One Reason Raiders Can Win Each Game on 2026 Schedule

If you think hard enough, you can think of multiple reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders could win each of their games this upcoming season.

While this is not a 17-0 schedule prediction, it is fun to discuss and ponder each game and how the Raiders could win. Head coach Klint Kubiak has an exciting staff and a young roster brimming with potential, though a 10-win season is well out of reach at this point in the rebuild. Even so, I want to give one reason why the Raiders can win each game.

Dolphins: Underwhelming Secondary

The Miami Dolphins' secondary is filled with many young players and inexperience. This would be an opportunity for the Raiders to showcase their new-look passing game under Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko. Whether it is Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza, Vegas could see their best passing day in some time.

Chargers (1): Division Opponent Where Anything Goes

In a divisional matchup, anything can happen; the same can be said on any given Sunday. The Raiders should be a much more competitive football team this upcoming season, while the Los Angeles Chargers look to stay healthy and make their push for the postseason once more. Both teams have an equal chance of winning this game.

Saints: Tyler Shough's Inconsistencies

The Raiders' defense under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard has a chance to become a middle-to-upper-tier unit. I'm not as high on Shough as others around the online football community, and I believe the inconsistencies are likely to be a part of his game again this season. Las Vegas should have an opportunity to utilize some of its young playmaking defensive backs to attack the catch point against Shough.

Chiefs (1): Patrick Mahomes May Still Be Absent

There is still a possibility that Mahomes may not be ready for the first month of the regular season as he recovers from a torn ACL in December. If there is no Mahomes under-center for the Chiefs, the Raiders' chance of victory improves significantly despite the combination of Justin Fields' dynamic ability and Andy Reid's wizardry as a play-caller. Kansas City showed last season that regardless of who was at quarterback after Mahomes, struggles were immediate.

Patriots: Super Bowl Hangover

The Super Bowl hangovers for the game's runner-ups are real, even if the New England Patriots just traded for A.J. Brown in early June. A sluggish start to the year should be expected from New England. Las Vegas could pull off a road upset against the reigning AFC champions if Maxx Crosby feasts on the Patriots' offensive line, and the offense is only an average group compared to last year.

Bills: Fernando Mendoza's (Possible) Debut

This could be the game where the Raiders' No. 1 overall draft selection makes his awaited debut in the NFL. This would generate momentum for the home team in the middle of a tough stretch against potential postseason teams. If an upset were to occur, it could be from the magic of Mendoza in his first career start.

Rams: No One Would See It Coming

Other than that, prayer would be a wise reason for the Raiders to upset the mighty Los Angeles Rams at home. Now that they have Myles Garrett, the Rams have a chance to accomplish an undefeated season...seriously. However, Las Vegas could still win this game because they could be overlooked, even if Mendoza is starting, as Kubiak always has a plan to beat the Rams.

Jets: Significant Talent Advantage

I think it is reasonable to say any team will have a significant talent advantage over the New York Jets. Las Vegas has improved on both sides of the ball and will likely have this game circled as one they could win with ease.

The Raiders themselves are still a raw team with very few high-end cornerstones to lean on, but the gap between them and the Jets remains. Kubiak and Leonard will likely take this opportunity to see what they have in everyone dressed for Sunday.

49ers: Need for Rivalry Victory

Don't get it twisted: even if the Raiders and San Francisco 49ers are separated by hundreds of miles, the hate between the two organizations runs deep, especially from the cross-bay matchup days. This would give Las Vegas a chance to beat a playoff contender on the road and could serve as a potential stepping stone for the team culture.

Seahawks: Kubiak's Former Team

This will be a must-win for the Raiders as they host the defending Super Bowl champs. Kubiak will want to one-up his former team, but will face a difficult task of taking down Mike Macdonald's defense, arguably the best in the game. This should be a fun one for both teams.

Broncos (1): A Bo Nix Off-Day

The Denver Broncos are one of the most well-balanced teams in the entire league, but this is also an AFC West showdown where anything can happen, including an off-day from Bo Nix, who has his moments of inconsistency on occasion. The Raiders have the potential to take advantage of a sluggish Nix performance with the offense to keep up.

Browns: Look at Their Quarterback(s)

The Cleveland Browns may have the worst quarterback room in the NFL. I don't trust Shedeur Sanders nor Deshaun Watson to turn things around, and they'll be the reason the team is in purgatory, dancing their way to the No. 1 overall selection.

No more Myles Garrett also means this might be the worst team in football alongside the Jets. This is one of many reasons why the Raiders can win this game.

Chargers (2): Momentum Off the Bye

With a late bye, the Raiders will finish the season playing three of their final five games against the AFC West. Finding momentum will be key as the team comes off the bye for a strong finish to the campaign. A big win over the Chargers in December with playoff implications for the latter would be an exceptional boost for the young roster.

Broncos (2): Home Field Advantage

If Las Vegas is competitive by Week 15, this could be a loud Allegiant Stadium. The Broncos are likely leading or competing for the AFC West or conference lead at this point in the year, and an upset would be exciting to watch for Raiders Nation, with playoff significance, like the Chargers.

Titans: Lowly Offensive Line

Even with their additions up front this offseason, the Tennessee Titans offensive line remains an underwhelming unit, which means it could be a feastful day for the Raiders pass rush of Crosby & Co.

The Raiders have a defensive front with upside, including around Crosby at edge rusher. Could this be a Keyron Crawford show? That would be fun to witness late in the season for a rookie's development.

Cardinals: Another Lowly Quarterback Situation

This game would give the Raiders another opportunity to get a culture-building victory on the road. If this becomes win No. 6, that would be exceptional growth for the organization, and it will be because of the Cardinals' horrific quarterback situation that they could be in at this point of the year. If Beck is starting, things have gone quite wrong for the Arizona Cardinals.

Chiefs (2): Managing Lack of Go-to Wide Receivers

Talent-wise, the Chiefs have an advantage over the Raiders at wide receiver. However, they have not been consistent or available enough to be relied on.

That could give Leonard's secondary an advantage and offer a chance for a young secondary to flourish. A sound display from a group that features Treydan Stukes, Darien Porter, Jeremy Chinn, and Isaiah Pola-Mao would bolster the confidence in the future of the secondary for 2027.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as One Reason Raiders Can Win Each Game on 2026 Schedule.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM.