From the Raiders’ Reset to Brady’s Misstep — Plus the NFL Number That Matters

Explore the NFL’s most critical turning points: the Raiders’ bold new chapter, Tom Brady’s shocking misstep, and the secret metric that defines true champions.

Oct 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

HENDERSON, Nev.—The National Football League has turned the page to the 2026 season, and already a myriad of issues have risen to the forefront.

Three distinct issues have come to the forefront in the National Football League and are essential to address.

With the announcement of Klint Kubiak as the new coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, the way it was handled and executed gives the fan base hope that things are finally being handled in a professional manner.

GM John Spytek said of the new direction, “I'm really proud of the process that we put in place. We set out to take our time, to be deliberate, to be meticulous, to find the right leader for this organization going forward. We have a uniquely challenging offseason with the first overall pick and new leadership with the head coach, but that's why it was so important to us to find the right man to lead this organization forward. And we had 22 interviews, 15 different, really, quality people that we talked to. They were awesome to talk to. We learned a ton. Bunch of great humans, a bunch of great coaches, but ultimately that led us to coach Klint Kubiak to be the next leader.”  

Tom Brady’s Big Mistake

Tom Brady can try to stay in the shadows, but that isn’t reality.  Mark Davis has made it clear that he and John Spytek are running the football operations of the franchise.

Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The NFL knows the truth, the fans know, so staying away, while having the dominant voice is nonsensical.

Mark Davis made it clear, "Moving forward, general manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with Tom Brady…”

Even Klint Kubiak made it evident that Brady has a voice in the organization. 

Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady | Dexter Ernest Wayne Carpenter, On SI

“I'm really excited to work with Tom [Brady]. He made the mistake of giving me his cell phone number, so he might wish he never did that, because I'm going to be calling him a lot. What I'm excited about is that we have different offensive backgrounds and how we can pull ideas from each other. But obviously, he's the greatest that's ever done it. And the interview process, just the passion that he spoke with on all things football, just got me excited about the opportunity to work with him. I know plenty has been said and speculated about how that relationship is going to go, and that's one of the main draws to come here, is to get to work with him, to get to work with Spy [John Spytek]. You know, these are great football minds that if we collaborate the way we're supposed to, then we're going to pull the best out of each other.”

Brady should have been at the press conference.  Even if he only introduced Spytek, its time for him to come out of the shadows.  I’ll have more on this at a later date, but Brady shouldn’t be in the background; he needs to come out.

Like it or not, Kubiak’s success, Mendoza’s success, and the franchise's success, more importantly, or lack thereof, moving forward, all rest on him.  Mark Davis owns the majority of the team, but Brady owns the success or failure moving forward.

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

He should have been there.

The Seattle Seahawks were the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl while committing zero turnovers in the postseason.

The turnover margin is critical; other than points, the turnover margin is the most critical number in the football world.

Why do you think we remind you of the rule of five?

Feb 11, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Fans cheer during the Super Bowl LX parade. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Keep in mind the "Rule of Five." The game is considered over if the Las Vegas Raiders win this key statistical battle. This rule involves sacks and turnovers.

For example, if the Raiders achieve three sacks while allowing two, they have a net score of plus one. If they force four turnovers and allow only one, their score improves to plus three.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; A general view of the stadium before the game between New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In total, a plus-four score for the day would be achieved. The Raiders aim to accomplish a plus-five ratio in every game. On average, teams that attain the Rule of Five win 91 percent of their NFL games.

Our latesst episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast addresses all of these issues, and plenty more. It is a must see.

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