The Las Vegas Raiders hit a brick wall on Sunday, getting absolutely throttled 45-17 by the New England Patriots in Foxborough. That early season resolve and resilience that got them off to a 3-0 start? Poof, gone, vanished into thin air. It was a complete beatdown where the Silver & Black looked like they barely got off the plane, completely outclassed by a team that frankly, should have been ripe for the picking.
Total Meltdown: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, All Gone
Seriously, this game was rough to watch. The Raiders showed zero “complementary football,” letting the Patriots run wild. Everything was out of whack: offense, defense, special teams, you name it. It felt like rookie head coach Klint Kubiak and his defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, also a rookie, were just flat-out outmaneuvered by the seasoned vets, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels, a former Raiders coach himself, had his offense humming, dropping a ridiculous 536 total yards on Leonard’s surprisingly soft defense, with 371 through the air and 165 on the ground. Meanwhile, Kubiak’s offense couldn’t get anything going, stymied by Zak Kuhr’s Patriots defense to a measly 306 total yards, with just 38 rushing yards and 268 passing. It was so bad that even their elite tight end Brock Bowers, usually sure-handed, lost the ball on an impressive punch out by the Patriots defense. Just adds to the misery, right?
Injured Pats Get Sweet Revenge, Raiders Face Harsh Truth
Here’s the kicker: The Patriots were absolutely decimated by injuries heading into this game. Key players missing on offense, defense, special teams, but did they let that stop them? Nope. They played with determination, resolve, and a sense of urgency that Kubiak’s 3-1 team seemed to completely forget how to do. And talk about revenge: McDaniels and the Patriots definitely got theirs after the Raiders beat them 20-13 in their own house during the 2025 season opener. Remember how that went? Completely different trajectories for both teams afterward. Now, the big question has completely flipped. It used to be “What’s wrong with Drake Maye?” but after Sunday, everyone’s asking, “What’s wrong with Klint Kubiak and Rob Leonard?” That’s how fast the narrative changes in the NFL.
Look, there’s a ton of “teach tape” for the Raiders coming out of this one. Kubiak did take ownership of the team’s issues and the result, which is good. But as the article noted, accountability is great, but without action to correct those issues, it’s just talk. Good thing they have plenty of chances this season to actually show they’re about that action. First up: the Bills, next Sunday, at home. They better come ready to play.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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