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The Las Vegas Raiders finally know when and where they are headed for the upcoming season.
On Wednesday, the NFL officially released the schedule for the 2025 season. For the Raiders, that means kicking off the Pete Carroll era against the New England Patriots on Sept. 7. From there, the Raiders will be in for a four-month gauntlet in the hopes of making significant progress from the four-win campaign last year.
Here are the major aspects of the Raiders schedule fans should get to know before games are played.
Prime time games
As predicted in the schedule reveal primer yesterday, the Raiders do get an early-season look in prime time when they face the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night Football to close out Week Two.
The re-ignition of the rivalry of Carroll and Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh adds a layer of intrigue to an already-intense divisional matchup. The Raiders also do battle against the Denver Broncos on the road for Thursday Night Football in Week Ten, followed by a Monday Night Football match against the Dallas Cowboys the next week back home. It gives the team a mini bye week to get themselves prepared for the home stretch of the season.
With at least three chances to showcase their new talent on the national stage, the Raiders will have plenty of air time to prove that this is the start of a new era.
Underrated game: Week Six vs Tennessee Titans
On paper, this feels like a matchup more centered on draft order than anything.
However, this game features the two leading contenders for Offensive Rookie of the Year, with Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty facing off against Titans quarterback Cam Ward. By this point of the season, it will be more clear which player is leading the race for the award. One big victory over the other, however, could shift the tides permanently in the favor of the winning player.
Think back to Week Eight of last season. when the Washington Commanders defeated the Chicago Bears on a last-second Hail Mary pass. The play effectively pushed Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels to the lead of the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, and he would spearhead an improbable run to the NFC Championship Game to cement his victory. A similar performance by Jeanty would ensure that his name is firmly in the conversation.
Revenge game: Week One at New England Patriots
Right off the bat, the Raiders get set to square off with some familiar faces.
The Raiders and Patriots had somewhat of a fun rivalry throughout the offseason. Free agency saw the Patriots bolster their defense with several ex-Raiders (linebacker Robert Spillane, edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, safety Marcus Epps). The Raiders sought to sign restricted free agent linebacker Christian Elliss from the Patriots, but New England matched their offer sheet and did not allow him to head out west.
Even more so, the Patriots’ new offensive coordinator is former Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels. McDaniels is back in the NFL for the first time since being fired by the Raiders midway through the 2023 season, so he will be looking for some revenge against his former team. Prior to his stint with the Raiders, McDaniels worked to turn Tom Brady into the greatest quarterback the league has ever seen, and he will now get the chance to do the same with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Toughest stretch: Week 13-18
The Raiders will hope to get some leeway, as the schedule makers did them no favors to end the year.
In the final stretch of six games, the Raiders face all three of their divisional rivals at least once. While they only face one team on the road (the Chargers in Week 13), divisional matchups are still difficult to win. The Raiders went 0-6 against their AFC West brethren last season, so they will be looking for some improvement in that area.
Along with their divisional foes, the Raiders have two additional games against playoff teams in the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans. Both games are on the road, making already challenging games even more so. If the Raiders can pick up a couple of wins during this stretch, it could go a long way towards playing spoiler for potential playoff teams, if not bolstering their own postseason ambitions.
Game Raiders are most expected to win: Week 12 vs Cleveland Browns
Fortunately, the Raiders get the chance to tune up before entering an insane end of the season.
While there is no such thing as a clear win in the NFL, the Browns are in a massive state of flux heading into the 2025 season. Despite keeping edge rusher Myles Garrett around, he is one of only a few bankable players the Browns have at their disposal. That could certainly change by this point of the season, but the Raiders have the better collection of talent of paper.
There is one potential storyline for this game, however, depending on where Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is in the lineup. Sanders was linked to the Raiders, but an unexpected draft slide lead to him falling to Cleveland in the fifth round. If Sanders is starting by the time Week 12 rolls around, he could be motivated for some vindication against a team he might feel slighted him in April.
Game Raiders are most expected to lose: Week 15 at Philadelphia Eagles
Having to go against the defending Super Bowl champions on the road is a tough ask, even for an improved Raiders squad.
The main matchup here is Jeanty comparing to Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley lead the NFL in rushing last season, earning more rushing yards than the Raiders did as a team. That is unlikely to be the case with Jeanty now in Las Vegas, so expect this game to feature some fireworks on the ground.
Otherwise, the Eagles are where the Raiders are aiming to be right now. While it is unlikely the Raiders will pull out a win, going blow-for-blow with the defending champion is a major accomplishment in and of itself. If there was ever a case where a moral victory does count for something, hanging tough in this situation qualifies.
Predicted record: 9-8
Achieving more than double the wins of last season would count as a major success for the Raiders.
Sure, the end-of-season stretch does the Raiders no favors, and some issues with the roster could end up making this more optimistic. However, the Raiders have plenty of new talent to work around, and Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith should elevate the floor of this team. Even if the Raiders are hovering around the .500 mark at the end of the season, it would still mark significant improvement from the hapless squad of 2024.
More must-reads:
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- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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Cowboys' problem with Micah Parsons may hand Steelers a franchise QB
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most-talked-about NFL organizations throughout the course of the 2025 offseason. One of the biggest headlines that was attached to the franchise involved a rare May trade that sent George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Many expected the wide receiver to be dealt before or during the NFL Draft, but after a move didn't occur, it was believed that he would play out the final year of his rookie contract in the Steel City. Now, he is teaming up with CeeDee Lamb in the NFC, and a duo has been formed that could be very dangerous. Unfortunately for fans of the Cowboys, the two wide receivers have not been the talk of Dallas' training camp. Team owner Jerry Jones is playing hardball with edge-rusher Micah Parsons, and the talented defender recently requested a trade. The decision not to pay Parsons yet has left Jones under intense scrutiny, given the fact that the pass-rusher is one of the league's best. Jones' recent comments also show how dysfunctional the situation has become. In a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," respected analyst Dan Orlovsky found a way to relate Parsons' situation to quarterback Dak Prescott, insinuating that if Jones does indeed trade Parsons, Prescott's Super Bowl window in Dallas would close. "If they trade [Parsons], and I don't think they do, if they trade him, it declares the Dak Prescott era over," Orlovsky said. "This team has no shot of winning a Super Bowl without Micah Parsons. No shot, and if you're doing it, it's to acquire a ton of first-round picks, so you have the ammunition to go get an Arch Manning of the future." The Steelers are set to have 12 draft picks in 2026, which gives the front office plenty of options when it comes to bringing in the next franchise quarterback. Instead of drafting one, however, could an available Prescott be a target for general manager Omar Khan? Orlovsky believes trading Parsons away would upset the Cowboys' best players. "There's no way that you can go to your locker room with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, some of the first-round picks you have on your offensive line, Trevon Diggs, and go, 'Hey, go beat Philadelphia when you don't have Micah Parsons. Go beat the Rams when you don't have Micah Parsons.' Your locker room will sit there and go like, 'Oh, well you've obviously moved on, so we're going to start our process of moving on as well.'" Any team interested in acquiring Prescott would have to take a long look at his contract. Some of the cap hits are astronomical in the coming years, but Khan is known to be a guru when it comes to the finances in deals. There's no reason to believe that he couldn't make something work for Prescott if a trade were to happen during the 2026 offseason. Fans in Dallas shouldn't be panicking just yet, but there were already some rumors about Prescott's long-term position with the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. Certain reports were eventually debunked because it was quite literally impossible for Jones to entertain the idea of dealing Prescott after the franchise altered the quarterback's contract. Prescott has a no-trade clause, but that can always be waived, especially if he is upset about how Jones moves forward. If the Cowboys trade Parsons and pick up a plethora of draft capital, and then go on to invest in a first-round signal-caller, Prescott may be requesting to be traded as well. That's a long way away from happening, but the Steelers immediately come to mind as a team that would likely be interested. The Steelers' best-case scenario would be the emergence of Will Howard It's not easy to make a name for oneself in the NFL, and it's even tougher for players like Will Howard who were drafted in the sixth round. Pittsburgh will be in the quarterback market once again in 2026 if Aaron Rodgers is serious about retirement, so it would be a fantastic development if Howard solidifies himself as the next starter in the Steel City.
Will Howard's preseason-ending hand injury could make the Steelers' upcoming decision at quarterback a lot harder in a few weeks
No player on the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster was building their hype heading into preseason Week 1 like Will Howard was. But on Tuesday, Howard was seen exiting the field with a hand injury that Mike Tomlin seemed skiddish about after the fact. Now we know why, as Howard has broken his hand and will miss the preseason, which complicates the Steelers' quarterback room... Steelers QB Will Howard breaks his hand in training camp "Steelers rookie QB Will Howard, who banged his throwing hand in practice, suffered a fractured small bone in his hand, sources say," posted Ian Rapoport on X. "He’s having additional tests, but it’s likely no surgery is required. He’s expected to miss at least 3 weeks, but more info coming . . . " . . .Will Howard has been impressing at camp, but now out the rest of the preseason. More reps for Mason Rudolph and added opportunity for Skylar Thompson." Howard was steadily improving as training camp went on in Latobe. The rookie signal caller saw his reps go from dead last on day one, to working into the first team during 7on7 before Week 1 of camp ended. He developed a rapport with WR Roc Taylor, and he was delivering the ball both efficiently and explosively. So the question now turns to what happens with the quarterback room. For one, the team will likely sign a quarterback before Saturday's preseason game. While it's unknown if Aaron Rodgers will play Saturday, if at all in the preseason, there is a strong chance he doesn't. So the team isn't going to send just two players out via Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. That means there will be three quarterbacks vying for what will likely be the last quarterback spot on the 53-man roster after Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph. The only quarterback of those three who won't be able to show off what he's got in the preseason: Will Howard. So I'm not saying he gets cut. That would be a shock. But would the Steelers go into the season with only one backup who has NFL experience and a rookie who misses the entirety of the preseason with an injury? Do they go against the grain and carry four quarterbacks onto the 53-man roster? The latter feels very unlikely with how deep the defense is. So in the interim, the Steelers need another body for Saturday night. But in a few weeks, they will have to figure out their quarterback room and this injury only complicates that.
Significant concern emerges for Bengals, Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals defense has stepped up its game in training camp this summer, and it's giving the coaching staff some pause about Joe Burrow's protection. The Bengals were tied with the New York Giants, giving up the 11th most sacks in the league last year (48). Given Burrow's importance to the team and long injury history dating back to his time at LSU, Cincinnati needs to see improvement from the offensive line. Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, the Bengals' depth on the offensive line is a concern at training camp. During one practice, backups Cody Ford and Devin Cochran were seen getting first-team reps while starting right tackle Amarius Mims was sidelined, dealing with a hand injury. But it's not just the backups that are a worry. Cincinnati is expected to give third-round rookie Dylan Fairchild the starting job at left guard. "On top of concern regarding rookie third-round pick Dylan Fairchild, currently the leader in the clubhouse to start at left guard, the cast of question marks lacking experience, floating behind the starting tackles, is startling," Dehner wrote. "If the Bengals had to play Cleveland this Sunday without Mims, they couldn’t tell you who would hold down the starting spot. "Meanwhile, the Bengals’ defensive line consistently produced disruptive reps, and they are a group lacking historically potent pass rushers in their own right...The Bengals just feel notably weak and inexperienced. When the rest of the offense is so stacked with talent, and the history of the performance in front of Burrow being what it is, that’s hard to look past right now." The Bengals decided to spend their money on pass catchers for Burrow. Given the results of the offense last season, it's easy to understand why Cincinnati wants Burrow to deliver the ball to exceptional athletes. The risk is that Burrow won't hold up behind an offensive line that is lacking investment. If injuries pile up during the regular season, it's a concern that will only increase.
‘Probably the best pure pass rusher on the team’ — Jaelan Phillips hypes up a young Dolphins teammate who has yet to play his first NFL snap
The Miami Dolphins' pass rush is going to serve as one of the key engines for the 2025 season. The EDGE room boasts plenty of natural ability, as the Dolphins are home to three former first-round picks — Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and Chop Robinson. Miami has plenty of reason for excitement around this group, as the Dolphins were completely without Chubb in 2024 and Phillips missed all but three and a half games. But according to Phillips, Miami sorely missed another member of the pass rush room last season — yet another name who missed all of 2024. Phillips, during his Tuesday press availability, credited young second-year pass rusher and former undrafted free agent Grayson Murphy as "the best pure pass rusher on the team". Former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips heaps heavy praise for Dolphins second-year pass rusher 'Grayson (Murphy) is probably the best pure pass rusher on the team, in my opinion.' - Jaelan Phillips on second-year UDFA pass rusher Grayson Murphy Talk about some hefty praise. Murphy was a splash player for the Dolphins in training camp and the preseason in 2024, only to suffer an injury and get placed on injured reserve after the first preseason game of the year against Atlanta. He's back and looking to make the team in 2025 amid the healthy competition at the top of the depth chart. The crazy thing about a statement like Phillips' comments is he may not be wrong. Murphy didn't go undrafted because he wasn't athletic enough or he lacked football IQ. Murphy went undrafted out of UCLA in 2024 in large part because he had a significantly shorter arm-length than what most teams would consider to be the desired "threshold" to be drafted. Murphy's arm length measured in at 30.50", with a 76" wingspan at his Pro Day at UCLA in 2024. Those numbers are zeroth-percentile (not a typo!) and second-percentile respectively amongst all EDGE defenders to pass through the pre-draft process since 1999. There's short arms and then there's where Murphy measured in. As a result, he was bucketed as an outlier and likely taken off many draft boards for the risk. The list of players with that little anatomical length to have success rushing the passer in the history of the NFL is pretty short. But here's the rub — you don't make it to the NFL and you don't play at a major college program with those severe physical shortcomings without making up for it with other elite qualities. Murphy tested well at his Pro Day: he ran a 4.66s 40-yard dash, posted a 37" vertical, jumped 10'05" in the broad jump and posted a 7.10s three-cone drill. Those a great numbers for an EDGE defender. But it's the football IQ that's allowed him to make it as far as he has. Murphy, in two seasons at UCLA, posted 108 pressures on 616 pass rush attempts. It's equal to a healthy 17.5% pressure rate. Despite his lack of reach, he showcased a variety of pass rush counters and hand maneuvers — because he had to in order to secure wins as a player. Sure, he had a twitchy first step and could turn the corner on tackles. But most players who are lacking in physical traits in some way can't lean on them as a crutch, so they have to develop and refine the other elements of their game. From that perspective, Phillips may be right. Phillips and Chop Robinson were both 5-star recruits coming out of high school. Their athleticism allowed them to win with raw ability for longer and deeper into their careers. Bradley Chubb played at North Carolina State and boasted 34" arms with heavy hands. Grayson Murphy was a 3-star transfer out of North Texas. You're darn right he's an instinctive, technical pass rusher. And in the case of Jaelan Phillips, it takes one to know one.
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