Sports

Predicting the Raiders' 2026 Schedule: Part 2

By Ezekiel Trezevant Sports Illustrated

Updated May 13, 2026 6:20 AM

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to soon find out when they will play each of their opponents during the 2026 regular season. The National Football League is set to release the schedule for the upcoming season. Below, we predict who the Raiders will play in the second half of the season.

Feb 10, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Week 9: Buffalo Bills (Away)

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Raiders will have to repay the schedule makers for the favor of two home games being scheduled around their Bye Week by traveling to Buffalo to face the Bills in the second half of the season.

Scheduling this game later in the season, after a Bye Week, could make the Raiders more competitive than if both teams faced each other early. The chances of this game being competitive seem slim, but the later in the season it is scheduled, the better for Las Vegas.

Week 10: Denver Broncos (Away)

Oct 12, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) celebrates with Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle DJ Glaze (71) after scoring a touch down during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The second half of the season will be filled with AFC West matchups for Las Vegas, as the league schedules key divisional games late in the season. In 2026, the Raiders and Broncos faced each other right around the Week 10 or so mark of the season.

Look for them to be scheduled similarly this season.

Week 11: New Orleans Saints (Away)

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders helmets on the sidelines at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It is the Tyree Wilson Bowl! The Raiders and Saints are not that different in terms of where their respective rosters stand. This could be an underrated game that gets scheduled late in the season.

Week 12: Kansas City Chiefs (Home)

Apr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (right) shakes hands with general manager John Spytek at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The elephant in the room for the entire league this season is the health of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. There are a few teams in the league that he has dominated, like the Raiders. Look for the Raiders and Chiefs to face off twice during the second half of the season.

Week 13: Arizona Cardinals (Away)

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) during a television timeout against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Their matchup against the Cardinals may turn out to be a snoozer, but it still must be played.

Week 14: Los Angeles Chargers (Home)

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darien Porter (26) during a television timeout against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Raiders will face the Chargers for the second time in 2026, during the second half of the season.

Week 15: San Francisco 49ers (Away)

Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) tackles Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Much like their games against the New England Patriots and New York Jets, the schedule makers will schedule the Raiders' away games against the 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs in a way that allows them to travel efficiently, then end the season with two home games.

Week 16: Kansas City Chiefs (Away)

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu (96) exits the field after the game against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Facing the Chiefs twice in a short time is nothing new to the Raiders. In 2023, the Raiders faced the Chiefs twice in a four-week span. In 2025, the Raiders faced the Chiefs twice in a five-week span.

The schedule makers will reward the Raiders with a similar set of matchups this season, against the Chiefs or another AFC West opponent.

Week 17: Miami Dolphins (Home)

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch in the second half against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dolphins' matchup against the Raiders is a game the league will try to tuck far, far away.

Week 18: Denver Broncos (Home)

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (69) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Raiders' final game of the regular season has been against an AFC West team every season since 2010. It is safe to assume that will be the case in 2026.Kubiak's first season as a head coach will end with a divisional game. The Raiders hope Kubiak and company make the most of this season.

Kubiak wasted no time assembling his coaching staff. Within a week of being hired, he filled all three coordinator positions. Kubiak's staff boasts decades of professional and collegiate coaching experience. Kubiak and the Raiders will need it, as they are sure to be tested this season.

Feb 10, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak (center) poses at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. From left: Marcus Allen, Mike Haynes, Howie Long, Kubiak, general manager John Spyktek, Charles Woodson and Rich Gannon. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"It's been fun. It's been a lot of hard work, but John [Spytek] allowed us to hire a lot of really high-quality coaches to spread the work around, because you can't do it all yourself," Kubiak said.

"I'm trying to work on being a better delegator and trusting guys to go do their jobs and hire some really talented coordinators and assistants, and now we get to go see how prepared we are when we go get in front of these players."

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Predicting the Raiders' 2026 Schedule: Part 2.

This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 6:00 AM.