FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — What a difference one week can make. The Las Vegas Raiders walked away from their three-point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs believing they could compete with on e of the AFC’s best teams.
After Sunday’s 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots, the Raiders are facing an entirely different conversation. Las Vegas has dropped two straight after opening the season 3-0, and Sunday’s blowout exposed several issues Klint Kubiak and his staff need to address quickly. Here are three major takeaways from the Raiders’ worst performance of the season.
1. The Raiders’ Defense Just Received a Major Reality Check
Allowing 536 total yards and 45 points should immediately get everyone’s attention. Drake Maye carved up the Raiders, completing 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
He didn’t turn the football over. Even more concerning was how easily New England generated points. Four of the Patriots’ seven scoring drives lasted fewer than three minutes. This wasn’t simply a defense eventually wearing down because the offense couldn’t stay on the field. The Patriots were creating explosive plays and scoring quickly.
Las Vegas built its 3-0 start largely around a defense capable of keeping games under control. Even against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City, the Raiders carried a lead into the closing minutes. Sunday looked nothing like that. One terrible performance doesn’t erase the first month, but 536 yards can’t become a trend.
2. The Offense Is Becoming Too Dependent on Cousins and Bowers
Brock Bowers continues to deliver. The star tight end caught eight passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, providing Kirk Cousins with his most dependable weapon.
The problem is that Las Vegas continues to need too much from both of them. Cousins finished 19 of 28 for 243 yards and a touchdown while being sacked three times. New England consistently generated pressure and made it difficult for him to operate comfortably.
That’s where the Raiders’ struggling running game becomes an even bigger concern. Las Vegas needs Ashton Jeanty to become a legitimate threat.
Without an effective ground game, defenses can attack Cousins without paying a significant price. Play-action becomes less dangerous, third downs become more predictable and Kubiak loses much of the offensive versatility his system is supposed to create.
The Raiders can’t build their entire offense around Cousins finding Bowers. Eventually, somebody else has to consistently produce.
3. Fernando Mendoza’s Appearance Changes the Conversation
No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza entered during the fourth quarter with the outcome already decided. Kubiak immediately made it clear that Cousins remains his starter.
“Just wanted to get (Mendoza) some exposure,” Kubiak said. That’s reasonable. Cousins wasn’t the reason Las Vegas surrendered 45 points, and one difficult afternoon shouldn’t create an immediate quarterback controversy.
But something changed Sunday. Mendoza has now stepped onto an NFL field. If Las Vegas continues losing and the offense struggles, every Cousins mistake will inevitably produce more questions about when the rookie should get his opportunity.
The Raiders shouldn’t rush that decision. But Mendoza represents the organization’s future, and Sunday’s appearance provided the first glimpse of it.
Raiders Have Reached Their First Crossroads
Las Vegas is 3-2. That’s hardly a disaster. But the direction of the season suddenly feels much different than it did two weeks ago. The Raiders began 3-0 and looked like one of the NFL’s biggest surprises. They then pushed Kansas City to the final seconds before losing 30-27.
New England was supposed to provide an opportunity to respond. Instead, the Raiders were beaten by 28 points. That’s what makes the next few weeks so important.
The Chiefs loss showed the Raiders how close they might be. The Patriots loss showed them how far they still have to go. Now Kubiak has to make sure one ugly afternoon doesn’t become something bigger.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
