Football is back! Oakland Raiders fans are chomping at the bit to see their team hit the field again. They are even more excited to see head coach Jon Gruden on the sideline for the first time since 2001. While predictions for Oakland’s record are all over the place, many so-called “experts” are predicting a losing season as Gruden struggles to readjust to how the game has evolved in his absence. However, the Raiders locker room and the staff is no doubt setting postseason expectations.
Last Word on Pro Football is analyzing the schedules of all 32 NFL teams. Each team’s 16-game slate will be split into its most difficult (1-8) and easiest games (9-16). For this article, the toughest games on the Raiders 2018 schedule is under the microscope.
Oakland Raiders Toughest Games of 2018 Season
1. Week 14: vs Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the most important games of the season is no doubt week 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The game will be played on national television, Sunday Night, a time where Derek Carr has been known to struggle. Some of the worst games of his career have been primetime games. Add in the fact that the team is going up against the Steelers, who are a perennial playoff team. If Oakland is doing well, it could be a playoff preview, a game that shows the league that Gruden can, in fact, get right back into coaching and lead the Raiders right to the playoffs. Oakland will have its hands full trying to stop the Killer Bees in Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown. The last time these two teams played in 2015, the offenses went toe-to-toe. Pittsburgh ended up coming out on top, thanks in large part to Brown’s monster 284 yards game. Regardless of Oakland’s standings when this game comes around, this is a must watch game where fireworks will fly.
2. Week 1: vs Los Angeles Rams
The Raiders are jumping right into the fire week one of the season when they take on the Los Angeles Rams. All eyes will be Gruden to see how quickly he can shake the rust off after being out of coaching for so long. Oakland gets the second slot of Monday Night Football and will be playing for a home crowd looking to feed off Gruden’s intensity. It will not be easy, going against a Rams team that surprised everyone en route to a 12-4 season. Their head coach Sean McVay is young, fresh, and really jumpstarted their offense, with stars like Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, and newcomer Brandin Cooks. On defense, they added Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib.
An interesting storyline to watch is whether Khalil Mack or Aaron Donald is able to get their contract extensions done before the game. Donald has said he will not play another down under his current deal and Mack seems to be following suit. Both are looking to be the highest paid defensive players in the league. If one, or both, hold out into the season, it could change the dynamic of the entire game.
3. Week 17: at Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland’s week 17 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs should end up being an important game for the entire division. With both Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers expected to compete for playoff spots, the winner of this game could end up getting into the playoffs, either as a wild card, or division winners. Analysts may be counting the Silver and Black out, but the team sure won’t be, and as of now, they should be looking at this game as a must-win for a postseason berth. However, it is a tough game to finish with, as Carr’s Raiders have historically struggled against Kansas City. Overall, Carr is 2-6 against the Chiefs and has yet to win a game at Arrowhead. Gruden should look to the ground game to mask Carr’s struggles against the Chiefs, and feed Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin. Last season, Kansas City was ranked 25th against the run.
4. Week 6: vs Seattle Seahawks (London)
London games are tough for any team. The games are in a totally different country and usually played much earlier than most games. (Luckily this one is set for a 10:00 a.m. PST start.) It is especially tough for the Raiders because they are about as far away from London as any team in the league. While the Seattle Seahawks have basically the same travel ahead of them, the last time Oakland traveled there, it did not go well. In 2014, they were completely dismantled by the Miami Dolphins in what proved to be Dennis Allen’s final game as the Silver and Black’s head coach. It was Carr’s first season, and he left the game with an injury. The Seahawks themselves may not be as scary as the past few seasons, but the long travel means the Raiders will have to stay extremely focused to come out with a win.
5. Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers
In what could be the final “Battle of the Bays,” Oakland faces off with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. With new franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers have suddenly become the darlings of the NFL. Since Garoppolo won all five of his starts after being traded to the 9ers, he’s already become somewhat of a living legend. After Garoppolo got a bigger contract than Carr’s in less than half a season of play, Carr no doubt be playing to upstage the other signal caller. It won’t be easy, with All-Pro Richard Sherman joining San Francisco this off-season. A lot of this game will depend on if Carr rises to the occasion or cracks under the pressure of the bright lights.
6. Week 13: vs Kansas City Chiefs
Unfortunately for the Raiders, they must play Kansas City twice during the season. While the week 17 game at Arrowhead will undoubtedly be tougher, week 13’s game in Oakland will not be much better. Last season, Oakland broke a five-game losing streak against the Chiefs, and finally had a good statistical game. Still, it took a last-second touchdown on a crazy sequence of plays to make it happen. Luckily, by this time in the season, Oakland’s offense should be acclimated to their new system. Hopefully, they will be running on all cylinders.
At the same time, it also gives first-year starter Patrick Mahomes a chance to get some playing time under his belt. He is the wild card in this matchup, as his ceiling is much higher than former quarterback Alex Smith’s. At the same time, Smith protected the ball and made smart plays. It could be an entirely different style of play for the Chiefs, which could be a welcome change for the Raiders.
7. Week 2: at Denver Broncos
Divisional games are tough for any team. The opposition knows them so well that it is tough to fool them. The Denver Broncos are no different for the Raiders. Like the Chiefs, the Carr-era Raiders have a losing record against them. Since 2014, Oakland is 3-5 against Broncos, and Carr himself is 3-4 since he missed week 17 of 2016 with a leg injury. Last time they traveled to Denver, Carr ended up leaving the game with a back injury. Then, when they played Denver at home later in the season, wideout Michael Crabtree ended up getting in a fight with Denver corner Aqib Talib, leading to ejections for both. The two play on different teams now, but there is still undoubtedly bad blood between these two division rivals.
8. Week 5: at Los Angeles Chargers
The Raiders final entry on their list of toughest games is with their final division foe, the Los Angeles Chargers. Oakland’s split against the Chargers the past four years is better than their other two division foes (4-4), but that is not saying much. The Chargers host the Raiders in week five before Oakland travels to London. This is a Chargers team that is on the rise, with the team narrowly missing the playoffs last season. With offensive playmakers like Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, and Melvin Gordon, Oakland will have to put some points on the board to keep pace. That could prove difficult with tough matchups all over the field on defense, including Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, Casey Hayward, and even rookie safety Derwin James. Carr and company will have their work cut out for them.
Be sure to check out the eight easiest games on the 2018 Oakland Raiders schedule.
