The Las Vegas Raiders are sitting at 3-2, but don’t let that fool you into thinking this Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills is an easy W. After cruising through some early season bottom-dwellers like the winless Dolphins and Chargers, and a 1-4 Saints squad, Vegas has dropped two straight to the Chiefs and Patriots. Now, the schedule gets even tougher. The Bills are up next, before the Raiders face the Los Angeles Rams on October 25. Are the Raiders for real or is that 3-2 record just a product of an easy start? The Bills, eyeing a 5-1 record before their bye, know they gotta take care of business against a solid Raiders squad, especially with their own defense having some serious headaches.
Kirk Cousins Is Looking To Pick Apart a Struggling Secondary
For the second week in a row, the Buffalo defense is staring down a veteran quarterback with serious accuracy. Last week it was Matthew Stafford, and this week it’s Kirk Cousins. The plan has to be the same: blitz him, force him to make those tough off-platform throws, and help out that struggling defensive secondary. Look, the Bills bent but didn’t break for at least a half against the Rams, which is something, I guess. Cousins might not be quite on Stafford’s level, but he’s accurate enough to absolutely carve up a defense if you give him time to sit in that pocket. If Buffalo can get pressure on him early, it’ll keep him from picking them apart. I’m thinking they’ll add an extra rusher sometimes in the first half to speed him up, which should let the Bills flow into more simulated pressure looks later in the game. That’s how you force a turnover against a guy like Cousins.
Tre Tucker Is About To Expose Buffalo’s Weakness
Everyone talks about Vegas’ tight ends, but let’s be real, the speedy Tre Tucker is a really good receiver on his own. And let’s be brutally honest: Buffalo’s been pretty incompetent in pass defense this season. I mean, they’re currently ranked 31st in passing yards allowed, so that’s putting it lightly. Any team’s top receiving options are a huge threat against this secondary. While the Raiders might have a strong running back in Aston Jeanty, the Bills have actually been decent against the run, ranking fifteenth in yards allowed. It’s the pass defense that gives me serious digestive discomfort. Tucker has the kind of speed to beat the Bills at multiple levels. If he’s working from the slot, which he does about 18% of the time, he’s especially dangerous. That’s when he’d be matched up against Dee Alford, or a linebacker, or a safety, and that could be trouble. If he’s outside, Christian Benford will likely get a lot of reps against Tucker, and that’s a matchup I actually like for the Bills. Davison Igbinosun and Maxwell Hairston, though, are gonna need to play smart and avoid those silly penalties.
This game is a big test for both squads. The Raiders need to prove their 3-2 start isn’t a fluke before heading into a tough matchup with the Rams. The Bills, on the other hand, are looking to solidify their record at 5-1 and ride that momentum into their bye week. This isn’t one you can chalk up as a win for either side just yet.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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