Raiders 2018 schedule: Game by game observations

By Levi Damien@LeviDamien Apr 20, 2018, 9:55am PDT

With the schedule now out and everyone making their plans for the season, here are a few quick takes on each of the Raiders’ games this season.

Week 1: Mon., Sept. 10 LOS ANGELES RAMS 7:20 p.m. ESPN

Rams 2017 record: 11-5

Late start as the second of the Monday Night opening double header. The Raiders had JUST faced the Rams a few weeks earlier in the preseason. Gruden opens his second era in Oakland in front of his home fans. It’s on Monday Night Football; Gruden’s old gig. Against the man he mentored. Read more about that here. Two very familiar AFC West rival corners are with the Rams now — Marshawn Lynch’s boy Marcus Peters and notorious chain snatcher Aqib Talib.

Week 2: Sun., Sept. 16 at Denver Broncos 1:25 p.m. CBS

Broncos 2017 record: 5-11

They will face Marquette King in his new high elevation punter’s paradise. Last Raiders win in Denver was 2015 — Khalil Mack’s 5-sack game. He will face former Raiders tackle Jared Veldheer now the Broncos right tackle. New QB in Denver is Case Keenum but with the 6th overall pick in the draft, they could add one of the top QB’s.

Week 3: Sun., Sept. 23 at Miami Dolphins 10:00 a.m. CBS

Dolphins 2017 record: 6-10

Second straight season playing in Miami. Won 27-24 there last season. Gone are Jarvis Landry (they face him the following week) and Ndamukong Suh (they face him in week one). Returning from injury is QB Ryan Tannehill.

Week 4: Sun., Sept. 30 CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:05 p.m. FOX

Browns 2017 record: 0-16

Hue Jackson’s return to Oakland for the first time as head coach since he was fired following the 2011 season. On the opposite sideline will be the man he had replaced as head coach in Oakland, Tom Cable, who is the Raiders offensive line coach. The Browns will add a couple elite prospects with picks at 1 and 4 in the draft next week. One figures to be a QB, though Hue Jackson has insisted Tyrod Taylor will start until that QB is ready. Former Raiders CB TJ Carrie signed withe the Browns as a free agent. Former Browns DE Amonty Bryant signed with the Raiders.

Should the A’s not make the playoffs, they will have played their final game at OACC a week prior to this game which would mean a full grass covered field for the Raiders in this their second home game of the season.

Week 5: Sun., Oct. 7 at Los Angeles Chargers 1:05 p.m. CBS

Chargers 2017 record: 9-7

The Raiders ended last season in Los Angeles. The Chargers would win, giving them a winning record, while the Raiders would end the year on a 4-game losing streak and Jack Del Rio was fired immediately after the game.

Week 6: Sun., Oct. 14 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (London) 10:00 a.m. FOX

Seahawks 2017 record: 9-7

Another ‘home’ game in London. This time at the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. They last played in London in 2014 against the Dolphins in Derek Carr and Khalil Mack’s rookie season. It became their fourth straight loss to begin that season and Dennis Allen was fired immediately afterward. They’re on their third coach now since then. The question is whether they will be heading over a week ahead of the game again or not.

This is the second meeting the Raiders will have with the Seahawks as they face them in the final preseason game as well. But Marshawn Lynch probably won’t play in that one. He will get his first shot at running against his former team in this game.

Week 7: BYE WEEK

Week 8: Sun., Oct. 28 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:05 p.m. CBS

Colts 2017 record: 4-12

I wouldn’t put too much stock into that 4-12 record. Andrew Luck should be back and that team lives and dies by him.

Week 9: Thu., Nov. 1 at San Francisco 49ers 5:20 p.m. FOX/NFLN

49ers 2017 record: 6-10

The Raiders’ second primetime game and this one will be a must watch. Jimmy Garoppolo did not lose in 2017 as the 49ers starter. He brought a 1-win 49ers team up to a 6-10 record which forced the coin flip with the Raiders, which the 49ers won. This is the Raiders’ first trip to the Levi’s Stadium and it’s a big one.

Week 10: Sun., Nov. 11 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:05 p.m. FOX

Chargers 2017 record: 9-7

Hard to believe the Chargers swept the Raiders last season. Both of those losses was the fourth in a row for the Raiders. The Chargers 17-16 win in Oakland was the final of a 4-game losing streak early in the season. Yeah, the Raiders were kind of a mess.

Week 11: Sun., Nov. 18 at Arizona Cardinals 1:05 p.m. CBS

Cardinals 2017 record: 8-8

Y’all ready for Sam Bradford? Cuz unless the Cardinals can land one of the draft’s top QB’s, that’s who they’ll be going with. Though expecting he would still be healthy by this point is probably a bit optimistic.

Week 12: Sun., Nov. 25 at Baltimore Ravens 10:00 a.m. CBS

Ravens 2017 record: 9-7

Fresh off Thanksgiving, the Raiders head to Baltimore. Oddly this is the fourth straight season the Raiders have faced the Ravens. They lost last season in Oakland, won in 2016 in Baltimore, and lost in 2015 in Oakland. Go figure they keep beating each other in the other’s house.

Week 13: Sun., Dec. 2 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 1:05 p.m. CBS

Chiefs 2017 record: 10-6

Finally, with five games left in the season, the Raiders face the Chiefs for the first time. And Jon Gruden faces off against Andy Reid for the first time as well. The two were fellow assistants on the Packers from 1992-94.

The Raiders’ biggest win of last season was against the Chiefs in Oakland. That was the game Marshawn Lynch was ejected for trying to break up the fight with Marcus Peters. That was also the game Derek Carr and Amari Cooper went off and Carr threw five touchdown passes in the finale few seconds, culminating in the game-winner to Michael Crabtree at the left pylon. Well, Crabtree’s gone now as is Marcus Peters, so maybe Marshawn can finish the game and Jordy Nelson can get it done.

Week 14: Sun., Dec. 9 PITTSBURGH STEELERS 5:20 p.m. NBC

Steelers 2017 record: 13-3

The third primetime game of the season against an old rival. Second straight week against a division winner too.

Week 15: Sun., Dec. 16 at Cincinnati Bengals 10:00 a.m. CBS

Bengals 2017 record: 7-9

Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther will face off against his former team. Guenther also has a few of his former players with the Raiders including Emmanuel Lamur, Reggie Nelson, and Leon Hall

Week 16: Mon., Dec. 24 DENVER BRONCOS 5:15 p.m. ESPN