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The Las Vegas Raiders cannot dismiss their 45-17 loss Sunday at New England as simply a bad road performance. The result exposed a defense that opponents may be starting to solve, and it now faces an immediate test from the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen at Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 18.
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Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak opened his Monday remarks by calling the performance below the club’s standard. Locked On Raiders host Your Boy Q agreed with the sentiment but argued that the defensive collapse matters beyond one afternoon, particularly after the unit had already allowed 30 points to the Kansas City Chiefs a week earlier.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 26 of 34 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score as New England outgained the Raiders 536-306. The Patriots scored 14 first-quarter points after the defense had allowed 13 combined opening-quarter points over its first four games. Q pointed to the ease with which New England mixed its attack, creating production through the air, on the ground and with misdirection.
Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby remains the player offenses account for first, but Q said the pass rush needs a greater impact after Maye repeatedly had time to attack downfield. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard also faces a tactical decision: increase pressure and risk exposing a young secondary, or adjust the coverage plan after the Patriots consistently found openings.
Cornerbacks Eric Stokes, Darien Porter and Hezekiah Masses are all vulnerable to being tested as opponents build more film on Leonard’s scheme. Q noted that teams have targeted Masses since his early-season recognition and that the Raiders must determine their counter before Allen arrives. Buffalo presents a different problem because Allen can punish man coverage with his arm and turn a failed rush into a scramble or designed-run threat.
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The offensive issues did not disappear in the blowout. Raiders running backs Ashton Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr. and Dylan Laube combined for 41 rushing yards on 15 carries, with Jeanty managing 27 yards on 10 attempts. Q questioned why Laube has become the group’s most dependable option in pass protection and as a receiver, saying the offense needs more from Jeanty and Washington to keep defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage.
Kubiak has framed the response as a chance to prove the loss does not reflect the Raiders’ standard. The Bills game will show whether Leonard’s defense can make a meaningful adjustment, whether Crosby can help tilt the pressure battle and whether the run game can give the offense enough balance to avoid another one-sided result.
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This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 10:01 PM.