To be fair, there is no such thing as an “easy” game in the NFL as anyone can beat anyone on any given Sunday.
But there’s no denying that some matchups are more favorable than others on paper.
Now that we have the Las Vegas Raiders 2024 schedule, let’s dive into the easiest and toughest stretches on it.
Granted, the Cleveland Browns matchup will be tough as the Browns are expected to be a playoff contender this fall, but at least that one is at home and the other three games are very winnable.
The Carolina Panthers are a young team with a new head coach and that will be the Raiders’ home opener to add some extra motivation for the Silver and Black.
The Denver Broncos have never won a game against Las Vegas and will likely be breaking in a new rookie quarterback in Bo Nix.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could pose a challenge with their strong defense, but Pittsburgh has question marks under center and offensively in general, making the team easier to beat.
This is an absolutely brutal stretch for the Silver and Black.
The Los Angeles Rams, Chiefs and Miami Dolphins are all reigning playoff teams and the Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a 9-8 campaign where quarterback Joe Burrow missed the last seven weeks.
All four squads could be considered Super Bowl contenders and three out of four games are on the road.
The only favor the NFL schedule makers gave Las Vegas here is squeezing the bye week between two Eastern time zone games, giving the team a slight break before a tough away contest in South Beach.
Having to face the back-to-back champs on the road is a tough matchup on its own, let alone on a short week since that will be the Black Friday game.
Granted, that does give the Raiders some more time to prepare for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but a cross-country away game is always difficult.
Also, the Bucs finished last season strong, winning their division and a playoff game.
