Las Vegas will get to play several last place teams next year, one silver lining from this miserable season
One silver lining to the Las Vegas Raiders finishing in last place in the AFC West is, on paper, their 2025 schedule should be much easier next season. With three games where the matchups are determined by pairing the teams based on where they finished in their respective division, the Raiders will draw at least three other last-place opponents in the fall.
Now that the 2024 season is officially complete and the standings are set in stone, let’s take a look at Las Vegas’ 2025 opponents.
Home Games
Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears
The Browns and the Bears are the two teams that the Raiders will play at home as a result of where they finished in the division.
Las Vegas defeated Cleveland in Week 4 of this season as the Browns were a mess this year and star pass-rusher Myles Garrett’s future with the club could be in doubt. Meanwhile, Chicago had a 10-game losing streak before winning today, becoming one of three teams to lose 10 in a row this season; Las Vegas and New York.
While the other AFC West clubs also get to play these teams, the Silver and Black will see cellar dwellers in the Titans and Giants at home. And Jacksonville was a Week 17 victory over Tennessee from finishing in last place this year.
Away Games
Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots
The Patriots are the last-place counterpart here for the Raiders as the rest of the West will match up with the AFC East. This could be a trickier bottom-feeder matchup as New England could be better next season with quarterback Drake Maye entering year two as a starter and a new head coach. Granted, the Pats do have plenty of other issues.
The rest of the road schedule is pretty tough for Las Vegas, though. Obviously, there are the three divisional games, and on top of that, the Raiders draw three playoff teams in the Texans, Eagles and Commanders. Even the Colts flirted with a Wild Card spot this season, though Indianapolis is expected to undergo some major changes this offseason.
Still, the slate at Allegiant Stadium is favorable for the Raiders, it’s just a matter of if they can capitalize when the time comes.