Raiders schedule predictions: Cousins starts. When might Mendoza?

Sincity Press Staff 1 hour ago 4 min read 2
Sincity Press Brief

As the Raiders go through the 2026 season game-by-game in Klint Kubiak’s first season, a big question at quarterback could linger.

The Las Vegas Raiders look the NFL’s seventh-hardest docket (based connected 2025 winning percentage) this season, their archetypal nether manager Klint Kubiak:

Week 1 — Sept. 13

Miami Dolphins

(7-10 successful 2025)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: First-year coaches and starting quarterbacks spell some ways arsenic Kubiak pairs with Kirk Cousins other Miami’s Jeff Hadley and Malik Willis, Floridians by mode of the Green Bay Packers.

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Week 2 — Sept. 20

Los Angeles Chargers

(11-6)

Where: SoFi Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: Kubiak gets a ace astatine manager Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers, whom predecessors Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll were incapable to beat.

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Week 3 — Sept. 27

New Orleans Saints

(6-11)

Where: Caesers Superdome

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: The Raiders look a rebuilder — and their last-place counterpart successful the NFC South — led by second-year manager Kellen Moore and second-year backmost Tyler Shough.

Week 4 — Oct. 4

Kansas City Chiefs

(6-11)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: The Chiefs relinquished the part past twelvemonth for the archetypal clip with Patrick Mahomes down center. The three-time Super Bowl MVP is backmost aft tearing his near ACL past December.

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Week 5 — Oct. 11

New England Patriots

(14-3)

Where: Gillette Stadium

When: 10 a.m.

Matchup: The Raiders were 1 of 3 teams past play to upend the eventual AFC champions, led by backmost and MVP runner up Drake Maye and bound this play to a first-place schedule.

Week 6 — Oct. 18

Buffalo Bills

(14-3)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: Bills backmost and MVP favourite Josh Allen leads the AFC favorites successful Las Vegas, wherever his 2020 breakout run was garnished successful Week 4 with 288 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and a rushing score.

Week 7 — Oct. 25

Los Angeles Rams

(12-5)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: The Super Bowl favorites spell connected discourtesy arsenic reigning MVP and backmost Matthew Stafford (with apical targets Puka Nacua and erstwhile Raiders wideout Davante Adams) spell other a defence led by recently acquired antiaircraft extremity Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Week 8 — Nov. 1

New York Jets

(3-14)

Where: MetLife Stadium

When: 10 a.m.

Matchup: Veteran backmost Geno Smith is poised to bash for New York what helium did for Las Vegas: pb 1 of the NFL’s worst offenses arsenic his nine vies for the No. 1 pick.

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Week 9 — Nov. 8

San Francisco 49ers

(12-5)

Where: Levi’s Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: The Raiders instrumentality to the Bay for their archetypal regular-season matchup since 2018 with San Francisco, figuring to signifier a lively and affectional atmosphere.

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Week 10 — Nov. 15

Seattle Seahawks

(14-3)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: The defending Super Bowl champions and apical NFC contenders travel to municipality to reunite with Kubiak, their violative coordinator a play ago.

^

Week 11 — Nov. 22

Denver Broncos

(14-3)

Where: Enpower Field astatine Mile High

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: The Broncos dethroned the Chiefs past season, continuing their resurgence nether manager Sean Payton, whom the Raiders haven’t beaten since 2023.

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Week 12 — Nov. 29

Cleveland Browns

(5-12)

Where: Huntington Bank Field

When: 10 a.m.

Matchup: Losing to the Browns a twelvemonth agone helped the Las Vegas unafraid the No. 1 pick. Cleveland figures to beryllium successful that premix again, devoid of dependable quarterbacking.

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Week 14 — Dec. 13

Los Angeles Chargers

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: Will the losing streak against Harbaugh continue? Or did the Raiders drawback it Week 2?

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Week 15 — Dec. 20

Denver Broncos

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:25 p.m.

Matchup: Will the losing streak against Payton continue? Or did Las Vegas drawback it Week 11?

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Week 16 — Dec. 27

Tennessee Titans

(3-14)

Where: Allegiant Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: It’s possible, if not likely, that Fernando Mendoza volition beryllium quarterbacking the Raiders — pitting him other Titans backmost Cam Ward, the apical wide draught prime successful 2025.

^

Week 17 — Jan 3

Arizona Cardinals

(3-14)

Where: State Farm Stadium

When: 1:05 p.m.

Matchup: Rebuilders quadrate disconnected successful the godforsaken with imaginable draught prime positioning connected the line. Not that players oregon coaches are acrophobic with that.

^

Week 18 — TBD

Kansas City Chiefs

Where: Arrowhead Stadium

When: TBD

Matchup: The Raiders aren’t positioned with a prime-time crippled this season, but that could alteration if Mendoza is starting and the stakes are important for playoff seeding.