Plenty of positives can come from a broken season. Sometimes it spurs a much-needed change in leadership, and it can provide a team with a high draft pick and weak schedule the following season.
Such is the case for the Las Vegas Raiders, who now have a new tandem of decision-makers, an elite young running back and a middle-of-the-pack strength of schedule despite playing in a loaded AFC West division.
It is not often that the NFL gives the Silver and Black any kind of benefit. However, the way that the schedule unfolded is advantageous for the team, and the league is doing nothing to counter it.
Raiders given subtle but crucial 2025 schedule advantage by NFL
Because the Raiders finished with just four wins a season ago, they are not considered one of the premier franchises right now. This essentially eliminated their chances of playing in an international game, which may be fun for the fans, but is a distinct disadvantage for the team.
As a result, the Raiders are in the lower half of teams in the NFL in terms of total miles traveled this season, according to Bill Speros. Las Vegas also travels far less than any other team in the AFC West.
This is a major advantage for the Silver and Black. Those miles logged take a toll both mentally and physically on the entire team and coaching staff. Over the course of the season, more time spent at home and recovering is better for the franchise
The Chargers travel more than any other team in the league, which makes sense given that they open their season in Brazil. They also have to travel all the way to the east coast for several games, which is not exactly ideal for Coach Harbaugh and his players.Denver and Kansas City are both in the top 10 for miles traveled as well. Denver plays an international game against the Jets in Week 6, and the Chiefs will head to Brazil to play the Chargers in Week 1. Their advantage is that they are in the middle of the country, so east or west coast games do not plague them as much.
As unlikely as it sounds, the stars are aligning for the Raiders to make some serious noise this year. With a fourth-place schedule and nine home games, the road to 10 victories is not filled with as many obstacles as in years past.
The Silver and Black will still have a lot to overcome, but they have a head coach and quarterback who have been through just about everything. Raider Nation couldn't say that in years past.
