Looking to halt a two-game losing streak, the Raiders welcome the Buffalo Bills to Las Vegas in Week 6. A loss would drop the Raiders to 3-3, erasing their 3-0 start.
Behind Josh Allen and James Cook the Bills are tied for the league lead in points scored this season. Las Vegas will need to find ways to slow down Buffalo’s high-powered offense and ways to score to keep pace.
If the Raiders are going to upset the Bills, these players will need to shine.
Brock Bowers
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Brock Bowers will be the best pass catcher in this game, and the Raiders need him to be a difference maker. The tight end missed the first two games of the season, but he has already put himself back in the mix for best tight end in the NFL.
The Bills rank just 28th in expected points added against the pass. So if the Raiders need to win a shootout, Bowers should have some favorable matchups.
Bowers has at least 10 targets in all three games he has played. His least productive game was against the Chiefs when he had 86 yards and a touchdown. He’s a superstar that can swing games in the Raiders’ favor.
Nakobe Dean
One of the biggest reasons for the Raiders’ 3-0 start was the play of Nakobe Dean. The linebacker looked like one of the best free agent signings of the offseason. Dean was everywhere.
Through three games, he had 14 run stops, five quarterback pressures and three forced fumbles. He hadn’t been called for a penalty and hadn’t allowed a touchdown while in coverage.
But the last two games have been a different story. Dean has now been flagged and allowed a passing touchdown. Plus he has no pressures, no forced fumbles and just four run stops.
He feasted on the Dolphins, Chargers and Saints, but struggled with the Chiefs and Patriots. The Raiders need Dean to show he is capable against good teams and not just the bottom of the NFL.
Maxx Crosby
Through three weeks the Raiders defense had nine takeaways, the most in the NFL. But Las Vegas has forced just one turnover in the last two games. Maxx Crosby needs to change that.
If the Raiders are going to upset the Bills, they will most certainly need to win the turnover battle. Dean was forcing fumbles early in the season, and rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses had three interceptions in a two-week span. But the Raiders should be looking to their star defensive end to make plays.
Crosby has 30 pressures this season, tied for fourth-most in the NFL. He has been in the backfield consistently. But he hasn’t been making plays. Crosby has just two sacks, putting him on pace for his lowest sack total in his career. He also hasn’t forced a fumble and has just three run stops – none in the last two weeks.
The best defensive player on the team needs to help take the ball away from the best offense in the NFL.
More on the Las Vegas Raiders
- 2 Raiders’ Position Battles ahead of Week 6 Matchup With Bills
- Michael Mayer’s Extension with Raiders is Looking More Puzzling as Season Progresses
- Can Jalen Nailor Provide a Boost to the Raiders’ Offense?
- Is Raiders’ Brock Bowers the Best Tight End in the NFL? Here are 3 Stats to Prove it
