The Raiders are finally getting a break in the middle of a brutal 2026 stretch, but “break” is relative. They head into Week 8 on the road against the 2-5 New York Jets, and while this is the softest matchup Las Vegas has seen in a two-month run, it still comes with plenty of baggage. Klint Kubiak’s team has dropped four straight, the playoff picture has slipped, and John Spytek could be staring at a tougher trade-deadline decision because of it.
Sunday also brings a long list of injuries, a couple of returning receivers and a game that has drawn strong opinions from across the NFL media landscape. The Raiders need a reset.
The Jets are banged up. And both sides have enough uncertainty to make this one worth watching closely.
Las Vegas will be back in the early window on the East Coast for the first time since the Week 5 meltdown against the New England Patriots. The Raiders have to avoid another slow start, especially on the road, and they’ll do it with the same broadcasting crew they had last week.
On the injury front, the Raiders’ final report brought one notable change: Patrick Johnson was removed after being placed on IR, and Jack Bech was activated with his questionable tag cleared. That means Bech will play Sunday for the first time since Week 3. Carter Runyon is out and not activated, while Jackson Powers-Johnson remains questionable with a back injury.
The rest of Las Vegas’ report is full of names to monitor, but the overall picture is encouraging. Brock Bowers, Eric Stokes, DJ Glaze, Quay Walker, Foley Fatukasi and Ian Thomas are all listed without game designations. Dont'e Thornton Jr. is also back after missing Weeks 1-7 with a hamstring injury, which gives the offense another option it has badly lacked.
New York’s injury list is more damaging in key spots. T'Vondre Sweat is out with a knee injury, and that’s a major blow because he is by far the Jets’ best run defender.
Max Mitchell and Joseph Ossai are also out, while David Bailey is doubtful with an ankle issue. Breece Hall and Dylan Parham are both questionable, and Braelon Allen is on the list as well.
If Hall and Parham return after missing since Week 3, that would be a significant lift for the Jets.
That shorthanded front is one reason Ashton Jeanty’s comments matter this week. Jeanty took aim at the Jets’ run defense, saying they had several players who did not want to tackle.
The film backed up what he said. The bigger question is whether the Raiders can actually turn that into production on the ground.
New York’s front has been vulnerable and now it’s missing important pieces, but Las Vegas still hasn’t found much rhythm running the ball. If Jeanty can help the Raiders control the game, this one gets a lot more manageable.
There’s also the Geno Smith angle, and it carries its own edge. Smith has plenty of motivation against the Raiders and their fanbase, and this matchup has the feel of a revenge spot for him.
He has not been the Jets’ biggest issue this season, but he has drifted too far into caution and is still taking sacks. If the Raiders can get pressure and force him into mistakes, they can take control quickly.
The other big development for Las Vegas is the return of two young wideouts. Thornton Jr. is set for his season debut, while Bech is back after missing since Week 3.
Outside of Tre Tucker, the Raiders haven’t gotten much from the receiver room, so any spark from either player would be a welcome boost. It would also give the offense a chance to show something positive from Spytek’s draft work.
As for the experts, the picks are split. ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Kalyn Kahler, Jeremy Fowler, Lindsey Thiry and Seth Wickersham all picked the Raiders, while Pamela Maldonado, Ben Solak, Jason Reid, Matt Bowen, Mike Clay and Eric Moody went with the Jets.
NFL Media leaned heavily toward Las Vegas, with Bucky Brooks, Tom Grossi, Dan Parr, Brandon Perna, Kevin Patra, Grant Gordon and Colleen Wolfe picking the Raiders, while Brooke Cersosimo, Lance Zierlein and Nick Shook took New York. Bleacher Report was mixed too, with Gary Davenport, Wes O'Donnell and Brett Sobleski on the Raiders side and Brad Gagnon, Ian Hanford, Kristopher Knox and Moe Moton backing the Jets.
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The ripple effects do not stop there. Rookie Trey Zuhn III is pushing for the starting right guard job, adding another lineup battle to watch as the Raiders try to stabilize the front five. On the other side of the ball, there is also some second-guessing around defensive tackle Jonah Laulu, with questions lingering about whether Las Vegas moved on too quickly instead of exploring trade value first. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face Key Week 8 Questions After Costly Roster Shuffle
The Raiders head into Week 8 with the kind of housekeeping that usually says as much about a team as the matchup itself. Patrick Johnson and Carter Runyon are out on the injury report for Sundays game against the Jets, while several other players are listed as questionable, leaving Las Vegas to sort through availability as it tries to steady things for a pivotal AFC stretch.
There has also been movement on the roster and around the organization. Las Vegas waived Jonah Laulu and added Bralen Trice to the practice squad, while A.J. Cole was named the teams NFLPA voting representative. Even the broadcast setup is changing, with FOX Sports altering its crew for the game, a small reminder that this week has a little extra churn around a Raiders team still trying to settle its pieces. [Read more 🡒]