Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce stands on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | 5:15 p.m.
The Raiders will get their first of two stretches of back-to-back road games out of the way early next season.
As early as possible.
For the second straight year, Las Vegas won’t play its home opener at Allegiant Stadium until Week 3. The Raiders begin the season on Sunday, Sept. 8, at the Los Angeles Chargers before traveling cross-country for a game at the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 15.
The franchise’s other extended time away from Southern Nevada comes at the start of the holiday season when it plays at Kansas City on Nov. 29 before going on to Tampa Bay for a game on Dec. 8.
The pair of back-to-back road games, traditionally the most challenging schedule spots for NFL teams, were the immediate standout of the Raiders’ 2024-2025 slate. The NFL released the full schedule for each of its 32 teams Wednesday evening.
Fans of the Silver and Black may bemoan having to wait until late September for a home game but could take consolation as the Raiders project to be the biggest favorite they’ll be all season in the contest. The Carolina Panthers, the Week 3 opponent, come into the year off a 2-15 campaign and still power-rate as the worst team in the league.
A more challenging opponent on paper arrives the next week when the Cleveland Browns visit Allegiant Stadium for the first time.
The Raiders’ other pair of back-to-back home games comes late in the season when they play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football on Dec. 16 before hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 22.
That’s followed by the most sentimental matchup on the schedule — a Week 17 game at the New Orleans Saints against the Raiders’ all-time leading passer Derek Carr.
The regular season then ends against the same team that started it, the Chargers. The Week 1 matchup between the Raiders and Chargers should have plenty of intrigue as an in-division showdown of teams with new full-time coaches.
Las Vegas will have a chance to spoil the NFL return of new Los Angeles coach Jim Harbaugh in Raiders coach Antonio Pierce’s first game since having the interim tag removed. The game will also be meaningful to new general manager Tom Telesco, who spent the last decade with the Chargers.
Ownership fired Telesco in the wake of the Raiders’ 63-21 victory over the Chargers in Week 15 of last season. Pierce has jokingly needled Telesco about the loss since the two joined forces, but they’ll be on the same sideline this time around.
The Raiders have fewer prime-time games this season than in any of their previous four campaigns in Las Vegas. The NFL’s flex scheduling, which doesn’t begin until Week 5, could change that, but the Raiders are currently only in two stand-alone games — at the Chiefs in the aforementioned Black Friday game and then the Monday Night Football date with the Falcons.
For the first time since moving to Las Vegas, the Raiders are not currently slotted for any Sunday Night Football or Thursday Night Football games.
Find the Raiders’ full schedule below.
Week 1 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Sept. 8 at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 2 — 10 a.m., Sunday Sept. 15 at Baltimore Ravens
Week 3 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Sept. 22 vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 4 — 1:25 p.m., Sunday Sept. 29 vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 5 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Oct. 6 at Denver Broncos
Week 6 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Oct. 13 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 7 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Oct. 20 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 8 — 1:25 p.m., Sunday Oct. 27 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 9 — 10 a.m., Sunday Nov. 3 at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 10 — BYE
Week 11 — 10 a.m., Sunday Nov. 17 at Miami Dolphins
Week 12 — 1:05 p.m., Sunday Nov. 24 vs. Denver Broncos
Week 13 — Noon, Friday Nov. 29 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 — 10 a.m., Sunday Dec. 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 15 — 5:30 p.m., Sunday Dec. 16 vs. Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football
Week 16 — 1:25 p.m., Sunday Dec. 22 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 17 — 10 a.m., Sunday Dec. 29 at New Orleans Saints
Week 18 — Time and date TBD vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or