The Raiders got the kind of win that can steady a season, even if it came with plenty of rough edges. Las Vegas survived a messy Week 8 trip to MetLife Stadium, outlasting the New York Jets in a comeback effort that pushed Klint Kubiak’s team back to .500 at the midway point.
It wasn’t clean, and it wasn’t always pretty. The defense still has a long way to go, and the offense can’t keep digging itself a hole early. But the Silver and Black found enough answers on both sides of the ball to leave with the victory, and that matters.
One of the biggest shifts came at running back. Ashton Jeanty was no longer the featured option, with Mike Washington Jr. taking over that role in Week 8.
The change paid off in the run game, where Las Vegas piled up 95 yards on the ground - its highest total since Week 3 and third-best mark of the season. Washington Jr. carried 25 times for 83 yards, while Jeanty managed just 9 yards on two carries but added 64 receiving yards.
Dylan Laube also delivered a huge swing play. He took a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and later made a key tackle on kick coverage. Laube had said this summer that he had the Jets circled on his schedule, which fit for the Long Island native, and he added to his Pro Bowl résumé with a performance that helped the Raiders win in front of his family.
Klint Kubiak deserves credit for how the offense unfolded as the game wore on. He made the bold move at running back, and the attack kept improving from there.
The tight ends were featured heavily, with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer drawing consistent looks despite all the attention they were getting. Jalen Nailor also got going.
For an offense that finished with 31 points, there wasn’t much to complain about.
The other side of the ball is a much bigger concern. Rob Leonard’s defense gave up 33 points to a Jets offense that had been averaging 19.6 per game.
There were moments when the unit came through, but too often it was behind the play. In a lot of games, that kind of performance would have been too little, too late.
The defense didn’t look ready, didn’t execute, and hasn’t shown improvement.
Eric Stokes had a tough afternoon, especially in the first half, even though he did come away with a pair of PBUs. Leonard needed to make an adjustment or pull him, but Darien Porter’s injury limited the options.
The Raiders couldn’t really afford to put Zeke Masses and Jermod McCoy out there together, and McCoy entered before Masses on Sunday, which stood out. There’s still plenty to clean up, but for one week at least, the Raiders found a way to win.
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Raiders Head Into Jets Game With Pressure Building On Multiple Fronts
The Raiders head into their Week 8 trip to face the Jets carrying a four-game losing streak, and the timing could hardly be more delicate. Las Vegas has spent the first part of the season trying to find more consistency on offense, with the running game still a major area of concern, while the injury report on both sides has only added to the uncertainty around a matchup that already carries plenty of weight.
There is at least some help on the way for the Raiders passing game, with Jack Bech set to be available and Dont'e Thornton Jr. returning from injury after missing the opening stretch of the season. The Jets bring their own list of injured and questionable players, and the quarterback subplot adds another layer with Geno Smith set to face his former team, giving this one a little extra edge beyond the standings pressure both clubs are feeling. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Hold Trade Deadline Leverage Over Baltimore
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Baltimores interest, if it comes, would not exist in a vacuum. The Ravens and Raiders have already dealt with their share of tension in recent months, and that history gives any potential conversation a little extra edge. For Las Vegas, the bigger point is simple: a quarterback who has played well enough to stir deadline chatter can change the temperature of the entire market, especially when one of the leagues more aggressive teams may be forced to consider every option. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Face A Kirk Cousins Deadline Dilemma
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Minnesota has been mentioned as a possible landing spot because of its quarterback situation, which only adds to the pressure on the Raiders decision-making with the deadline looming. For now, there have been no official trade talks or negotiations reported, but the mere possibility of Cousins changing teams has turned a routine stretch of the season into a real front-office dilemma. [Read more 🡒]