Back-to-back losses for Kubiak, Raiders after poor showing against Patriots

Las Vegas quarterback Kirk Cousins covers his ears while getting the play call inside Gillette Stadium. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Already coming off its first loss of the season, the Las Vegas Raiders stumbled for a second straight outing. However, this time was far worse than the first.

In a damp, wet setting in the northeast, Las Vegas fell short, 45-17, against New England Sunday, Oct. 11 from Gillette Stadium. It goes down as the first road loss for the franchise in its third instance.

“Very disappointing performance today,” head coach Klint Kubiak said. “From everybody, players and coaches. Obviously, give a lot of credit to the Patriots. They did a great job today.”

Overall, the Raiders are now 3-2 on the year with perhaps their toughest stretch of games on the horizon. Up next, the team will host the Buffalo Bills from Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18 with kickoff set for 1:25 p.m.

That’ll be the third and final game against the AFC East this season.

“It’s a game we have to move on quickly from,” Kubiak said. “We have everything ahead of us as a team. We’re not happy with what happened today and we have to go do something about it – we have to go fix it and move on.”

Raiders minority owner Tom Brady's statue is pictured outside of Gillette Stadium. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

Coming into Week 5, Las Vegas had the second-lowest penalty yards output per game while also having the lowest amount of total penalty yards through the first three games of the season.

Defensive back Eric Stokes was whistled for two defensive pass interference calls in the opening frame resulting in 51 yards due to flags.

“It’s on me to make sure we’re ready to go,” Kubiak said. “And we weren’t ready to go.”

Stokes’ first infraction came on the first New England drive which culminated with a 35-yard touchdown pass. That second penalty came on the next home team drive that ended in a touchdown run.

Flags didn’t just come on the defensive end as the Las Vegas offense had turned a third down conversion into an eventual punt.

“We had eight penalties,” Kubiak said. “Far too many.”

New England even scored through penalties including a touchdown pass despite a holding flag on linebacker Nakobe Dean, which was of course declined.

Rookie defensive back Hezekiah Masses had a rough outing as well, including a third quarter defensive pass interference call ahead of a 34-yard touchdown pass by Drake Maye.

In total, Las Vegas was flagged eight times for a total of 101 yards.

Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers high-points a ball while being guarded tightly in the secondary. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

“I have to go back and look at each individual one,” Kubiak said. “But that’s not up to our standard.”

Maye accounted for five total touchdowns in the Patriots’ win. He accumulated 399 yards, 25 of which came on the ground, while going 26-for-34 through the air.

“They kept going after us,” Kubiak said. “They made big plays and credit to them.”

Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ 11 touchdown passes through the first four games of the season set a new franchise-record for the Silver & Black. He found tight end Brock Bowers for a 13-yard touchdown in the game’s opening quarter.

That went down as the first points scored against New England in the first quarter this season.

“I think we did not get it done as a staff,” Kubiak said. “And as an offense today.”

Bowers tallied a game-high 110 yards and a touchdown on a game-high eight receptions. However, he did lose his first career fumble in this one.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers falls to the turf during his touchdown catch against the Patriots. Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders

In fact, Cousins was sacked and fumbled as well but he’d recover the loose ball. In total, he was sacked three times in the loss including a second quarter sack that pushed the team out of field goal range.

“They did a great job in their blitz package,” Kubiak said. “When you pass it that many times, there’s going to be those but overall I think they did a great job of pressuring us today.”

Kicker Matt Gay missed his first field goal of the season after starting the year 10-for-10.

“I don’t think any of us played well enough to win today,” Kubiak said. “Credit to the Patriots, they did a great job.”

As a result of the lopsided scoreboard, No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza took his first NFL reps in the fourth quarter. The former Indiana University playcaller would complete a pass for the first time in his career shortly after.

However, that final drive would end in a turnover on downs.

“Just wanted to get him some exposure,” Kubiak said. “He did a good job [...] All reps are valuable, very important for him.”