Oakland Raiders: 2018 schedule released

The Oakland Raiders fell short of expectations last season, but with Jon Gruden now at the helm, they hope they can handle their 2018 schedule with ease.

Everyone and their brother seemed to hop on the Oakland Raiders bandwagon last season. After signing quarterback Derek Carr to a massive new contract and then bringing running back Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, the hype train was almost out of control. It turns out, it was completely off the rails.

The Raiders weren’t an abysmal team by any means last year. However, they were a team that was far less fearsome than anyone thought they’d be. Their defense — outside of the great Khalil Mack, of course — left a ton to be desired. Even worse, the offense took a major step back and seemed to struggle with a new offensive coordinator at the helm.

Now, wholesale changes have occurred in regards to the coaching staff, most notably with the revered Jon Gruden taking over as head coach. Meanwhile, they have tried to make strides in terms of improving the roster. That will only continue with the 2018 NFL Draft as they have the No. 10 overall pick that they’ll be able to add.

As such, there is hope that the Raiders can rebound this season. This is the road that they will have to do that as the Oakland Raiders 2018 schedule has been released:

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Full 7-Round projection

Obviously the Raiders have plenty that they need to correct heading into this season. More importantly, they have a tough road ahead with matchups against the loaded NFC West and a tough AFC North that will put them through the ringer. If Gruden can work his magic though, there’s no denying the talent with the Silver and Black. They could live up to expectations — albeit a year late.