3 Make-or-Break Games on Raiders 2022 Schedule

The Las Vegas Raiders can officially game plan for the 2022 NFL season after the league officially revealed all 32 schedules on Thursday night. It'll be a tough year for the 'Black and Silver,' who ESPN's Mike Clay says has the fourth-hardest upcoming schedule.

The Raiders must win several crucial matchups if they want to prove to their fans that their recent improvements have paid off. Otherwise, it could be another long year for a team that's made the playoffs just twice in the past 19 seasons.

Keeping that in mind, here are three make-or-break games on the Raiders' schedule in 2022.

Las Vegas Raiders Schedule 2022

1. Week 5: @ Kansas City Chiefs

If the improved Raiders are going to challenge for Super Bowl LVII, they must prove that they can defeat their division's top team: the Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas hasn't done well lately against Kansas City, going 2-10 in the last 12 meetings between the two rivals. The Raiders also have the worst odds to win the AFC West (+700), according to FanDuel Sportsbook, while the Chiefs have the best (+155). Showing that they can hang with and defeat the Chiefs would gain the Raiders a lot of respect and will put them in a position to challenge for the AFC West title as the season continues.

2. Wee 14: @ Los Angeles Rams

There's no better test than a showdown against the defending Super Bowl champions. Even though the Raiders have a high-powered offense on paper, the Los Angeles Rams' defense is as elite as they come. It'll also be a good test to see how much Las Vegas' defense has improved after being bottom 10 in defensive scoring last season. The Raiders also have a lot to prove after going 1-4 in their last five games against the Rams, being held to 16 or fewer points in each of those matchups.

3. Week 18: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The Raiders' second matchup against the Chiefs next season could be just as important as their first. Las Vegas knows how important the final game can be after qualifying for the playoffs last season with a Week 18 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. The AFC West is expected to be one of the tightest divisions in 2022 and it wouldn't be a shock if multiple teams' fate isn't decided until the final game. The Raiders' Week 18 tilt against the Chiefs could very well be a do-or-die situation. With the game being at home, all eyes will be on Las Vegas to get the job done.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.