The NFL recently announced the complete 2020-21 schedule, and this year is much more favorable for the Las Vegas Raiders than 2019.
The Raiders went nearly two months without playing a true home game in 2019 and traveled the most miles in the league, which is not the case this year.
Additionally, the NFL decided to give the Raiders four Primetime home games since they will be opening up a new stadium in Las Vegas. After finding out what his team’s schedule will look like, Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was overcome with excitement about the potential of Allegiant Stadium playing host to some of the biggest games of the season, via Raiders.com:
“We have four Primetime home games, I think that charges up the players, it’s a big challenge. Week 2 we have our home opener with the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees comes to town. So you want to talk about excitement, I think our players are excited, I think the fans are gonna be fired up. Brand new stadium, I think they’re calling it the Death Star. I think Al Davis would have loved it, it’s a beautiful, beautiful stadium and Mark Davis has done a great job of getting it ready.”
As Mayock alluded to, Allegiant Stadium will be opened on Monday Night Football in Week 2 against the Saints. The Raiders then welcome Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to town on Sunday Night Football in Week 7, and then Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 11 before closing out their Primetime schedule with a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15.
Mayock hopes that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will be under control by then so fans can fill Allegiant Stadium:
“It’s pretty exciting, you’re talking about Drew Brees in Week 2, I think we have Sunday night games in Week 7 and Week 11 with Tampa Bay and Kansas City so Tom Brady comes to Allegiant Stadium, Patrick Mahomes, who we have the privilege of competing against twice a year. It’s gonna be an exciting year and I just hope and pray that we can get to some semblance of normalcy.”
Regardless of if fans will be there or not, there is a ton of excitement surrounding the Raiders heading into the 2020 season after a very productive offseason filling many needs on the roster.
With a much more favorable schedule in 2020 than 2019, the Raiders should be able to improve on their 7-9 record and potentially make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
