Arguably, the biggest disappointment in the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2026 schedule release is that they didn’t get any primetime games this season. To be fair, that’s the result of the team going 7-27 over the last two years. However, the NFL’s flex scheduling allows clubs that enter the campaign with low expectations to “play their way into primetime”.
Per the league’s rules, any game in Week 5 or later can be flexed into Sunday Night Football, as the complete guidelines are listed below. With those in mind,
let’s look at a few options for Las Vegas to be in the limelight.
- For Sunday Night Football, it may be used up to twice between Weeks 5-10, and any week during Weeks 11-17.
- For Monday Night Football, it may be used any week in Weeks 12-17.
- For Thursday Night Football, it may be used up to twice between Weeks 13-17.
- Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, Monday night, or Thursday night, in which case the initially scheduled Sunday, Monday, or Thursday night game would be moved to Sunday afternoon.
Week 7 vs. Rams
This game getting flexed is highly contingent on Fernando Mendoza being the starting quarterback, and the NFL would love it even more if it’s going to be his first start. That gives the league an opportunity to show off the most recent No. 1 pick of the draft and the current Super Bowl favorite. It helps that this game is around the halfway point of the season, which likely lines up with Klint Kubiak’s and the coaching staff’s ideal timeline to make Mendoza the starter.
Also, the Los Angeles Rams recently trading for Myles Garrett boosts the odds because the league is likely going to be looking to put the Rams on primetime as much as possible. On top of that, there’s the storyline with Davante Adams’ first game against the Raiders since asking for a trade during the 2024 campaign.
Week 7 SNF: Kansas City Chiefs @ Seattle Seahawks
Week 10 vs. Seahawks
This is another game that could line up with the Heisman Trophy winner’s first NFL start since it’s at about the midway point of the season. Regardless, barring the Raiders storming out of the gates with Kirk Cousins, Mendoza will have to be behind center for there to be enough interest surrounding the team to get flexed into primetime. That goes for every matchup listed here.
If Mendoza is starting, then this could be a good primetime option since it pits the reigning Super Bowl Champs against their former offensive coordinator. Kubiak facing his old team is certainly a storyline the league would want to drum up.
Week 10 SNF: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14 vs. Chargers
Any late-season divisional matchup is a candidate to get moved into primetime if both teams are contenders. So, the Raiders and Chargers will have to be in the hunt. But with all three flex windows open at this point in the schedule, a rivalry game with something on the line in mid-December is built for the big stage. It might help that none of the current contests slated for a primetime spot are divisional games. Plus, it has the potential to be a good quarterback matchup with Justin Herbert and Mendoza.
Week 14 Primetime matchups: Minnesota Vikings @ New England Patriots (TNF), Buffalo Bills @ Green Bay Packers (SNF), Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars (MNF)
Week 15 vs. Broncos
Admittedly, the Week 11 bout against the Denver Broncos was the first one that came to mind as a flex option. However, only the SNF window is open at that time, and the NFL has an international game between the Vikings and the 49ers in Mexico City in that spot, which makes it highly unlikely to get rescheduled for logistical reasons. Plus, the league would only have to wait a month to put the Raiders-Broncos rivalry on primetime if the matchup has playoff implications.
Week 15 Primetime matchups: San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Chargers (TNF), Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (SNF), New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs (MNF)
Week 18 vs. Chiefs
Sticking with the theme of divisional matchups with the playoffs on the line, the league keeps the final week of the regular season schedule open for that exact reason. While there are no games on Thursday or Monday that week, there are three standalone spots open on Saturday (one on Netflix and the other two on ESPN/ABC), and SNF will still be on to give the league four flex options. Especially if it’s a winner-take-all situation between the Raiders and Chiefs, you can bet that this game will get put into one of those four windows.
Week 18 Primetime matchups: TBD
