Raiders 2024 NFL Schedule Released for Davante Adams, Antonio Pierce's Playoff Push

After a promising finish to the 2023 season, the Las Vegas Raiders are entering the 2024 campaign with a new attitude.

Antonio Pierce took over as head coach for the final nine games of last season following the firing of Josh McDaniels and instilled a mindset reminiscent of the "Just win, baby" days under the late Al Davis. The Raiders won three of their last four games, including an upset win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, to finish with an 8-9 record.

Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough for Las Vegas to earn a postseason spot, so the team sat out the playoffs for the third time in the last four years. Still, there is a renewed sense of optimism, so let's take a look at the schedule that Las Vegas will be up against this year.

---

2024 Las Vegas Raiders Schedule

Full schedule information available on the team's official website.

---

Analysis

The Raiders will need every bit of their newfound edge to get through the 2024 season, as things will not be easy.

Las Vegas' schedule is tied for the eighth-toughest slate in the NFL based on last season's winning percentage. Couple that with some uncertainty at the quarterback position, and the Raiders will be navigating a bumpy road this year.

Veteran backup Gardner Minshew signed with Las Vegas and will be competing with second-year pro Aidan O'Connell for the starting quarterback job.

O'Connell showed signs of potential as a rookie, throwing for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games. Minshew has long been considered a reliable signal-caller and threw for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions during the 2023 season with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Raiders were expected to target a quarterback in the NFL draft but instead selected Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 13 pick and didn't use any of their eight picks on a signal-caller.

Adams will be motivated to return to his dominant form after his streak of six straight Pro Bowls was snapped last season. It will be important to have a dependable quarterback to feed him passes, so Pierce and company are facing a pivotal decision for who will be under center in 2024.

Las Vegas also lost star running back Josh Jacobs to free agency and will be deploying a backfield led by third-year speedster Zamir White and veteran Alexander Mattison.

The most significant addition for the Raiders this offseason came on the defensive side of the ball, as former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the team. His presence should open up even more opportunities for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

It will be up to Pierce to make it all work for the Silver and Black as he enters his first full season at the helm.

---

Pivotal Matchups

The Raiders reside in the same division as the back-to-back reigning Super Bowl champs, so their two games against the Chiefs will be among their most important matchups in 2024.

Las Vegas already proved it can hang with Patrick Mahomes and company with its 20-14 win in Week 16 of the 2023 campaign. The Raiders scored two defensive touchdowns, one of which was a 33-yard interception return by Jack Jones off a pass by Mahomes. If they can cause Kansas City to stumble again in 2024, it would bode well for their chances to compete for a playoff spot.

A road matchup against the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens will present a challenge for Las Vegas. Baltimore has a strong defensive backfield capable of shutting down Adams led by cornerback Marlon Humphrey and safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams.

In addition to their matchups against the division rival Los Angeles Chargers, the Raiders will also be taking a trip to Hollywood to face the Los Angeles Rams. There are also two trips to Florida on the schedule with road matchups against the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A pair of games against the rebuilding Denver Broncos and a home game against the Carolina Panthers should provide Las Vegas with some reprieves from the tough stretches throughout the year. The Raiders will also be able to measure themselves against other resurgent teams like the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, and a home matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers will be a fun throwback to a longtime AFC rivalry.

The Raiders have enough talent on both sides of the ball to keep games close, but it will take some gritty play to get past some of these teams. With Pierce's new philosophy fueling the team, Raider Nation is in for a fun ride.