Raiders’ 2022 schedule announced
Raiders' 2022 Schedule Announced
Updated May 12, 2022 - 5:54 pm

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is pressured by Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the second half during an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) sacks Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half during an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @benjaminhphoto

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) scrambles to escape pressure from Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Jerry Tillery (99) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFang

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Antoine Wesley during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)

FILE - Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones (55) rushes Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Jan. 2, 2022. Jones bounced back from an injury-plagued 2020 season to record 10 1/2 sacks in 2021 for his seventh double-digit sack season. Only 12 players have had more seasons with at least 10 sacks and Jones' 107 1/2 for his career lead the NFL since he made his debut in 2012. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman, File)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, right talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

NFL Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris stands on the spot where he caught the "Immaculate Reception" 40 years ago after a marker was unveiled on the sight where Three Rivers Stadium once stood on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. It is the 40th anniversary of the play in which Harris caught a deflected Terry Bradshaw pass intended for Steelers' running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua, and returned it 42- yards for a game winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris stands on the spot of the "Immaculate Reception" after a marker commemorating the 40th anniversary of the play was unveiled where Three Rivers Stadium once stood on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. It is the 40th anniversary of the play in which Harris caught a deflected Terry Bradshaw pass intended for Steelers running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua, and returned it 42 yards for a game winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Franco Harris (32) of the Pittsburgh Steelers eludes a tackle by Jimmy Warren of the Oakland Raiders on a 42-yard run to score the winning touchdown in the American Conference playoff game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 23, 1972. Harris' "Immaculate Reception" came when a desperation pass to a teammate bounced off a Raiders defender. The touchdown gave Pittsburgh a 13-7 lead with five seconds left in the game. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
The Raiders will be showcased four times in prime time during the NFL season, but only one of those games will be played at Allegiant Stadium.
But that home game will be one of the most anticipated of the season, pitting first-year Raiders coach Josh McDaniels against his longtime mentor, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots. McDaniels spent 16 seasons coaching under Belichick in New England, including the past eight. The pupil and professor will match wits Dec. 18 on “Sunday Night Football.”
The reunion will include others, too. Raiders owner Mark Davis also hired longtime Patriots personnel executive Dave Ziegler as general manager, and a handful
of Patriots assistant coaches followed McDaniels to Las Vegas.
The Raiders’ other prime-time games will be an AFC West road matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Oct. 10 on “Monday Night Football,” a trip to play the defending Super Bowl champion Rams on Dec. 8 on “Thursday Night Football” and a Christmas Eve game against the Steelers.
The game at Pittsburgh falls on the day after the 50th anniversary of the infamous “Immaculate Reception” play in which Franco Harris and the Steelers beat the Raiders on the final play of a postseason game.
The Raiders will kick off the season on the road against the Chargers on Sept. 11, followed by their home opener against the Cardinals on Sept. 18. The game will feature standout defensive end Chandler Jones, whom the Raiders signed as a free agent this offseason, against his former team.
It’s the beginning of a treacherous first five weeks of the season. In Week 3, the Raiders play at the Titans on Sept. 25, return home to host the Broncos on Oct. 2, then play at Kansas City before their bye week in Week 6.
Among the other highlights of the schedule: A trip to New Orleans on Halloween weekend to play the Saints on Oct. 30 and a visit by the 49ers, the Raiders’ former Bay Area rival, on New Year’s Day.
The home opener against the Cardinals is one of eight home games. As a result of the NFL alternating the extra home game between conferences after moving to a 17-game schedule last season, the AFC will play nine road games this season after getting nine home games in 2021.
After the bye week, the Raiders host the Texans on Oct. 23 before consecutive road games against the Saints and Jaguars (Nov. 6).
Other home games are against the Colts (Nov. 13), the Chargers (Dec. 4) and the season finale against the Chiefs (Jan. 7 or 8). Other road games are against the Broncos (Nov. 20) and the Seahawks (Nov. 27).
The Raiders, who finished second in the AFC West last season, are projected to have the league’s seventh-most difficult schedule.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.
Raiders regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 11, at L.A. Chargers, 1:25 p.m.
Week 2: Sept. 18, vs. Arizona, 1:25 p.m.
Week 3: Sept. 25, at Tennessee, 10 a.m.
Week 4: Oct. 2, vs. Denver, 1:25 p.m.
Week 5: Oct. 10, at Kansas City, 5:15 p.m.
Week 6: Bye week
Week 7: Oct. 23, vs. Houston, 1:05 p.m.
Week 8: Oct 30, at New Orleans, 10 a.m.
Week 9: Nov. 6, at Jacksonville, 10 a.m.
Week 10: Nov. 13, vs. Indianapolis, 1:05 p.m.
Week 11: Nov. 20, at Denver, 1:05 p.m.
Week 12: Nov. 27, at Seattle, 1:05 p.m.
Week 13: Dec. 4, vs. L.A. Chargers, 1:25 p.m.
Week 14: Dec. 8, at L.A. Rams, 5:15 p.m.
Week 15: Dec. 18, vs. Patriots, 5:20 p.m.
Week 16: Dec. 24, at Pittsburgh, 5:15
Week 17: Jan. 1., vs. San Francisco, 1:05 p.m.
Week 18: Jan. 7 or 8, vs. Kansas City, time TBA