The Las Vegas Raiders are now on a three-game losing streak after falling to the Buffalo Bills. Before the season, the team may have been happy to be 3-3 considering how tough the early schedule is, but losing three in a row after starting 3-0 is a tough pill to swallow.
The Raiders did get an assist during the game when cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson got ejected from the game after spitting toward star tight end Brock Bowers. The Bills also got called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Gardner-Johnson has a reputation for being a bit of a hot head during games. After he got ejected for the incident, San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk called out Gardner-Johnson for doing the same thing to him last season.
“This is the least surprising thing ever. (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) spit on me last year when we beat Chicago,” Juszczyk wrote on X.
Losing Gardner-Johnson didn’t hurt the Bills’ chances to win, but it will be interesting to see how the team addresses it. It’s never a great look when a player is spitting toward other players, especially when that player has a reputation. Last year, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spit at Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, which led to a fine and a one-game suspension. Gardner-Johnson is likely looking at a fine, but a suspension is unlikely.
Klint Kubiak ‘Disappointed’ in Loss
The Raiders looked like they finally turned things around to start the season. Nobody expected them to start 3-0. However, expectations went up amid the hot start.
The Raiders got blown out against the New England Patriots in Week 5, which wasn’t a great look. A bounceback win against the Bills would’ve been huge, but Las Vegas couldn’t pull it off. Head coach Klint Kubiak wasn’t happy.
“Very disappointed we didn’t get it done today,” Kubiak told reporters after the game.
Kirk Cousins played fine, but he said he’s not going to be able to sleep after the loss.
“One of these games where it’s hard to sleep afterwards when you think about the plays you shoulda, coulda made,” Cousins said.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak on a 33-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
🎥: By @Sean_Zittel
Raiders Need to Turn Things Around ASAP
The Raiders are reeling, but the season is far from over. They play the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7, which now looks like a winnable game. Beating them would be a big step in the right direction, with the New York Jets coming up after.
It’s not impossible that the Raiders could get to 5-3, but they need to start playing better. The defense has played very poorly in recent weeks, and the run game is nonexistent.
The Raiders are fortunate that there have been a lot of disappointing teams this season. They are still very much in the mix for the playoffs, but only if they can get back into the win column. It’s good that the team didn’t get blown out for the second week in a row, but they have work to do before they can really compete in the AFC. There’s no need to panic yet, but the Raiders are getting close.
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