Raiders schedule begins with heavy dose of Harbaugh brothers

The Raiders will get a heavy dose of the Harbaugh brothers to start the season.

The club’s first full season under coach Antonio Pierce will begin at 1:05 p.m. Sept. 8 in Los Angeles against the AFC West rival Chargers. The matchup will pit them against Jim Harbaugh, who is returning to the NFL after spending the past nine years at Michigan, where he won a national championship last season.

Download a PDF of the 2024 Raiders Schedule

The Raiders will travel to face the Ravens and coach John Harbaugh, Jim’s older brother, at 10 a.m. Sept. 15 in Week 2. It will be a tough task given Baltimore and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson made the AFC title game last season. It will also mark the second straight season the Raiders will open with two consecutive games on the road.

The difficult opening stretch against the Harbaughs is one of several highlights of the Raiders’ schedule, revealed by the NFL on Wednesday when it announced the schedules for all 32 teams.

The Raiders’ home opener is against the Panthers at 1:05 p.m. Sept. 22 in Week 3.

Other key dates include a visit to the Chiefs on Black Friday at noon Nov. 29, a “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Falcons at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Allegiant Stadium, and a trip to New Orleans to face former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr at 10 a.m. Dec. 29.

The Raiders will also host the Broncos at 1:05 p.m. Nov. 24, one day after Formula One’s Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place.

Their “Monday Night Football” game against Atlanta is their only prime-time game. The Raiders are not scheduled to play on a Thursday or Sunday night.

Their bye week is Week 10, sandwiched around road games in Cincinnati (10 a.m., Nov. 3) and Miami (10 a.m., Nov. 17). The Raiders’ other road games are against the Broncos at 1:05 p.m. Oct. 6, the Rams at 1:05 p.m. Oct. 20 and the Buccaneers at 10 a.m. Dec. 8.

Their other home games are against the Browns at 1:25 p.m. Sept. 29, the Steelers at 1:05 p.m. Oct. 13, the Chiefs at 1:25 p.m. Oct. 27, the Jaguars at 1:25 p.m. Dec. 22 and the Chargers at a date and time to be determined in Week 18.

The fact that the Raiders are opening and closing their season against the Chargers is ironic.

Their 63-21 thrashing of Los Angeles on Dec. 14 at Allegiant Stadium led to the firings of Chargers coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco less than 24 hours later.

Staley’s firing led to Harbaugh, who coached the 49ers from 2011 to 2014, coming back to the NFL.

Telesco was hired as the Raiders’ general manager Jan. 23. Bookend wins against his former club would go a long way toward making his first season at his new stop a success.

Telesco’s tenure with the Raiders will begin with preseason games on the road against the Vikings and at home against the Cowboys and 49ers. Dates and times for those contests have yet to be announced. They will be broadcast on Fox.

2024 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS SCHEDULE

Week 1 — at L.A. Chargers, 1:05 p.m. Sept. 8 (CBS)

Week 2 — at Ravens, 10 a.m. Sept. 15 (CBS)

Week 3 — vs. Panthers, 1:05 p.m. Sept. 22 (CBS)

Week 4 — vs. Browns, 1:25 p.m. Sept. 29 (CBS)

Week 5 — at Broncos, 1:05 p.m. Oct. 6 (Fox)

Week 6 — vs. Steelers, 1:05 p.m. Oct. 13 (CBS)

Week 7 — at L.A. Rams, 1:05 p.m. Oct. 20 (CBS)

Week 8 — vs. Chiefs, 1:25 p.m. Oct. 27 (CBS)

Week 9 — at Bengals, 10 a.m. Nov. 3 (Fox)

Week 10 — BYE

Week 11 — at Dolphins, 10 a.m. Nov. 17 (CBS)