Raiders will have to navigate brutal early-season schedule in 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 11: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints congratulates Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders after the Raiders defeated the Saints 35-34 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 11, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 11: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints congratulates Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders after the Raiders defeated the Saints 35-34 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 11, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes against the Raiders (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes against the Raiders (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

The Raiders 2019 early-season slate saw the team playing away from Home for over a month and a half, and 2020 is not going to be a kind run either.

During the 2019 NFL season, the then-Oakland Raiders got out to a surprising 6-4 start. After beating the Denver Broncos in Week 1, the team struggled against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, before winning two straight against the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.

After a trip to London to take on the Bears, the Raiders returned back to the States, but did not play a home game for a few more weeks. They lost on the road to Green Bay and Houston before returning to the Coliseum, where they would run off three straight victories against Detroit, Cincinnati, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

At that point, the Raiders looked to be every bit the playoff contender, as they had some ‘easy’ games ahead on the schedule against the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars to name a few. Well, the Raiders lost both those games, and they finished with a 1-5 record, ensuring another losing season.

The stop home enabled them to erase a 3-4 start to the season, and for as rough as that early season slate was, 2020 is going to be a monster in itself.