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2022 Las Vegas Raiders Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV Info
May 13, 2022
The Las Vegas Raiders enter the 2022 campaign after an offseason full of shakeups, including the hiring of Josh McDaniels as head coach and Dave Ziegler as general manager.
The two men have done a tremendous job upgrading the Raiders' roster this offseason. The franchise acquired star wide receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers, traded for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin from the Indianapolis Colts and signed veteran defensive end Chandler Jones. They also selected Georgia running back Zamir White in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
With these upgrades comes the expectation the Raiders reach the playoffs in 2022 and make a deeper run than they did last season, when they fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round.
However, the AFC has gotten much more competitive this offseason with the additions of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns. So, it's not going to be easy for the Raiders to earn a playoff spot, and they have some pretty challenging matchups on tap.
The NFL unveiled the 2022 regular-season schedule on Thursday, and Las Vegas' first challenge will come in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Here's a full look at the schedule and some analysis on key opponents.
2022 Las Vegas Raiders Schedule
Full television schedule can be found on the team's official website.
Analysis
The Raiders finished second in the AFC West last season with a 10-7 record, but the division will be far more competitive in 2022, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos all having made upgrades over the offseason.
Considering the Raiders will play each of those teams twice, getting wins against their divisional opponents will be key to earning a spot in the postseason. And while the Chiefs are considered the favorite to win the AFC West, any team in the division could challenge them for that top spot.
Defeating any of these teams won't be an easy task for Las Vegas. The Chiefs still have one of the top offenses in the NFL, with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire all set to return in 2022.
In addition, Kansas City signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason. While he doesn't make up for the loss of Tyreek Hill, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins, he figures to be a significant part of the Kansas City offense.
The Raiders haven't defeated the Chiefs since October 2020 and have lost eight of their last 10 games against them dating back to October 2017. It's hard to imagine they'll be able to challenge Kansas City in 2022, but it's at least possible given their roster additions.
Denver will also be another tough matchup for Las Vegas. The Broncos added Russell Wilson this offseason in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, and the quarterback is determined to win "three or four more Super Bowls" during his tenure with the franchise.
With Wilson on board, the Broncos also figure to have a highly talented offense. In addition to the quarterback, they boast a lineup that includes Javonte Williams, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Courtland Sutton.
Wilson will be able to elevate the entire offense, and the defense isn't bad, either, with players such as Justin Simmons, Randy Gregory, Bradley Chubb, Patrick Surtain II and Ronald Darby.
The Chargers also figure to be a tough matchup for the Raiders. Justin Herbert, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen are returning on offense, and L.A. made some significant upgrades on defense, acquiring Khalil Mack in a trade with the Chicago Bears and signing former New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson.
In addition to divisional matchups, though, the Raiders will have some big games against the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots.
The Rams are going to be a difficult team for anyone to beat in 2022. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Cam Akers, Van Jefferson and Allen Robinson II will make up one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.
L.A.'s defense will be equally as effective, with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey headlining a group that also includes Ernest Jones, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller.
The Raiders haven't defeated the Rams since 2010, and the two teams last met in 2018, which was a 33-13 win for L.A. While both teams look very different entering 2022, the NFL champion is still viewed as the better of the two.
San Francisco also poses an intriguing matchup for the Raiders given the fact that second-year quarterback Trey Lance will likely be under center for a 49ers team that reached the NFC Championship Game last season.
With players like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Trey Sermon, Lance will have no shortage of options in what is expected to be his first full season at the helm. In addition, the San Francisco defense will remain one of the best in the league, with Nick Bosa, Charvarius Ward, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw and Fred Warner set to return.
As for the Patriots, they represent an interesting matchup for the Raiders because it will be McDaniels' first game against his former team.
Considering the Las Vegas head coach knows much of how New England's offense runs, the Raiders should come out with a win. However, the Patriots won't go down without a fight, and it will be interesting to see how Bill Belichick decides to run his offense.