regular season at Mile High Stadium on Jan. 3, plus a visit the Los Angeles Chargers in new SoFi Stadium on Nov. 8, with the Bolts visiting Allegiant Stadium for a Thursday night game on Dec. 17.

There were rumors that the 42-year-old Brady might sign with the Raiders, but he went with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the six-time Super Bowl champion will bring the Bucs to Las Vegas for an intriguing Sunday night game on Oct. 25.

In addition, Rivers left the Chargers after 16 seasons and will be coming to Allegiant Stadium with the Indianapolis Colts for a game on Sunday, Dec. 13.

The Raiders, who have not made the playoffs since 2016, were 6-4 last November and seemingly heading for the playoffs in the second year of Gruden’s second stint with the Silver and Black, but lost five of their last six games to finish at 7-9 and third in the AFC West.

For the Raiders’ complete 2020 schedule, visit https://www.raiders.com/news/las-vegas-raiders-announce-2020-schedule