NFL gives Raiders nearly as many primetime games as wins in 2025

The Las Vegas Raiders had yet another disappointing season in 2024 and it was great for LA Chargers fans to see. There was a lot of talk about the Raiders being a better team than the Chargers in 2024 and the final result proved that to be untrue.

In classic Raiders fashion, Vegas has put together a strong offseason that has raised the optimism of the fanbase. With Pete Carroll at head coach, Geno Smith at quarterback, and Ashton Jeanty at running back, there is real hope that the Raiders can usurp the Chargers in the AFC West.

The NFL is doing its part to fuel that misplaced optimism. The 2025 NFL schedule was released on Wednesday and the Raiders checked in with three primetime games, one of which is against the Chargers in Week 2.

This nearly matches the Raiders' entire win total from 2024, and may be close to how many wins the team comes away with in 2025.

Raiders' three primetime games may be close to the team's win total

This may seem like an unfair shot at a division rival but its worth noting that the Raiders' win total for the season has been set at 6.5. It's clear that Las Vegas doesn't believe in the Raiders, so why should anyone else?

The Raiders won four games last season as the worst entry in what has been a downhill slide. The four-win season is what prompted the aggressive offseason, although as the Chargers know all too well, aggression in the offseason doesn't always result in regular-season success.

After all, there is a reason why the Seahawks got out of the Geno Smith business. The Raiders could fall victim to the same trap the Denver Broncos fell into with Russell Wilson. Smith turns 35 this year, so it's absolutely fair to expect some kind of regression.

It doesn't help that Smith is going from a top-tier receiving corps to one that lacks a true No. 1 option. Jeanty will do a lot to help remedy the lack of passing weapons, but both players will struggle behind this offensive line.

Carroll is a big name, sure, but he wore out his welcome in Seattle and has been a glorified .500 coach in his last three seasons coached. He isn't coming off the same level of success Harbaugh was when he joined the Chargers.

History repeats itself and history tells us that the Raiders will have a disappointing season in which there are many more losses than wins. When the dust settles, the Raiders' win total could be painfully close to the number of primetime games they are slated to play.