QUARTERBACK
-Jaxson Dart: 22/30 – 207 yards / 0 TD – 0 INT / 91.9 RAT
Dart also added 48 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on 9 carries. He scored or moved the chains on six of those runs. The gameplan was night and day different from what we watched last week against Minnesota. What was also night and day different was the opponent. The Las Vegas defense, especially without Maxx Crosby and Jeremy Chinn, was a replacement-level crew that is easy to move the ball on. Nonetheless, Dart looked like the proper blend of comfortable, patient, and urgent. He played on time and showed the proper feel in the pocket to tuck and run to extend the play. We saw him put a lot of quality touch passes in the hands of multiple targets with different arm angles. The two rushing scores displayed his blend of power, speed, and vision. All the talk about Dart running too much and increasing the risk of injury is warranted but nobody can go overboard with it. His ability to accrue first downs and points respectively is tied at the hip to his running. He is tied for second in the NFL with 9 rushing scores this year with just 11 starts to his name.
If there was a nitpicky component to his game, it would be the circus acts he resorts to against pressure at times. He kept losing his feet underneath him and it was not a playing surface issue. He is simply trying to do too much of the backyard-style scrambles. It is fun to watch and his biggest supporters will lean on these plays to prove how much he can improvise, but it created a 14-yard sack in this game. These plays create just as many negatives at times and against a better defense, it could easily destroy a drive. In time, I would like to see him cut down on the figure eights when scrambling and be more assertive. That should come in time if/when he becomes a guy that has the true sixth sense in the pocket.
RUNNING BACK
-Tyrone Tracy led the team with 62 yards on 14 carries. He had a 23-yard run that showed the explosive trait Brandon Brown described after they drafted him. Tracy has had a real strong end to the season not just based on production, but the eye test. He looks more urgent and decisive. He blocks his butt off too. He will be a key piece to the offense in 2026 and he does not need to be a starter or even number two guy. Backs that can wear a lot of hats with plus-play speed are the guys who are under appreciated but very important.
-Devin Singletary had a strong game and fits into the same macro-level view of Tracy. Not a true number one, but you want him in the room. He had 45 rushing yards on 8 carries including a 29-yard run that was just a few feet away from a touchdown. He punched it in on the next play. He also caught all 4 targets for 25 yards.
WIDE RECEIVER
-It was the Wan’Dale Robinson show as the team was obviously trying to engineer him to his first career 1,000 yard season. He caught 11 of 14 targets. No four players on the NYG offense combined for that many targets or receptions. Most of the targets were short passes, but he did get a couple downfield looks where the Las Vegas secondary lost track of him that he came down with. Give credit it’s due with Robinson. He has been the only real weapon in this passing game since Dart’s second career start and he made the best of the situation. He will be rewarded this offseason but the debate will be by whom. The positive he showed this year was the ability to come away with more downfield targets when he caught the defense off-guard. He has 17 receptions this year on passes that traveled 15+ yards. In the three previous seasons combined, he had 9.
-Darius Slayton was the only other receiver to catch more than one pass. He caught 2 for 36 yards including a 21-yard explosive. It was a slightly misplaced throw, but because he likes to cradle the ball against his torso, he went to the ground right after bringing it in.
-Isaiah Hodgins caught a pass for 8 yards and missed a block that resulted in a broken play. Hodgins is an interesting case. On some weeks, he looks like the kind of asset Jauan Jennings has been for San Francisco. But he is not elite as a blocker nor does he create enough after the catch. In some ways, he is easily replaceable but he does seem to stabilize the room a bit when he is here.
-Gunner Olszewski caught a pass for 19 yards and continued to perform well as a returner. Credit this guy for being knocked out cold a few weeks ago and play again without fear. He is a guy I like having around for the return game and even a back-end spot at receiver.
TIGHT END
-With Theo Johnson out, Daniel Bellinger got the start and played 62 of 64 snaps. That was a season-high and the most he has played since Week 8 of 2023. He caught 2 passes for 11 yards. Bellinger is playing for a contract this offseason as well. What some teams are going to not like is the fact he has a cap on every element to his game that does not seem to have much more upside. His blocking, even in this game against below average defenders, lacked sustained contact. The gripe I have with this part of his game is the fact he simply does not move guys nor does he stay attached; both in-line and in space. He does not make enough plays as a receiver to make up for shortcomings there so many will and should view him as replaceable.
-Chris Manhertz and Zach Davidson were the other two tight ends to see action as blockers.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-With Andrew Thomas out for the last two games, we get a front row seat to watch Marcus Mbow end his rookie season. He is one of the primary focal points of the offense because in an ideal world economically, he is the starting right tackle in 2026 and the front office can spend Jermaine Eluemunor’s $14+ million elsewhere on the roster (possibly even the interior of the line). Mbow played a solid game and made a few standout blocks in the run game. He can do a lot of damage on the move because of how good his body control is. The other half, the one I care more about, was not a positive result. Mbow allowed a team-high 5 pressures including a sack and two hits. He had losses because he got fooled by the Las Vegas scheme and because he does not have an anchor. Mbow’s biggest question is going to center around how much stronger he can truly be. Right now? He’s not even close enough as a pass protector. So even if you are convinced he can be a starting right tackle (I am not, yet), NYG needs to invest in a highly-graded swing tackle type. Not James Hudson. Names usually shake free when roster cuts become a thing. Think more like Justin Skule (MIN), Andrew Wylie (WAS), or Fred Johnson (PHI). None of them are guys you want starting, but they can be a safety net if Mbow can’t get it done. I still hold out hope for him being the answer at center long term. Tricky situation.
-Speaking of Eluemunor, he was a boulder in pass protection but he did get flagged for two false starts, both on third down. The 13 penalties this season are a career-high and second most in the NFL. He also just seems disinterested in the run game. No, I don’t question his effort. But he just knows his athletic limitations and tries so hard to avoid getting over his skis that it looks like he isn’t even trying. This is something I forecast will get even worse over the next few seasons which is a key reason why I would let him walk in free agency and use the resources to get an interior starter.
-Speaking of the interior, Austin Schlottman got the start at center for John Michael Schmitz, who has shown a tendency to struggle with durability. He had a relatively quiet game, neither good nor bad. He got the job done. Both Jon Runyan (who missed last week with the birth of a baby) and Greg Van Roten allowed just one pressure apiece. Their footwork and hands were in point all afternoon. Remember, Van Roten came to NYG from the Raiders and Runyan was sought after by them two offseasons ago.
EDGE
-Abdul Carter is one of the hottest defensive players in the NFL. Against a less than stellar Raiders offensive line, he finished with 8 pressures, a half-sack, and two tackles for loss. One of those tackles for loss went for 10 yards. Carter was playing incredibly strong against the run as well, maintaining gap control and standing up the LVR tight ends routinely. Since Shane Bowen’s firing, he has been red hot and it has been the best stretch of his season by far. Is there a correlation? I’m not sure but I would lean towards, yes. They are using him slightly differently but they are also altering some of the looks as a whole up front. Carter is winning both outside and inside with a variety of paths. In my book, he has been the best rookie in football this season and when it comes to edge defenders. Nobody is close.
-Brian Burns added another strong performance as well. It really is fun when you have two guys playing at this level. They are vital pieces to the 2026 puzzle. He had three pressures and 1.5 sacks along with a tackle for loss. He is now just one half-sack away from holding the number four spot all time in franchise history when it comes to single season sacks (albeit the others did it in 16 games). Either way, this has been a special season for Burns.
-Chauncey Gholston added a tackle for loss on a play he went unblocked and Tomon Fox played stout on just over a dozen snaps.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
-The Raiders depleted line had no answer for Dexter Lawrence. Amazing this is what he looked like in previous years against quality offensive lines. He finished with 3 tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss. While it is still a far cry from what we got used to, he was hustling and making plays away from his initial alignment. He looked like a guy on a different level than his opponents because, well, he is. Hand strength, width of his frame, and proper bend go a long way for him even if he has lost some pass rush presence.
-Darius Alexander added a sack and three tackles. You can see the ability to push blockers back against their will over and over. The defensive tackle spot is one many want to add to high in the draft this spring, but I won’t be there. I have seen enough out of Alexander to label him a solid number three (at worst) in 2026 with the possibility of being an average number two guy. The rest can be patched together. It is a gamble but the resources are going to need to be pointed elsewhere and I do think Alexander can really play.
-Roy Robertson-Harris and Elijah Chatman were the ones who rotated in. Robertson-Harris (an example of patching together the line) had 2 pressures and a QB hit. He also had 3 tackles. When he does not have to deal with double teams, his force and presence are really solid. The “uglies” when he gets washed down laterally are hard to watch. Chatman did not make any noise but played just 10 snaps. He did make a key block on the 1-yard Singletary touchdown run.
LINEBACKER
-Had this been a game that NYG nation cared about, Bobby Okereke would be getting a lot of praise today. He led the team with 7 tackles, one of which went for a loss in between the tackles. He shot right through the gap and put a violent hit on Ashton Jeanty. The play of the day was an interception in the red zone coupled with a return that crossed midfield in the first quarter. NYG scored their first touchdown of the game a few plays later and never relinquished the lead. The other four times he was targeted, short completions ensued but nothing drastic.
-Darius Muasau played most of the snaps next to Okereke, finishing with 5 tackles. But it was the more athletic Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles who made the most noise late. On the final drive alone he had his name called several times. He had 3 tackles and a sack. While I won’t make any overreaction-based comments on him specifically, I do want to reiterate how different this defense will look with more speed at the second level. Not one, but two.
CORNERBACK
-Paulson Adebo was back and played a solid game in coverage. He got beat by Tre Tucker for an explosive play, but he did break up another deep ball and added four tackles. Deonte Banks started across from him and broke up a pass on a blitz but then got torched by Tyler Lockett for a touchdown on the very next play. One thing nobody can take away from him and a clear path to a roster spot in 2026 is how strong of a kick returner he has turned into. He had a 95-yard touchdown. He is one of just six players to return a kick for a score this season. He is number two in the league with a 32.8-yard average per return.
-Andru Phillips finished with 6 tackles, one of which was an impressive play behind the line of scrimmage. The force he comes downhill with is an absolute weapon a lot of teams are looking for at nickel. He allowed all four targets to be completed, however. Quarterbacks have completed 73.7% of passes thrown his way to be completed, 15th highest of 120 qualified corners. His 10 penalties on the year are third most. 2026 will be huge for him.
-Rico Payton played his first 9 snaps of the season and was penalized once. He missed a tackle and also made one. There was not enough to really evaluate in coverage.
SAFETY
-Jevon Holland went down with a knee injury on a kickoff. It opened the door for Raheem Layne who had a poor game. Overall the defense tackled very well but he missed 3 on the day.
-Dane Belton stepped up as Tyler Nubin sat out with an injury. He had 7 tackles and a really nice, well anticipated interception. He is a better player than Nubin. The more I watch, the more I can see a play for him to a longer term deal because it won’t be expensive. He contributes on specials, he is a proven play-maker, and he brings both speed and physicality to the defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Ben Sauls: 2/2 (made 32, 23) – 4/4 XP
-P Jamie Gillan: 2 punts / 44.0 avg – 43.5 net
3 STUDS
-ED Abdul Carter, ED Brian Burns, WR Wan’Dale Robinson
3 DUDS
-S Raheem Layne, OT Marcus Mbow, TE Daniel Bellinger
3 THOUGHTS ON LVR
(1) Yes, the Giants have been one of the worst two teams in the NFL over the last decade. But they are not at the overall level of the Raiders. Two playoff appearances since the start of 2003 (NYG has seven). Zero playoff wins since the 2002 postseason (NYG has nine). Zero stability at the top since the turn of the century with 13 Head Coaches (NYG has had six). So as much as we like to look down on how bad this stretch has been, they are not a bottom feeder like Las Vegas. The one common thread between the two revolved around ownership. No, not guys who lack passion and desire for winning football. But more of a competency problem. They look in the wrong places for answers. Pete Carroll and Geno Smith were the answers they came up with? A source tells me that was more Tom Brady (part owner of the Raiders) than anything. Looks like another former player who doesn’t belong in the front office. And a guy who some are afraid to disagree with.
(2) There are two areas of this franchise that give some near-term hope. One, they are going to end with the number one overall pick and likely land a new franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza (don’t sleep on Dante Moore, though). And two, General Manager Jordan Spytek was hired last offseason from Tampa Bay, one of the best drafting teams in the NFL over the last decade. They also were hitting homerun after homerun in free agency deals, both big and small. Spytek will need at least two or three more offseasons to work with but I really hope Brady stays out of the way. The two were together with the Bucs.
(3) So the Raiders are not paying a quarterback big money for the long term. Nor do they have a high-priced wide receiver or corner. They are going to have a ton of money to spend if they want (second most to be exact) and that is a similar place to where the Bears were the offseason they drafted Caleb Williams. I expect them to be big players in the offensive line market in addition to big additions in the secondary and at receiver. These kinds of offseasons can tend to see some off-the-radar guys get left out of the picture in free agency. Guard Dylan Parham has played all three interior spots. I’m not sold on him being the answer at right guard but if LVR goes big elsewhere in free agency, he would be a guy I’d like to see as the three-position backup inside with a shot at winning a starting role. He has experience with current NYG OL coach Bricillo. Eric Stokes, a former Green Bay first rounder, has also played really good football this season if NYG wants to get aggressive at corner again
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) The Raiders IR’ed Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby, and Jeremy Chinn this past week. Had they been in playoff contention, would that have been the case? Of course not. Does that mean NYG should IR every single player that has a minor injury? No. Look, we all know most NYG fans wanted to lose that game, but it is too loaded of a situation to even explore. A lot of these guys have incentives they’re chasing. A lot of veterans are trying to play their way into a job here or somewhere else in 2026. A lot of young players (including the quarterback) need reps to develop. I’ve never really believed in trying to lose or purposely sitting guys unless injuries were a credible risk. Week 18 you can start phasing guys out, not before. Whether NYG picks #1 and gets to trade down for a haul or they end up at 7th overall, the goals for next season and beyond can and do remain the same. Where a team drafts does not make the difference many are convinced it does. Always root for quality football by the guys who will be here in 2026. Those are my two cents.
(2) Trying to keep this positive. Where do you feel good about this roster? Beyond the hope many have at quarterback, what spot makes you think they can turn it around under a new head coach like Chicago and New England in year two of their respective quarterback’s careers? To me, the trenches really are close to where they need to be. The NYG offensive line will have a new face or two in 2026. Ideally they grab a veteran and a rookie (top of round 2 is a sweet spot for that). Defensively, NYG can make a case to have one of the top edge duos in the league with really solid depth as well. If Dexter Lawrence can regain his form (there is reason for optimism there), they have a top notch unit especially if Alexander develops. The new defensive coaches can make a huge difference. So when you look at the situation, strong trench play with a solid young (and cheap) quarterback is exactly where you want to begin. That is the reason why I like where they’re starting from.
(3) Marcus Freeman turned down the NFL. Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula’s status has stalled. The same can be said for Packers Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley. Another negative of pursuing coordinators from playoff teams is the waiting game. I want to get this new guy in his office as soon as possible to start working with Dart. I am leaning toward Mike McCarthy more than anyone in terms of who I think they will pick. And I personally want an offensive guy who has a defensive coach network worth something. This is where young lifer KIlint Kubiak comes in. Being the son of a Super Bowl winning coach and also having a year with the Shanahan tree in San Francisco makes me feel good about that. There are a lot of young coaches on the current Seattle defensive staff and I bet a few of them would be swooped in with Kubiak. Pay attention to them in the postseason. It would be a swing for the fence.