Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly (left) with head coach Pete Carroll against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

How the Raiders Can Surprise Teams This Season

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders will look to get off to a great start this Sunday when they open up the season against the New England Patriots on the East Coast. The Raiders are going to get tested right away out of the gate.

The Raiders have not had a good track record when playing games on the East Coast. But they have also not had the coaching staff that they have going into the season. Head coach Pete Carroll will make sure that they are ready each week to face the challenge ahead of them.

The Raiders have made moves this season on their roster to have a better chance of being successful in 2025. The most important one comes at the quarterback position. The Silver and Black have a good leader who will know how to handle every play and every snap. Smith had a great training camp, and the Raiders believe they got a great quarterback who will lead this team to many victories this season. The Raiders will lean on Smith both on and off the field.

Raiders Offense

A lot of people like the moves the Raiders made on the offensive side of the ball, but they are not getting ahead of themselves on picking the Raiders to do anything special this season. A lot of people think they will win more games than last season, but they also expect them to still finish last in the AFC West. That division is going to be a tough one to win this season because of all the good teams in the division.

Our Hondo Carpenter and Attorney Jonathan Schopp talked about the Raiders winning more than people expect on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"I see it going one of two ways," said Schopp. "I think I could see them win 10 or more games. And that will be the product of the surprises that happen every year in the NFL. And a whole lot of things are obviously going very right for that ball club. You also look at it like me, look at the schedule, and look and say there are really two seasons. There is before the bye, very clear, and there are the games that are after."

"If the game at the very end does not mean anything, there is a very good chance the Raiders beat the Chiefs if they are resting ... They got to win the games on the schedule that look like they should win."

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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