The 2020 season was the Las Vegas Raiders' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st overall, and their first in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, as well as their first to not take place in California. The Raiders began playing their home games in the brand-new Allegiant Stadium. The season was the third under head coach Jon Gruden since his rehiring by the organization (seventh overall) and final full season as a head coach.
With a Week 17 victory over the Denver Broncos the Raiders improved on their 7–9 record from the previous season finishing 8–8. With two wins, the Raiders became the third team originating in the American Football League to reach 500 all-time wins. However despite a 6–3 start with wins against the Chiefs, Saints, and Browns, all of whom would go on to make the playoffs, the Raiders suffered a late-season collapse for the second consecutive year, losing five of their last seven games and after a devastating loss to the Dolphins in week 16, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth consecutive year.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time, all games at Allegiant Stadium took place without fans. Las Vegas also went 2–6 at home this season, while going 6–2 on the road.
Relocation On January 22, 2020, the Raiders officially announced their relocation to Las Vegas. This marked the third re-location of the franchise and made the 2020 season the team's first ever season as the only professional football team in its metropolitan area. The team shared the Bay Area market with the San Francisco 49ers during both of its tenures in Oakland, and shared the Los Angeles market with the Los Angeles Rams during its 13-year stint in Southern California.
Roster transactions
Free agents signed Position Player Age 2019 team QBMarcus Mariota26Tennessee TitansLBCory Littleton26Los Angeles RamsTEJason Witten37Dallas CowboysDECarl Nassib26Tampa Bay BuccaneersDTMaliek Collins24Dallas CowboysSJeff Heath28Dallas CowboysMLBNick Kwiatkoski26Chicago BearsGEric Kush30Cleveland BrownsTENick O'Leary27Jacksonville JaguarsWRNelson Agholor26Philadelphia EaglesDTDaniel Ross27Dallas CowboysSDamarious Randall27Cleveland BrownsCBPrince Amukamara30Chicago Bears
Players released Position Player Age 2020 team LBTahir Whitehead29Carolina Panthers
Draft
2020 Las Vegas Raiders Draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes1 12 Henry Ruggs WR Alabama 19 Damon Arnette CB Ohio State from Chicago Bears 3 80 Lynn Bowden WR Kentucky 81 Bryan Edwards WR South Carolina from Chicago Bears 100 Tanner Muse ILB Clemson from New England Patriots 4 109 John Simpson OG Clemson from Detroit Lions 139 Amik Robertson CB Louisiana Tech from Tampa Bay Buccaneers via New England Patriots Notes The Chicago Bears traded first- and third-round selections as well as 2019 first- and sixth-round selections to the Raiders in exchange for defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack, a second-round selection, and a seventh-round conditional selection (condition unknown), originally a fifth-round selection. The Raiders traded picks 91 and 159 to the New England Patriots in exchange for picks 100, 139 and 172. The Raiders traded picks 121 and 172 to the Detroit Lions in exchange for pick 109.
Undrafted free agents Player Position College Nick Bowers TE Penn State Madre Harper CB Southern Illinois Siaosi Mariner WR Utah State Mike Panasiuk DT Michigan State Kamaal Seymour OT Rutgers Javin White LB UNLV
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Raiders' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Week Date Opponent Venue Result 1 August 13 at Seattle Seahawks CenturyLink Field Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2 at San Francisco 49ers Levi's Stadium 3 Arizona Cardinals Allegiant Stadium 4 Los Angeles Rams Allegiant Stadium
Regular season
Schedule The Raiders' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 at Carolina Panthers W 34–30 1–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 New Orleans Saints W 34–24 2–0 Allegiant Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at New England Patriots L 20–36 2–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 4 October 4 Buffalo Bills L 23–30 2–2 Allegiant Stadium Recap 5 October 11 at Kansas City Chiefs W 40–32 3–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 6 Bye 7 October 25 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 20–45 3–3 Allegiant Stadium Recap 8 November 1 at Cleveland Browns W 16–6 4–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 9 November 8 at Los Angeles Chargers W 31–26 5–3 SoFi Stadium Recap 10 November 15 Denver Broncos W 37–12 6–3 Allegiant Stadium Recap 11 November 22 Kansas City Chiefs L 31–35 6–4 Allegiant Stadium Recap 12 November 29 at Atlanta Falcons L 6–43 6–5 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 13 December 6 at New York Jets W 31–28 7–5 MetLife Stadium Recap 14 December 13 Indianapolis Colts L 27–44 7–6 Allegiant Stadium Recap 15 Los Angeles Chargers L 27–30 7–7 Allegiant Stadium Recap 16 Miami Dolphins L 25–26 7–8 Allegiant Stadium Recap 17 January 3 at Denver Broncos W 32–31 8–8 Empower Field at Mile High Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Carolina Panthers In game one as the Las Vegas Raiders, the Raiders traveled across the country to play the Carolina Panthers. The Raiders got the ball first, but could accomplish nothing and quickly fell behind by three as the Panthers converted their opening drive into a 47-yard field goal. In the Raiders second possession of the game, Derek Carr hit rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs on a 45-yard pass play to set the Raiders up at Carolina's one-yard line. Josh Jacobs scored on the next play to give the Raiders the 7–3 lead. The Panthers quickly answered on a 10-play drive that ended in a touchdown and 10–7 lead for the Panthers. A 15-play, 73-yard Raider drive stalled on the Panther six-yard line as Daniel Carlson tied the game with a 20-yard field goal. Two more Panther field goals sandwiched around another Raider scoring drive, this one an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a Carr pass to newly acquired wide receiver Nelson Agholor as the Raiders went to the half leading 17–15.
In the second half, the Raider defense limited the Panthers to two three-and-outs in their first two possessions as the Raiders pushed the lead to 20–15 on a 54-yard Carlson field goal. Jacobs rushed for his second touchdown of the game with just over five minutes remaining in the third and it looked like the Raiders had put the game away, leading 27–15. However, a 17-play, 75-yard drive for the Panthers ended in a Teddy Bridgewater touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. Following a Raiders punt, Bridgewater hit Robby Anderson on a 75-yard touchdown pass to give the Panthers a 30–27 lead with eight minutes remaining in the game. The Raiders answered with a 75-yard drive as Jacobs scored his third touchdown on the day, a six-yard run to give the Raiders a 34–30 lead with four minutes remaining. Needing a touchdown to win, the Panthers moved to midfield, but were stuffed on a fourth and one and the Raiders took over with a chance to run out the game. The Raiders failed to notch a first down to end the game and were forced to punt to the Panthers with eight seconds remaining. The Panthers ran out of time as the Raiders earned their first victory as the Las Vegas Raiders, winning 34–30.
Week 2: vs. New Orleans Saints
The Raiders opened Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night Football when the New Orleans Saints visited in Week 2. The Saints took the opening possession 62 yards in 11 plays to score the first points in Allegiant Stadium history as Wil Lutz kicked a field goal from 31 yards out to give the Saints an early 3–0 lead. The Raiders managed a first down on their first possession, but were forced to punt quickly thereafter. The Saints increased their lead by scoring the first touchdown in Allegiant Stadium history as Alvin Kamara scored from one-yard out to push the lead to 10–0. The teams exchanged punts on their next possessions before the Raiders went 63 yards on 11 plays as Derek Carr hit fullback Alec Ingold on a three-yard touchdown pass to draw the score to 10–7 with eight mintutes remaining in the second quarter. The Saints quickly returned the favor, scoring on a Drew Brees pass to Jared Cook to return the lead to 10. A 10-play, 75-yard drive capped off by Zay Jones touchdown catch brought the Raiders within three with less than two minutes remaining in the half. The Saints, looking to extend the lead before half, turned the ball over as Nicholas Morrow intercepted Brees at the Saints' 40. The Raiders moved the ball inside the New Orleans' 10-yard line, but could not go farther, settling for a Daniel Carlson 28-yard field goal to tie the game at 17 at the half.
In the second half, the Raiders took the opening drive 75 yards in nine plays capped off by a Carr pass to Darren Waller to give the Raiders their first lead of the game, 24–17. A defensive stop by the Raiders gave the ball back to the offense, looking to score on their fifth straight possession, but a Carr fumble on the Saints' 40 ended the drive. The Raider defense continued to hold the Saints in check, forcing yet another punt. The Raiders would capitalize, moving 89 yards on 10 plays before Jalen Richard scored on a 20-yard run to give the Raiders a 31–17 lead with just under eight minutes remaining the game. The Saints quickly answered going 67 yards before Kamara scored from three yards out to narrow the lead to seven. With just over four minutes remaining in regulation, the Raiders, helped by a pass interference penalty by Janoris Jenkins, moved into Saints' territory and Carlson hit a 54-yard field goal to put the game out of reach at 34–24. The Saints ran out of time as the Raiders won the inaugural game at Allegiant Stadium and moved their record to 2–0 on the young season.
Week 3: at New England Patriots
The Raiders returned to the East Coast to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Neither offense got off to an early start as the Patriots sandwiched two punts around a Raider punt. On the next Raider drive, the Raiders moved 77 yards before Josh Jacobs fumbled the ball at the New England 13-yard line. The Patriots took over, but quickly turned the ball back over to the Raiders as Johnathan Abram intercepted Cam Newton at the Patriots' 38, returning it to the 14-yard line. The Raiders could manage nothing on the ensuing possession and settled for a 29-yard Daniel Carlson field goal and 3–0 lead. The Patriots tied it on their next drive on a 33-yard Nick Folk field goal. Two plays into the ensuing Raider possession, Carr was stripped of the ball and the Patriots took over at the Raiders' 42-yard line. The Raider defense held the Patriots to a 23-yard field goal as the Patriots took a 6–3 lead. The Raiders were forced to punt again on their next possession and the Patriots took over with about five minutes remaining in the half. An 88-yard drive capped by a Rex Burkhead 11-yard touchdown catch from Newton extended the Patriots lead to 13–3. The Raiders' offense finally got going, moving 75 yards in four plays before Foster Moreau caught a one-yard pass for a touchdown as Vegas narrowed the lead to 13–10. The Patriots ran out the clock and entered half time with the lead.