Fans got a taste of the Antonio Pierce era in Las Vegas toward the end of last season. Now, it's all systems go in 2024.
It was a tumultuous 2023 campaign for the Raiders, to say the least. The team vastly underperformed (again) underneath Josh McDaniels, going 3-5 before he was fired partway through the season. That resulted in the promotion of Pierce to interim head coach, and the team found a spark, finishing 5-4 under Pierce to end the season at 8-9.
The organization dropped the interim tag from Pierce's title this summer as the club aims to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2021.
Quarterback seemed like one of the big priorities this offseason, but the Raiders did not land any big names. Las Vegas swung and missed on key free agents/trade targets and failed to land a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft. As a result, it will be either second-year Aidan O'Connell or journeyman Garnder Minshew leading the way for the offense.
The team also lost running back Josh Jacobs in free agency, seemingly content to give Zamir White the starting reps. Of course, star wide receiver Davante Adams figures to be the focal point of the offense, as well as rookie tight end Brock Bowers. On the other side of the ball, defensive end Maxx Crosby is at the helm of a defense in need of taking another step forward.
Were the offseason changes enough to start a turnaround in Sin City? We'll have to wait and see.
Here is a complete breakdown of the Raiders' 2024 schedule, including dates, start times, and analysis for their slate of games.
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Las Vegas Raiders schedule 2024
- Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Browns, Steelers, Falcons, Panthers, Jaguars
- Away: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals, Saints, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Rams
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV | Tickets |
| 1 | Sept. 8 | at Chargers | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 2 | Sept. 15 | at Ravens | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 3 | Sept. 22 | vs. Panthers | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 4 | Sept. 29 | vs. Browns | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 5 | Oct. 6 | at Broncos | 4:05 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 6 | Oct. 13 | vs. Steelers | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 7 | Oct. 20 | at Rams | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 8 | Oct. 27 | vs. Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 9 | Nov. 3 | at Bengals | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 10 | Nov. 10 | BYE | — | — | — |
| 11 | Nov. 17 | at Dolphins | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 12 | No. 24 | vs. Broncos | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 13 | Nov. 29 | at Chiefs | 3 p.m. | Prime Video | Buy now |
| 14 | Dec. 8 | at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 15 | Dec. 16 (MNF) | vs. Falcons | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN | Buy now |
| 16 | Dec. 22 | vs. Jaguars | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 17 | Dec. 29 | at Saints | 1 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 18 | TBD | vs. Chargers | TBD | TBD | Buy now |
Raiders strength of schedule
The Raiders own one of the more tougher schedules in the 2024 campaign. Las Vegas is tied for the 12-hardest strength of schedule, with their opponents collectively finishing last year at .512.
This year, in addition to the rest of the AFC West, the Raiders face the tough group out of the AFC North, who all finished above .500 last year. Conversely, Las Vegas also has the NFC South, where the division-winning Buccaneers went 9-8. It also has a matchup against the Rams.
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Raiders prediction 2024
Raiders Super Bowl odds courtesy BetMGM (+8000)
Toughest tests: The AFC North undoubtedly is going to give the Raiders some of its toughest tasks in 2024. All four teams finished with a winning record, and three of the four made the postseason. The only team that failed to do so was the Bengals, and they are getting a healthy Joe Burrow back.
Las Vegas hosts Pittsburgh and Cleveland, but traveling to both Cincinnati and Baltimore will be tough. If the Raiders have playoff hopes, they will most definitely be fighting off members of the AFC North to do so.
Biggest breaks: From the best division during the 2023 season to the worst. The NFC South has been ... lacking the past two seasons. The Buccaneers and Falcons were the only teams with a winning record in the division, but just barely, as each finished 9-8. The Panthers were the worst team in football and the Saints were painfully not-quite-average.
The arrival of Kirk Cousins in Atlanta does shake up the division a bit, but let's face it — there's a good shot this is the worst division in the league yet again in 2024. Las Vegas has a prime opportunity to pick up wins against its NFC opponents.
Bottom line: As long as Patrick Mahomes is leading the way for the Chiefs, the Raiders, Broncos, and Chargers are going to be playing second fiddle in the division. That's what makes those head-to-head matchups all the more important.
Las Vegas didn't land a true starting QB this offseason, but there's familiarity with O'Connell and Pierce. It was evident that the team played with a different fire under the now-full-time head coach, and with an entire summer of workouts and training sessions, the fuel could build even more.
With that said, the Raiders still lack elite talent at the quarterback position and downgraded at running back. Even with Adams, it's going to be hard to see that offense keeping the team in the game.
Record prediction: 6-11
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