Raiders Ready to Bounce Back on the Road Against a Banged-Up Commanders Squad
The Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) are hitting the road for Week 3, taking on the Washington Commanders (1-1) at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, September 21, 2025, with a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. After that tough 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, the Silver and Black are itching to get back on track during their second straight East Coast trip. This out-of-conference matchup sets up Pete Carroll’s veteran Raiders against Dan Quinn’s Commanders, who are already dealing with some early-season headaches. Both teams are sitting at .500, so a win could give Las Vegas a real boost in the AFC race and keep their playoff dreams alive.
The biggest story right now is Washington’s quarterback situation. Second-year star Jayden Daniels, who’s been lighting it up with his arm and legs, will miss the game due to a knee injury from their Week 2 beatdown by the Green Bay Packers. Marcus Mariota steps in as the starter, bringing the same kind of running ability but with more experience under his belt. Mariota might lean on quick throws and designed runs, but he’s got a habit of turning the ball over, he had nine picks in just 13 games last season. That’s something the Raiders can definitely target. Las Vegas has to game-plan for a mobile QB, focusing on shutting down Mariota’s scrambles and forcing him into bad decisions. Things get even better for the Raiders with running back Austin Ekeler out for the year after tearing his Achilles. That leaves Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the starting running back, which weakens Washington’s already shaky ground game.
Winning on the road isn’t easy, especially in the Eastern time zone, where the Raiders are just 2-8 over the last five years. To pull it off, they need to dominate in all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams. Let’s break it down.
On offense, Geno Smith is the steady leader they need, ready to pick apart Washington’s secondary with sharp passes to WR1 Jakobi Meyers and deep shots to tight end Brock Bowers. Chip Kelly, the new offensive coordinator, brings his fast-paced style to wear down Quinn’s defense with no-huddle drives, mixing quick screens and deep balls to Meyers for big gains. But it all starts with the run game, Ashton Jeanty has to take charge with his quick cuts and speed to set the tone and keep linebackers like Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner guessing. Kelly’s calls should include run-pass options to hit the edges and pre-snap motion to spot weaknesses in the coverage. Protecting the ball is huge; Smith had three turnovers in Week 2, so they need to clean that up while hitting 45% on third downs to keep drives alive and give the defense some rest on this cross-country trip.
The offensive line has to step up big time if they want to avoid another disaster like Week 2 against the Chargers. That game was rough: they gave up four sacks, three hits on the QB, just 71 rushing yards at 3.2 yards per carry, and penalties that killed momentum. Against Washington, the line, led by left tackle Kolton Miller, needs to check a few key boxes. First and foremost, solid pass protection: give Smith at least 2.5 seconds per drop-back so he can read the field without pressure. That means handling edge guys like Dorance Armstrong and Von Miller with double-teams and quick slides, while shutting down Quinn’s aggressive blitzes, they’re blitzing on 38% of snaps, one of the highest rates in the league so far, without leaving any gaps for chaos.
Second, they have to open up holes for Jeanty, aiming for at least 4.5 yards per carry to set up play-action and control the clock. Last week, poor blocking let the Chargers’ front blow up runs in the backfield; this time, focus on combo blocks to the second level and pullers to create cutback lanes, drawing Luvu and Wagner out of position. Third, stay disciplined, no pre-snap penalties and as few holdings as possible, to keep the chains moving in a tough road environment. And fourth, finish blocks strong to tire out Washington’s D-line by halftime, when teams traveling across the country often start to wear down. If the line nails protection, run support, discipline, and toughness, the Raiders could rack up 380-plus yards and put 28 points on the board, turning good looks into actual scores.
Defensively, Patrick Graham’s group is relying on Maxx Crosby to lead the charge with at least three pressures and a sack to throw off Mariota. Shutting down the run is job one, hold Croskey-Merritt to under 85 yards total to force more passes, where stunts up front can collapse the pocket. The secondary needs to lock down receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, using Cover 3 to hide matchups and avoid getting beat deep. Solid tackling in space will stop any QB runs, and grabbing at least one turnover, Mariota’s throws can be predictable, could change the game. In the red zone, they have to be tough, turning touchdowns into field goals to keep Washington’s scoring low in what should be a close, physical fight.
Special teams can make or break a tight one like this. Kicker Daniel Carlson has to be automatic on anything inside 50 yards, punter AJ Cole should pin at least 60% of his kicks inside the 20 for better field position, and returner Tre Tucker needs to get more yards on returns. The coverage teams can’t let Washington break a big return. And most importantly, no mistakes, like fumbled punts or blocked kicks.
Bottom line, Week 3 hands the Raiders a golden opportunity against a Commanders team dealing with Daniels out, Mariota’s turnover risks, and no Ekeler. With Kelly’s speedy offense clicking, the line owning the trenches, Crosby bringing the heat, and special teams staying sharp, Las Vegas can steal a 25-17 win on the road and build some real momentum for the rest of this grind of a 2025 season.