The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-0 to start the 2026 NFL season, putting together their best opening stretch in five years.
Before 2026, the last time the Raiders started a season 3-0 was in 2021, when Las Vegas eventually reached the NFL playoffs.
Raiders Last Started 3-0 in 2021
The 2021 Las Vegas Raiders opened the season with three consecutive victories, defeating the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins.
Las Vegas eventually finished the regular season 10-7, earning a Wild Card berth despite a turbulent year that included a midseason coaching change.
The Raiders’ season ended with a 26-19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wild Card round.
That remained the franchise’s most recent 3-0 start until the Raiders accomplished the feat again in 2026.
Raiders Are 3-0 in 2026
Las Vegas has now matched its 2021 start by opening the 2026 NFL season with a 3-0 record.
The Raiders reached the milestone following their 35-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 3, keeping their undefeated start alive and putting them among the NFL’s early-season contenders.
It is the first time in five years that the Raiders have won each of their first three games.
When Was the Last Time the Raiders Started Better Than 3-0?
For an even more impressive Raiders start, you have to go back to 2002.
The Raiders opened the 2002 NFL season 4-0 and ultimately finished the regular season 11-5. Oakland won the AFC West and advanced through the playoffs before reaching Super Bowl XXXVII, where the Raiders lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That remains one of the most successful seasons in modern Raiders history.
Recent Raiders 3-0 Starts
Here are some of the Raiders’ notable 3-0 starts:
- 2026: Started 3-0 — season ongoing
- 2021: Started 3-0 — finished 10-7 and reached the Wild Card round
- 2002: Started 4-0 — finished 11-5 and reached Super Bowl XXXVII
- 1990: Started 3-0 — finished 12-4 and reached the AFC Championship Game
What Does the Raiders’ 3-0 Start Mean?
Starting 3-0 doesn’t guarantee a playoff appearance, but the Raiders’ recent history provides an encouraging comparison. Both the 2021 and 2002 Raiders reached the postseason after beginning with at least three consecutive victories.
The 2026 Raiders now have an opportunity to do something the franchise hasn’t accomplished since 2002: start a season 4-0.
That makes their Week 4 matchup one of the biggest early-season games on the Raiders’ schedule.