The Raiders’ offensive issues are starting to feel a little too familiar, and Sunday’s flat outing only sharpened the concern. What had already been a shaky stretch for the pass rush and a ground game that has been fading since Week 1 now comes with a bigger problem: opponents may be zeroing in on how to attack this team.
Ted Nguyen of The Athletic laid out the issue this week on the Just Win podcast, pointing straight at the pressure package that has been giving Kirk Cousins trouble.
“The Raiders have a cover zero problem and it’s a problem on both sides of the ball, [but] especially for the Raiders’ offense because once defenses and opposing teams see that you have a problem, they’re going to keep picking at it until you prove that you have a solution,” Nguyen said on the Just Win podcast.
Nguyen also noted how the trend has spread.
“The Chiefs started blitzing Kirk Cousins first, and then the Patriots started doing it a lot because they probably watched film.”
That has become a real issue for Cousins, who is second in the NFL in touchdown passes with 12 but has been bothered by aggressive blitz looks from the Chiefs and Patriots over the last two weeks. Against New England on Sunday, there was at least one snap where he could not generate enough arm strength to complete an off-platform throw against cover zero, and his limited mobility only adds to the challenge.
The wide receivers have drawn some scrutiny for whether they consistently got separation, but film also showed Cousins missing open targets against the Patriots’ cover 0. That leaves Klint Kubiak with a clear job this week as he prepares for the Bills, who have blitzed at the 15th-highest rate in the league over the first five weeks.
The quarterback situation is also drawing more attention. After Week 5, the question around the Raiders was how long they would stick with Cousins.
After Week 4, it wasn’t even a conversation. Now, around the team, the sense appears to be that Mendoza’s time is drawing closer.
A debut next two weeks does not look likely, but the Week 8 meeting with the Jets is one to watch. Beyond that, the schedule stiffens considerably, with the 49ers, Seahawks and Broncos all waiting. If the Raiders ride with Cousins through that stretch, the Browns on November 29 could end up being the cleanest opening for Mendoza to make his first NFL start.
In Other News...
Raiders Face A Big Fernando Mendoza Question At Wide Receiver
The Raiders have a quarterback picture that already invites questions, with Kirk Cousins in the starting role and rookie Fernando Mendoza viewed as the long-term answer. Even with that transition in mind, the bigger issue around the offense may be the lack of proven wide receiver help, a problem that has left the front office and observers looking for ways to add a legitimate target to the passing game.
One name that has surfaced in the conversation is a receiver who appears to have slipped in Jacksonville, which is exactly the kind of situation that can spark trade speculation this time of year. For Las Vegas, the appeal is obvious: if the Raiders want to make life easier for Cousins now and for Mendoza down the road, they may need to keep pushing on the market for a receiver who can change the shape of the room, even if the cost and fit remain unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Catch Buffalo At The Perfect Time In Week 6
The Bills entered Week 6 with a long injury report, and the Raiders are looking at a matchup that could hinge on who is actually able to suit up. Buffalo listed 15 players, while Las Vegas had 12 of its own, setting up a meeting where health may matter almost as much as form. For a Raiders team trying to find an edge on the road, that is the kind of week that can quietly reshape the game plan before the teams ever kick off.
Wednesday practice only sharpened the uncertainty in Buffalo. DJ Moore and Ed Oliver were the only Bills players who did not participate, and both were already unavailable in the previous game, leaving their status something to monitor closely as the week unfolds. Las Vegas has its own questions, with Tonka Hemingway and Jalen Nailor in concussion protocol and their availability still up in the air, so this one may end up being decided as much by the injury report as by anything that happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face One Big Question As Jerry Jeudy Buzz Builds
The Raiders are still searching for more help at wide receiver, and that has only sharpened the focus on Jerry Jeudy now that the Browns reportedly have him available in trade talks. Cleveland is said to be seeking a third- to fourth-round pick, but the broader picture is simple enough for Las Vegas: the roster could use another proven target, and Jeudys name naturally fits a team trying to add receiving talent without waiting for the market to sort itself out.
There is also the internal angle to watch, because Klint Kubiak recently addressed Dont'e Thorntons status as the rookie works his way back from injury. Thornton still has to show he can handle the conditioning, assignments and playmaking piece before the Raiders can count on him as part of the solution, which leaves the front office weighing outside help against the possibility that a young receiver is not quite ready yet. [Read more 🡒]