Week 1
Sept. 11 at New Orleans
The Raiders haven’t won a season opener since 2011 and their last win in New Orleans was in 2000. This will be Saints’ defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s first chance to coach against his former team since the Raiders fired him after an 0-4 start in 2014.
Week 2
Sept. 18 vs. Atlanta
The second week of the season has been good to the Raiders as of late, with wins in five of the past eight seasons. The last time these teams met in 2012, Falcons kicker Matt Bryant booted a 55-yard game-winner field goal to hold off the Raiders’ upset bid.
Week 3
Sept. 27 at Tennessee
It’ll be the second meeting in a month — they met Aug. 27 in a preseason game in Oakland — and the Raiders’ second straight year traveling to Nashville. Oakland won last season with help from a controversial defensive holding call on the Titans.
Week 4
Oct. 2 at Baltimore
A season of heavy travel continues with the third long road trip in four games. The Raiders would love to duplicate last year’s matchup with the Ravens when Derek Carr found Seth Roberts with 26 seconds to go for the game-winner in Jack Del Rio’s first victory with the Raiders.
Week 5
Oct. 9 vs. San Diego
The AFC West rivals get together for the first time since their plans to join forces in Carson were derailed by a vote of NFL owners, who instead sent the Rams to Los Angeles. Last year’s Raiders’ sweep of the Chargers was their first since 2010.
Week 6
Oct. 16 vs. Kansas City
Carr will have to shake off memories of last year’s fourth-quarter disaster, when his three interceptions gifted the Chiefs three touchdowns and the Raiders fell apart in a 34-20 home loss that wiped away their fleeting playoff hopes.
Week 7
Oct. 23 at Jacksonville
The Raiders begin their tour of Florida when Carr goes up against Blake Bortles, one of the three quarterbacks drafted ahead of him as the No. 3 overall pick from 2014. So far, Bortles has the edge in career passing yards, but Carr has more TD passes (53 to 46) and fewer INTs (35-25).
Week 8
Oct. 30 at Tampa Bay
The Raiders weren’t thrilled to see their high-mileage schedule (seven games in the Central or Eastern time zone). They’ll prepare for this one by spending the week in Bradenton, Fla., to avoid making back-to-back trips back east.
Week 9
Nov. 6 vs. Denver
Oakland plays in a Sunday Night Football game for just the second time since 2006 when the defending Super Bowl champions come to town. It’s only the Raiders’ ninth home SNF game since 1978 (and first since 2013).
Week 11
Nov. 21 vs. Texans in Mexico City
After a bye, the Raiders are back on in prime time and on the international stage for this Monday Night meeting at Estadio Azteca, which hosted the NFL’s first international regular season game in 2005. The Raiders last played on foreign soil in London in 2014.
Week 12
Nov. 27 vs. Carolina
A third straight matchup against a 2015 division winner sends the reigning NFC champion Panthers to town. The Raiders scored a grand total of 12 points in their last two games against Carolina, matching 17-6 losses in 2008 and ’12.
Week 13
Dec. 4 vs. Buffalo
The last time these teams met, the Raiders knocked the Bills out of the playoff picture in Week 16 of the 2014 season. Lee Smith, then a Bills tight end and now with the Raiders, said afterwards, “When you get whooped for four quarters, it’s embarrassing.”
Week 14
Dec. 8 at Kansas City
This is the game that’s the bane of Jack Del Rio’s existence as the Raiders have to fly two time zones on short rest for a key divisional contest. It could be the start of a pivotal stretch run if Oakland is in playoff contention like it expects to be.
Week 15
Dec. 18 at San Diego
The Raiders’ last trip to San Diego turned into a party when they busted out to a 37-6 lead. At the time, it felt like it might be their last trip to Qualcomm Stadium, but the Chargers are sticking around for at least another year.
Week 16
Dec. 24 vs. Indianapolis
Three Hall of Fame wide receivers were on the field the last time the Raiders beat the Colts in 2001, with Tim Brown and Jerry Rice squaring off with newly inducted Marvin Harrison. Oakland has lost four straight matchups since that win.
Week 17
Jan. 1 at Denver
Khalil Mack returns to the sight of his epic five-sack performance in the Raiders’ road win over the Broncos, although Brock Osweiler won’t be there to take another pounding. Could a playoff spot or division title possibly be at stake?
