Raiders fan, left

Filed · Week 6 preview · 2026

RAIDERS
TRAGEDY

Commitment to Embarrassment

Raiders fan, right

Third Place and Falling: The Bills Are Coming to Finish the Job

Two weeks ago Las Vegas was 3–0 and talking about the division. It's now 3–2, third in the AFC West, a game and a half behind Kansas City and behind Denver on the tiebreaker. Josh Allen arrives Sunday, 4–1 and fresh off an overtime win. The doom isn't coming. It already checked in.

Last week

The Standings Don't Lie: Raiders Drop to Third

AFC West as of Thursday, per NFL.com:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs, 4–0. Didn't play in Week 5 and still pulled further ahead.
  2. Denver Broncos, 3–2. Won 23–17 at the Chargers (NFL.com).
  3. Las Vegas Raiders, 3–2. Lost 45–17 at New England. Two straight losses. Behind Denver on the tiebreaker (NFL.com).
  4. Los Angeles Chargers, 0–5. The only reason this franchise isn't last.

Week 4 opened with the Brayders in second. Week 5 closed with them in third. The Chiefs moved further ahead without playing a down. On a bye, Kansas City gained more ground than Las Vegas did in pads. Denver's quarterback threw for 123 yards (Athlon Sports) and still passed the Raiders in the standings. That isn't a division race. It's a museum rotating its exhibits, and the Raiders exhibit is heading for the basement.

The record says 3–2. The schedule says Buffalo next. The last two weeks say 75 points allowed (NFL.com; ESPN). The 3–0 start is already a False Hope exhibit. The stats show 38 rushing yards in Foxborough (ESPN). Ashton Jeanty got 10 carries for 27 yards (Athlon Sports). The coach said he "abandoned the run game too early" (Raiders postgame transcript). Doom isn't a prediction here. It's a schedule.

The family business: Klint Kubiak got the headset the way some people inherit a lake house. Gary built the program in Denver. The son is now looking up at Denver in the standings. The family name is still on the depth chart. It just isn't on the right team.

Tom Brady, minority owner, majority aura: Seven rings and a box seat. Sunday he watches Josh Allen, the quarterback who spent years running the AFC East after Brady left it, come to Brady's building. The Tommy Boys get the luxury suite. Buffalo gets the result. The rings stay in Tampa and Foxborough. None of them came to Las Vegas.

Next week

Buffalo Bills, 4–1 and Rolling, Coming to Allegiant

When / where / channel: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026 · 2:25 p.m. MT (4:25 p.m. ET) · Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas · CBS (Paramount+) (raiders.com; buffalobills.com).

The line: Bills −5.5 at most books (opened −6.5; a few at −4.5), total 53.5 (opened 47.5), the highest posted total of Week 6. Moneyline Bills about −245 / Raiders +200 (FanDuel; VegasInsider consensus, Thu Oct 15). Some money came in on Las Vegas, and the books moved a point. The house moves nothing.

Why Buffalo is far superior

  • The record. The Bills are 4–1 after beating the Rams 37–34 in overtime Monday night (ESPN; NFL.com; buffalobills.com).
  • The quarterback. Josh Allen had 331 total yards and two touchdowns at SoFi: 210 passing and 121 rushing (AP; ESPN). It was his 100th career win (buffalobills.com). The Raiders just let Drake Maye go 26-of-34 for 374 yards (ESPN).
  • The offense. Buffalo ranks first in points per game (32.8) and yards per play (7.11) (NBC Sports). The Raiders gave up 45 on Sunday.
  • The finishing. Greg Rousseau blocked the Rams' overtime field goal, and Tyler Bass won it from 45 (ESPN). Buffalo wins close games. Las Vegas narrates them.

Injuries as reported

Wednesday Oct 14 practice, official Week 6 report (raiders.com; Bills report via SI/Bills On SI). Thursday report not yet posted at filing. Game designations come Friday.

Buffalo (walk-through Wednesday, participation estimated):

  • DNP — DL Ed Oliver (knee), WR DJ Moore (shoulder)
  • Limited — RT Spencer Brown (back), CB Dee Alford (ankle), WR Joshua Palmer (shoulder), RB Ty Johnson (hamstring), DL T.J. Sanders (shoulder)
  • Full (notables) — LB Terrel Bernard (knee), CB Christian Benford (toe), S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (ankle/knee)

Las Vegas:

  • DNP — WR Jalen Nailor (concussion), DT Tonka Hemingway (concussion)
  • Limited — TE Brock Bowers (knee), DT Folorunso Fatukasi (shoulder), G Trey Zuhn III (knee), TE Carter Runyon (foot, IR return)
  • Full — RB Ashton Jeanty (foot), DE Patrick Johnson (oblique/shoulder), WR Dont'e Thornton Jr. (hamstring, IR return), G Spencer Burford (knee)

Three Keys (from Buffalo's side)

  • Run Allen. He ran for 121 yards Monday. The Raiders just let a quarterback run in a touchdown (ESPN).
  • Throw at the kids. New England went after the rookie corners and scored 45 (Las Vegas Sun). Allen reads the same film.
  • Get ahead early. The Raiders' coach has already said he gives up on the run when he falls behind.

Prediction

Buffalo wins. The Raiders fall to 3–3 and sit third, or worse if the Chargers ever wake up. The 3–0 start goes into the museum as False Hope, Vol. 2026. Home-game rule: the opposing-fan count at Allegiant will be reported after the game, from public sources only.

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