How Raiders Continuing To Trust Process Amid Hot Start

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Klint Kubiak and the Raiders' coaching staff spent the offseason emphasizing constant improvement, among other things. Las Vegas' revamped roster took the message to heart, producing a solid training camp and preseason that made good use of the front office's offseason signings.

After three successful outings to start the season, Las Vegas will now face a Chiefs team that has had its number, to say the least. Sunday will likely be the most even matchup between the two since Mahomes became a starter. Week 4 is Las Vegas' chance to send a statement.

Raiders Put in the Work

To make that statement to the Chiefs and to the rest of the league, Las Vegas will need all three phases to step up. Las Vegas' Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins proved what the Raiders can do when they click on all cylinders. Finding a way to execute in all three phases will help on Sunday.

The Raiders spend ample time in practice on special teams. It is fair to say they spend more time on the unit, emphasizing rules and techniques, than recent coaching staffs have. They hope the unit can produce a solid outing on Sunday against the Chiefs, especially in returning the ball.

In Week 1, running back Dylan Laube helped secure solid starting field position on multiple offensive drives for the Raiders. Laube averaged nearly 50 yards per punt in Week 1, helping Las Vegas' offense start in a favorable position.

However, on a kickoff return in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, the Saints recovered Laube's fumble. New Orleans scored points a few plays later. Raiders special teams coach Joe DeCamillis gave insight into the play, noting that it was about more than Laube.

“Anytime there's a ball security thing, the biggest issue, everyone says, 'Okay, he should have had the ball tighter, he should have been – ‘. To me, ball security is the whole team,” DeCamillis said on Friday. 

“We didn't double team well enough on that, we didn't do a couple other things on that play that should have been done, and the ball came out. So, it's a team thing, not a individual thing. When that happens, in my opinion, in a kicking game." 

Notably, after Laube's fumble, the Raiders' coaching staff showed trust in their veteran, who has otherwise done a solid job returning kicks this season and last. Laube was back on the field returning kicks right after the Raiders gave up points following his turnover.

It was a move that certainly did not go unnoticed by Laube's fellow teammates, who have made or will make similar mistakes, or worse, throughout the season. The trust shown in Laube was one of many examples of Kubiak's staff showing trust in the players they appointed to different positions.

“It's the same as anybody else. You have confidence in him; that's the reason you put him back there, right? I mean, mistakes are going to be made, and he made a mistake, and he owned up to it, and next one he goes out and does his job,” DeCamillis said. 

“So, I think in the first game we had him in some serious situations where he could have scored on a couple of those, and that was the same guy running it. So, you want to have him in the same position and just know that he made a mistake and correct it."

Las Vegas will need all the help they can get against the Chiefs. They can help themselves by continuing to win the field position game. Their special teams unit can impact games as it did in Week 1, but it hasn't fully realized that potential yet.