The Las Vegas Raiders fell to 3-2 on October 11, 2026, crushed 45-17 by the New England Patriots, and the weekly report card published by Sports Illustrated on October 13 assigns failing marks to the defense and coaching staff while the offense scraped by with a D+. Next up for the rebuilding Raiders is a home date with the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
According to Sports Illustrated's Hondo Carpenter, the loss exposed structural problems on a young roster rather than a single bad afternoon. New England racked up 536 total yards, including 165 on the ground, while holding Las Vegas to 38 rushing yards at 2.1 yards per carry.
What went wrong for the Raiders against the Patriots
The numbers tell the story of a line of scrimmage that New England controlled from start to finish. Quarterback Kirk Cousins was pressured on nearly 48% of his dropbacks, sacked three times, and forced into a turnover as the Raiders abandoned the run with the score out of reach.
First-year head coach Klint Kubiak took responsibility after reviewing the film.
I give a lot of credit to New England. They did an excellent job. I just didn't have a good plan for our guys. We didn't execute well. We got behind early, and we weren't able to get the run game going. There's just a lot of reasons that that game didn't work out, and it starts with me.
The offensive line drew the harshest individual criticism. Left tackle Kolton Miller was beaten one-on-one multiple times, and Carpenter described the guard play as horrendous despite ranking position coach Rick Dennison among the best in the NFL. Center Tyler Linderbaum and guard Delmar Glaze were the lone bright spots.
Drake Maye and the Patriots' aerial attack overwhelmed the secondary
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye finished with five total touchdowns and faced little consistent pressure. Edge rusher Maxx Crosby was double-teamed and at times triple-teamed, and Carpenter reported that New England held him on several plays without drawing flags.
Kubiak acknowledged the staff is discussing ways to move Crosby around before the snap.
Yeah, I think those are definitely things as a coaching staff that we're talking about. We got to get him in positions to be successful to get near the quarterback.
The pass-rush void left the secondary exposed over the top, and high-priced edge defenders Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye were described as non-existent on the day. Second-year cornerback Darien Porter was a rare standout, and Kubiak praised his mental toughness after he lost his starting job for a week and won it back with his play.
Special teams and coaching under scrutiny
Special teams earned a C-minus. Kicker Matt Gay missed a 49-yard field goal before halftime in poor weather, and cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. failed to down an AJ Cole punt near the goal line, handing New England prime field position. Punter AJ Cole and long snapper Alex Ward were solid, and Carpenter placed the blame for the two errors on the veterans, not coordinator Joe DeCamillis.
The coaching staff received an F, the first failing grade of the season for Kubiak, defensive coordinator Robbie Leonard and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko. Carpenter noted that all three had bad days simultaneously for the first time in 2026, and that the 3-1 start suggests the loss was an outlier rather than a trend.
Can the Raiders bounce back against the Bills?
The schedule does not soften. Buffalo arrives at 4-1 with a fan base known as the Bills Mafia, and the game represents the toughest test of the season for Las Vegas. Cousins, for his part, framed the problem in tactical terms.
Anytime you're one-dimensional, it probably does make it a little bit easier on a defense. You certainly want that run-pass threat at all times if you can have it.
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty managed few rushing yards behind the struggling line but was credited with exceptional pass protection. Kubiak said the coaching staff must fix his dropped passes, which occurred for a second straight week.
The Raiders entered the season in a rebuild under general manager John Spytek and Kubiak, and a 3-2 record through five weeks had prompted talk of flipping the script toward a playoff push. Sunday's result was a reminder of the gap between a rebuilding roster and a contender, with the Bills offering an immediate measuring stick.
Fans drew the only passing grade
Raider Nation earned an A from Sports Illustrated for showing up in large numbers and staying loud despite the blowout. Carpenter's verdict on the paying customers was blunt: the fans did their part, and the team did not.
FAQ
How did the Las Vegas Raiders lose to the Patriots?
The Raiders lost 45-17 on October 11, 2026, after New England dominated the line of scrimmage, pressured Kirk Cousins on nearly 48% of his passes and held Las Vegas to 38 rushing yards.
What grades did the Raiders receive in the report card?
Sports Illustrated graded the offense D+, the defense F, special teams C-minus, coaching F, and the fan base A.
Who do the Raiders play next?
The Raiders host the 4-1 Buffalo Bills on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at their home stadium in the toughest test of their season so far.