HENDERSON, Nev.-The Raiders walked out of Sunday’s 33-30 loss to the Bills with a defeat on the scoreboard and a mixed bag everywhere else.
Las Vegas is 3-3, and while the upset bid against Buffalo came up short, the bigger picture inside the building still looks sturdier than the record alone might suggest. The Raiders have now gone three straight games against teams widely viewed as Super Bowl contenders, and in two of those, the loss came more from self-inflicted mistakes than from being overwhelmed. The third, against the Patriots, was a blowout.
That’s the backdrop for this week’s report card, which begins with the offense and a ground game that remains stuck in the mud. The rushing attack is still a problem, but Klint Kubiak pointed to the fact that defenses are keying on what the Raiders want to do.
"I think we have to get production from all three of our backs, and Mike Washington [Jr.] did some good stuff yesterday, and I thought overall our backs, they ran harder yesterday. I thought they broke tackles.
I thought they moved the line of scrimmage when things weren't there. I thought Coach Omar [Young] did a really good job of challenging our guys.
I thought they had one of their better games, and I expect that to continue to improve."
The red zone has been another sore spot, and Kubiak didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Penalties, lack of execution. It's not one thing.
But I think mainly when you want to be a good red zone team, you got to run the ball well in the red zone. We didn't do that."
Still, the Raiders found enough offense to hang 30 points on Buffalo, and with Kirk Cousins leading the league in touchdown passes, the unit is finding ways to score even if it’s not doing it cleanly.
It isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t have to be. Kubiak made that clear, too.
“The object of the game is to score points, and whether you're getting it done from the ground or from the air, or they're coming from special teams or defensive scores as a team. Obviously, it's a team game, and it's about outscoring the opponent. So, we're never going to - we always want to be great in all facets, okay, but you're going to play to your strengths."
"So, moving the ball and scoring points was good yesterday. However, what do you got to do to get over the hump? You've got to score on all five possessions in the red zone, not just two of five.”
On defense, Robbie Leonard deserves a lot of credit for the way his group handled one of the league’s most dangerous offenses. The Bills still scored 30, but the Raiders held Josh Allen to one rushing yard, and some of Buffalo’s points were set up by offensive mistakes. With a thin defensive line and a young secondary, that was no small feat.
Leonard’s work stood out enough to draw comparisons, and while Chris Shula of the Rams is already being talked about as a future head coach, Leonard’s rise has been just as real. He has had only one poor week this season, and the trust from his head coach is obvious.
The special teams, though, were a mess. Matt Gay, AJ Cole and long snapper Alex Ward did their jobs, but the unit around them unraveled through penalties and poor coverage. Buffalo hit on a 40-yard kickoff return by Ray Davis and a 22-yard punt return by Greg Dortch, while the Raiders gave up even more through veteran mistakes that handed the Bills better field position.
There was also a first-year coaching miscue from Kubiak, who challenged a play he should not have challenged. That said, the growing pains have been minimal for a rookie head coach. For a first-year coach, the mistakes have been few enough to count on one hand.
The larger theme around the franchise remains the same: this is still a rebuilding roster, and it shows in spots. It’s thin, young, and lacking talent in several areas. But the staff has kept the Raiders from spiraling, and the team sits at 3-3 because of that.
The front office deserves some of that credit, too. John Spytek has been active in shaping the roster, and the early returns are encouraging enough that optimism around the team isn’t just empty talk.
The crowd at Allegiant Stadium told its own story. The seats were heavily tilted toward Buffalo, with the turnout described as 75-25 Bills fans, but Raider Nation still showed up and made noise at the right moments. One season ticket holder who had sold their tickets summed up the mood this way: “I love what Klint and Spytek are doing; I won’t be selling tickets next year if they keep this up.”
If someone had predicted back in June that the Raiders would go toe-to-toe with the Bills the way they did Sunday, most people would have dismissed it. The loss stings because Las Vegas got in its own way. But it also left behind a clear reminder that this team may not be as far off as it once looked.
Next up is the Rams, and if the Raiders bring the same edge they showed against Buffalo and Kansas City, the conversation could turn fast. As things stand, the buzz inside the building is still growing.
Can you hear that noise? It’s called optimism, Raider Nation.
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