How DeCamillis' Response to Critics Will Boost Raiders

As the Las Vegas Raiders look to bounce back from their first loss of the season, they'll need an honest look at their first four games. The Raiders' front office and coaching staff have used that type of approach to jump out to a 3-1 start this season. It must continue.

After four games, Klint Kubiak's Raiders are undoubtedly much improved compared to last year's team. Yet as they continue through Kubiak's first season, they must keep improving. Las Vegas is 3-1, but a few plays away from being 2-2.

Conversely, the Raiders are also a few plays from being 4-0 heading into Week 5. The Kansas City Chiefs capitalized on mistakes the Raiders' other three opponents did not. The mistakes were still there during the Raiders' 3-0 start. Those mistakes just cost them a win against the Chiefs.

There are no moral victories, but one thing Las Vegas' coaching staff can take from last Sunday's loss is that they have things that, if corrected, should make winning more consistent. Las Vegas made several miscues against the Chiefs, especially on special teams.

Live and Learn

Raiders' special teams coach Joe DeCamillis knows improvement is necessary, but also seemingly took exception with a former coach's assessment of one of his unit's miscues against the Chiefs last week.

"I've never seen this before" ~ @ChuckPaganoNFL

I don't know what the Raiders are thinking here#PMSLive https://t.co/bWbeqwqZ1C pic.twitter.com/MivfYrdVhc
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 8, 2026

“That was a total misplay on my part. I got way too greedy. That was not for that part of the field. And really, I should have been much smarter than that because the last time we played [Dave] Toub, he talked about some of the battles," DeCamillis said after practice on Friday, while detailing a fake punt Kansas City converted early in Week 4.

"Well, the last time we played him in Kansas City, we ran a fade, got a first down on him, and we also got a turnover. So, I guarantee he was probably irritated just like I was after this game. So, that's just how it goes. But it's a great call on their part, and I'll learn from that situation and not get greedy.”

Every Play Matters

The fake punt that Kansas City converted last week was one of several mistakes Las Vegas' special teams have allowed. Luckily, that mistake was not as costly as some of the unit's other mistakes. However, the play was a microcosm of how crucial every little detail is in football.

The difference between 4-0 and 3-1 came down to a handful of crucial plays that didn't go Las Vegas' way. Yet some of those plays went against them because of their own doing. DeCamillis elaborated on the play, noting that Las Vegas used the technique earlier in the season.

"We did it in the first game too against Miami. So, we did it from a little better position, but you're trying to block people downfield. It's something that a lot of people do around the league. I saw on some podcast where the guy said, 'I've never seen anything like that.' Well, we scored a touchdown against you, dude. So obviously you have," DeCamillis said after practice on Friday.

"So, it's just one of those things that schematically that you try to work on, and it was obviously a bad play at that point in the game. Defense bailed us out, though. They did a heck of a job. I think we ended up getting a touchdown on that drive. So, kudos to them."

As Las Vegas prepares for a challenging stretch of games, it must clean up the small but important mistakes it has made in every facet.

Their close loss to the Chiefs confirmed that the Raiders have the roster to compete with any team in the league. Their Week 5 matchup against the Patriots will show whether they can quickly correct what needs fixing. So far, there is reason to believe they can, but time will tell.

The Raiders have a golden opportunity in Week 5, facing an injury-riddled Patriots team on the road. Any team can win on any given Sunday, but winning almost always comes down to executing at a high level in all three phases of the game.

If they hope to beat the Patriots and move to 4-1 on the season, Las Vegas must find a way to get back to playing clean football in all three phases for all four quarters.

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