Oakland Raiders: Biggest takeaways from the 2018 schedule release

Opponents in Transition

Of course, each contest counts in a 16-game season. One game could decide whether a team continues to play in January or not. Nonetheless, the Raiders have two major unknowns that sandwich the bye week.

The Silver and Black will travel to the United Kingdom for a Week 6 contest against the Seattle Seahawks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Most analysts will focus on the travel, but what about the Seahawks? The front office cut ties or traded familiar faces who led the defense in year’s past. Seattle won’t have cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Michael Bennett bringing their intense swagger to the unit.

Quarterback Russell Wilson lost two key pass-catchers from the previous season in wideout Paul Richardson and tight end Jimmy Graham. The rushing offense has been non-existent over the past two years. The offensive line still needs to show improvement.

What type of Indianapolis Colts team will see in 2018? It’s hard to tell at this point.

The mystery traces back to quarterback Andrew Luck who hasn’t played a down since the 2016 campaign. There’s no concrete timetable on his return, and he’s still not throwing an actual football, per general manager Chris Ballard, via ESPN.com reporter Mike Wells:

In other words, there’s optimism but few answers on the condition of Luck’s shoulder. Without the three-time Pro Bowler, it’s another lost season for the Colts. If he’s back, there’s a significant amount of rust on his arm with few high-end weapons around him.

If the Raiders win both games against these unidentified squads, it’s a two-game swing that could strengthen the confidence between Gruden and his players.