The Las Vegas Raiders are stepping into 2025 with more optimism and intrigue than the franchise has seen in years.
After a challenging 4-13 season in 2024, the organization brought in veteran head coach Pete Carroll and a new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, signaling a fresh direction. The arrival of quarterback Geno Smith and the drafting of star running back Ashton Jeanty have recharged expectations.
With a schedule that features heavyweights from the AFC West and a tough slate against the NFC East, the Raiders face both new opportunities and lingering questions.
This article explores the matchups that matter most, evaluates the team’s new identity, and examines the numbers behind what will be a pivotal campaign for Las Vegas.
Carroll’s Arrival: A Cultural Shift in Las Vegas
Pete Carroll’s coaching pedigree raises the floor for the 2025 Raiders. His championship experience with the Seahawks, combined with a proven track record of building resilient teams, has already shifted the tone in Las Vegas.
Alongside Kelly, Carroll is aiming to turn a franchise long mired in mediocrity into a legitimate AFC contender. These leadership changes are set to influence not only play style but also the team’s mindset, injecting much-needed discipline and ambition as they tackle one of the league’s most balanced schedules.
Evaluating the Raiders’ Schedule and Strength of Opposition
The 2025 Raiders face a schedule that lands squarely in the middle of the NFL in terms of difficulty.
Their opponents posted a combined .502 winning percentage last season, with some sources ranking Las Vegas 16th in strength of schedule. The AFC West remains a perennial gauntlet, with the Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers all coming off postseason runs.
Additionally, the Raiders will meet every team in the NFC East, including the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles and a resurgent Cowboys squad. Balancing these high-stakes matchups are more favorable games against teams like the Browns, Titans, and Patriots, all of whom posted losing records in 2024.
For readers tracking betting lines and projections, the Las Vegas Raiders odds reflect both this balanced schedule and the uncertainty surrounding the team’s new direction.
Geno Smith and the Revamped Passing Attack
The acquisition of Geno Smith marks a decisive upgrade at quarterback. Smith enters 2025 as one of the league’s most accurate passers, hoping to bounce back from a 2024 season where he posted a 3.5 percent touchdown rate amid a struggling Seahawks offense.
Meyers, who ranked 12th in receptions and 17th in yards last year despite poor quarterback play, stands to benefit most from Smith’s accuracy.
Bowers, after drawing targets on 27 percent of his routes as a rookie, could see his touchdown totals surge if given more red zone opportunities. The combination of Smith’s steady hand and Kelly’s creative system gives Las Vegas a much more explosive passing game compared to recent years.
Ashton Jeanty: The New Engine of the Offense
Few offseason moves signaled a new era more clearly than the drafting of running back Ashton Jeanty. After piling up nearly 4,800 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns at Boise State, Jeanty brings both productivity and youth to a backfield that struggled in 2024.
Jeanty is expected to share some passing-down duties with veteran Raheem Mostert, but most signs point to the rookie as the focal point. Fans should keep an eye on whether Jeanty adapts quickly to NFL defenses; if so, the Raiders could finally possess a dynamic run-pass balance that has eluded them for years.
What the Numbers Say: Win Totals and Market Expectations
Expectations for the Raiders’ 2025 record remain guarded but hopeful. Sportsbooks set their win total over/under between 6.5 and 7.5, reflecting moderate optimism after the team’s personnel upgrades. Analysts project around seven to seven-and-a-half wins, aligning closely with betting market consensus.
While Pete Carroll and Geno Smith have raised the team’s ceiling, the road to a winning record is complicated by a tough division and questions about the defense’s ability to keep up. If the front seven stays healthy and the offense gels quickly, the Raiders could approach the higher end of these projections.
*All information is for general purposes only and reflects data available as of 08/01/2025. Subject to change.
Related: Weighing The Cost Of A Micah Parsons Trade
*Top Photo: Getty Images