In a leaked schedule rumor, the Las Vegas Raiders will reportedly open up their brand new stadium on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
Today is the day that the Las Vegas Raiders will get their official 2020 regular season schedule, which is always an exciting day surrounding the league. This is a special season for the franchise, as they will not only be moving to a new city, but will be opening up a state-of-the-art stadium in the desert.
After winning seven games last season, a three-win improvement, the goal this year is the playoffs, a spot they have been in only once since 2002. In 2016, Derek Carr led the team on a magical run, but ended up breaking his leg in Week 16, essentially ending any chance the Raiders had at making a Super Bowl appearance.
As the smoke starts to clear, and we start getting leaks in terms of the schedule, some rumors seem to have more backing than others. Anyone can go on Twitter and leak something, but there is good reason to believe that the Raiders will host their first game in their new digs in primetime early in the 2020 season.
Jeff Duncan from The Athletic New Orleans tweeted this out on Thursday.
Two Saints games I've been able to confirm via sources:
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) May 7, 2020
• Week 2: At Raiders on MNF
• Christmas Day vs. Vikings in Superdome
This would be a huge game for the Raiders, who have revamped their defense specifically to be better against the pass this offseason. They have brought in linebackers who can cover, and have utilized a first round pick on the cornerback position, while also adding more depth up front along the defensive line.
Other rumors state that the Raiders will open up the 2020 campaign on the road against the Carolina Panthers, who will have Teddy Bridgewater under center. Carolina struggled in 2019, and have made wholesale changes to their roster, but still boast one of the more dynamic offensive players in football in running back Christian McCaffrey.
This is what Joe Person from The Athletic tweeted out as well.
While Panthers are opening against Raiders, I’m told NFC vs AFC matchups (exclusively) the first four weeks of the season is not the case.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 7, 2020
That may already be out there.
So there you have it, the Raiders will play their first two games as the Las Vegas Raiders against NFC South opponents. Of course, there is still a matchup with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, a player who was rumored to be headed to Vegas as a member of the Silver and Black, but that never materialized.
Las Vegas has done a nice job adding talent on both sides of the ball this offseason, and while this is not the easiest opponent to christen a new stadium against, they certainly have a shot. Remember, Carr led the Raiders to an improbable win on the road against the Saints a few years back, so anything is possible.