The Las Vegas Raiders typically get a raw deal from the NFL when it comes to matters of scheduling. Last season, the team kicked off the Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco era with back-to-back road games against the Harbaugh brothers.
This year, they have a significant disadvantage when it comes to rest, but overall, their schedule worked out quite favorably. The Raiders will have the benefit of playing other fourth-place teams because they finished last in the division, which was outside of the league's control.
However, as they typically do, the powers that be in the NFL have found a new way to interfere with the Raiders. Specifically, they'll be giving the nine-time defending AFC West champions and Super Bowl runner-ups a major boost when the Silver and Black travel to Kansas City in Week 7.
Rashee Rice will return from suspension just in time to play Raiders
Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was involved in a serious off-the-field incident before the 2024 NFL season. Somehow, the second-year player escaped any sort of discipline for the entire season, and just now, the league office is getting around to settling his punishment.
While originally, the thought was that Rice could get an eight to 10 game suspension, the NFL decided on Wednesday that he would only have to sit out six. This means he will return to the Chiefs' lineup during Week 7.
Obviously, this means that the Chiefs will have a huge boost when they welcome the Raiders into Arrowhead Stadium in mid-October. As if Kansas City does not have enough advantages over Las Vegas, the NFL situates things so that Rice's first game back is against the Raiders.
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It will be an adjustment for the Chiefs to reinsert Rice into the lineup as well, but their offense is far better with him than without him. That means that Las Vegas will be facing an even more uphill battle than originally thought.
Las Vegas' cornerback room is shaky as well, so adding another receiver, specifically, into the fold is a bad recipe for the Raiders. This is the kind of luck, however, if you can call it that, that falls into the Chiefs' lap, and the kind of misfortune that falls into the Raiders'.
If Las Vegas wants to ascend in the division and the AFC, they obviously have to beat the best teams when they are at their strongest. But every good team lands a few lucky breaks, and the NFL is seemingly making sure the Raiders do not.