The Raiders' Three Most Important Games of the Season

The Las Vegas Raiders are expecting better results this season. What are the three games that will make or break their season?

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Los Angeles Chargers place kicker Cameron Dicker (11) kicks a field goal against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders enter a pivotal season for many within the organization.

General Manager Tom Telesco entered a new position for the first time in over a decade after serving as the general manager of a Raiders’ division rival. Coach Antonio Pierce enters his first entire season as a head coach in the National Football League. New Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy was brought in to help expand the Raiders’ offense. Second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell is battling for the team’s starting quarterback with veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew II. There are many noteworthy angles for the Silver and Black this upcoming season.

Luckily, training camp is right around the corner, which means the regular season is, too. The Raiders are weeks away from moving past all the offseason talk and having the opportunity to prove themselves on the field. Coach Antonio Pierce often notes that the National Football League is a production-based business. Soon, Coach Pierce and his team will have the chance to produce, and many in and around the league will be watching how well they do.

As the season draws closer, NFL.com staff writer Adam Rank analyzed what he believes will be the three most important games for the Raiders this upcoming season. Rank predicted two of the Raiders’ top three games this season would take place on the road in a city the organization is familiar with, starting with the first week of the season at the Los Angeles Chargers.

“The Raiders open the season by going on the road to Los Angeles,” Rank said. “Fun fact: The Raiders will hold training camp at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, where [Los Angeles] Chargers’ camp used to take place. [There are] a lot of ties between these two division rivals, who'll both be looking to open a new era with a win. Who prevails: Antonio Pierce's crew or Jim Harbaugh's bunch?”

Rank believes the Raiders’ road matchup against the Los Angeles Rams will be one of the team’s most important games this upcoming season, as the Rams were a playoff team last season and the obvious ties between the Raiders and Los Angeles.

“The Raiders still have a large fanbase in Los Angeles, so having two roadies at SoFi is a great opportunity for this organization,” Rank said. “The Raiders, it should be noted, play a 2023 playoff team and/or divisional opponent in 11 of the first 13 games of the season.”

Lastly, Rank has the always tricky road matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs as one of the team’s most important games. Last season, the Raiders put on one of the best performances of any team in the NFL during their Christmas Day matchup against the defending Super Bowl Champions.

“Las Vegas wraps up its season series vs. Kansas City with this Black Friday tilt,” Rank said. “The Raiders play just one division opponent in the final five weeks of the season (Chargers in Week 18).”

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