Raiders' Third-Down Defense May Not Be Their Biggest Issue

The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off their first preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, which showed a mixture of growth and work-in-progress moments from the young team.

One of the biggest issues for the Raiders that could become an Achilles' heel this offseason is third-down defense, an area where they struggled mightily throughout the 27-14 defeat, allowing the Cardinals to go 8-for-15 on third-down attempts, including a lone fourth-down conversion.

Raiders Defense Has Issues That Aren't Easy Fixes

There was a combination of factors that led to the third-down struggles during the matchup, whether it was a lack of pass rush, tackling, or inexperience; the Raiders must be better across the board, no matter how much they win on first- and second-down plays.

When asked at Friday's press conference, Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the third-down defense was "not good enough" and that improvements would continue. However, it doesn't seem to be an easy fix for the time being.

"Yeah, third down was not good enough last night in that first half," Kubiak said. "And when you're not— I thought Arizona did a really good job too of attacking man coverage, and they made some plays on the ball, so the coverage and the pass rush has to work together, and we'll continue to improve it."

The concern I have coming out of this preseason game, granted that it is just one game and a couple of series for the defensive starters, is that Las Vegas's defense may struggle significantly in its pass rush without Maxx Crosby, who has just become as important as ever. The franchise cornerstone is the top player in the program, and any loss of playing time during the season could prove costly.

Third-Down Defense May Not Be Big Issue Down the Road

This may be an overreaction, but it is fair to ask if the pass rush is capable without Crosby. The youth in the secondary, plus the transition to using more man coverage under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, creates a bit of a learning curve that could lead to some deficiencies early in the season.

Jun 3, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Las Vegas got better, adding depth and firepower at all three levels of the defense. There are a lot of new pieces that could take time to mesh, but I wouldn't be overly concerned that the third-down defense will be a season-long issue. Once more chemistry is generated and continuity is established, the Raiders' defense should take a step forward in this area.

On paper, the Raiders' defense is better than it was a season ago under Patrick Graham. I can remember the Seattle Seahawks going through a similar transition with their defense under head coach Mike Macdonald in 2024, and a year later, they're the defending champions of the spot. Now, I'm not saying the Raiders are going to accomplish all of that in a similar time span; the point is that we should be patient and trust the process.

Macdonal — Aug 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This isn't going to be a pretty defense early on in the season, but as the team continues to grow, so will the pass rush, with or without Crosby, and the youthfulness of the secondary will begin to adjust to the speed of NFL football. Keep calm and carry on, Raider Nation.

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