The Raiders needed this one, and they got it in a way that was equal parts messy and electric. Las Vegas came into Week 8 staring at a brutal stretch of games and looking for a reset against the Jets, a team that, on paper, was supposed to be the break in the schedule. Instead, the Raiders had to claw back, lean on a few key performances, and survive a game that kept swinging.
The biggest reason the offense finally found some rhythm was the offensive line. For all the talk around the unit, it had already been sitting in the top 10-15 in several statistical categories entering Week 8, with pass protection clearly stronger than the run game.
Against New York, it showed up in both areas. The line gave the quarterback time to throw, helped him escape when needed, and opened enough space to make the ground game look far more efficient than it had in weeks.
That mattered immediately, because Las Vegas got off to a fast start. The opening drive was helped by Nailor, whose box score still doesn’t fully capture what he means to the offense.
His absence in Week 6 was felt, and his return in Week 7 already helped loosen things up. Against the Jets, he made that effect easier to see.
He caught two passes for 24 yards on the Raiders’ opening drive, and those plays were a key part of a 10-play, 60-yard touchdown march.
Then there was Bowers, who keeps making the case that he’s the best tight end in the league. The production keeps coming, and so does the sense that he’s every bit as much wide receiver as tight end. His value keeps climbing every week.
Laube also left a huge imprint on the game, and not just in the obvious way. He entered Week 8 among the league leaders in kickoff return yards, and that already had an effect on how the Jets handled special teams.
After New York’s opening-drive field goal, the Jets kicked the ball out of bounds, handing Las Vegas the ball at its own 40-yard line. The Raiders turned that into a touchdown on their first possession, with Laube’s return ability helping create the kind of field position this offense needed before he ever touched the ball.
Then he took over directly. Laube ripped off a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the Raiders’ first kickoff return for a score in 248 games. It was the kind of play that can flip a game in a hurry, and for Las Vegas, it was the kind of weapon that made the difference in snapping the losing streak.
Defensively, Stokes gave the Raiders a mixed bag, but there were two plays that stood out. He made a pair of third-down stops that forced the Jets into a field goal, including one sequence that began with New York at first-and-goal from the Raiders’ five-yard line. Outside of those moments, though, the Jets kept coming at him, especially on third-and-short.
That was the tradeoff Las Vegas accepted. The Raiders chose to take away one part of the Jets’ offense first, even if it meant putting some of their less reliable defensive backs in more isolated situations. The result was a passing game battle, not a clean defensive shutdown.
It was still an improvement over the previous four games, when Las Vegas struggled against both the run and the pass. But the shift toward stopping the run came with a cost through the air, and Stokes felt that pressure. It wasn’t a strong day for the Raiders’ top corner.
Even so, the logic made sense. Las Vegas was better off asking Stokes to work through it than going back to a defensive setup that was clearly working against them.
The rookie also had a rough afternoon. He looked lost on the Jets’ first touchdown, and he could have done more against the run on the Jets’ first touchdown after halftime.
In Other News...
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 Got Back To .500 With Two Big Questions Still Lingering
A much-needed win over the Jets got the Raiders back to .500 at the midpoint of the season, and it came with a couple of notable wrinkles on offense. The ground game looked different with Mike Washington Jr. handling the load, while Dylan Laube provided a jolt in the return game that helped swing momentum in Las Vegas favor.
Even with the record evened up, the bigger concern remains on the other side of the ball. The Raiders gave up 33 points, and the defense again left questions about consistency and execution that have followed the team through much of the first half. A win can steady the mood for a week, but it does not erase the issues that still need fixing. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Hold Trade Deadline Leverage Over Baltimore
Kirk Cousins has quietly put himself back into the middle of the trade conversation after a strong start through the first eight weeks of the season, and that matters in Las Vegas because the Raiders suddenly look like a team with a valuable chip as the November 10 deadline approaches. Any quarterback market tends to get complicated fast, but the Raiders are now positioned in a way that could draw real attention from a Baltimore team trying to sort out its own future under center while also keeping an eye on looming contract decisions.
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 🡒]