How the Raiders respond during their toughest stretch of the 2024 schedule will tell the story of their season

The unveiling of the Las Vegas Raiders' schedule, a pivotal moment in the NFL offseason, is a time of heightened anticipation for fans. While we were already aware of the opponents and venues, the release of dates and times injects a new level of excitement and allows us to start envisioning the team's performance. Despite the initial impression of a challenging schedule, with matchups against formidable teams and those on the rise, the Raiders' resilience and determination can shine through.

When you consider the strength of the schedule, the Raiders are up have the ninth-hardest schedule based on the win totals Vegas has for each team they play in 2024. Warren Sharp of Sharp Analytics also ranks the Raiders' schedule as the ninth-hardest.

But looking at the schedule and how it has played out, it feels like the Raiders have a much easier schedule than the SOS says. There is a path where the Raiders can go 12-5 because of when they play certain teams and things of that nature. But we know that because this is the Raiders, that likely won't happen.

In my predictions, I had the Raiders going 11-6, and I think they can actually do that. I also think that before the bye week, which comes in Week 10—the perfect bye week—the Raiders could have the lead in the division based on how hard the Chiefs schedule is and how the division record could look.

However, the Raiders will have to deal with one tough stretch in this schedule, and it could make or break their entire season. If they respond well during their toughest stretch, we could see the Raiders have great success in 2024.

From Week 7 to Week 14, the Raiders could lose every single game during that stretch. Granted, they have a bye week in Week 10, but they play seven games in which the reality of losing is rather high. They play the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all in that order, and five of those are on the road.

I'd say the one game you can count on them winning the most of that bunch is their home game against the Broncos, but even then, in a division game, that one isn't guaranteed.

If the Raiders can finish that stretch with a positive record, it could be smooth sailing from there on out. But that is easier said than done.