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Las Vegas Raiders DB Treydan Stukes.
The Las Vegas Raiders’ hot start to the new season nearly derailed in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints. The defense struggled to contain the Saints offense through three quarters.
A big reason for that is the rough play of safety Isaiah Pola-Mao. He threw three touchdown passes in coverage. He was pushed out of the starting lineup due to Treydan Stukes not clearing the concussion protocol.
Although he’s still a rookie, the second-round pick has proven to be an important part of the defense. It’s hard to predict how long a player will be in the concussion protocol, but the Raiders are breathing a sigh of relief.
Head coach Klint Kubiak announced that Stukes has cleared the concussion protocol and has returned to practice. Barring any setbacks, he should play well against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4.
That’s big for the Raiders, as Patrick Mahomes will likely pick Pola-Mao the same way the Saints did. Stukes is still a rookie and will have some pain, but he’s strong in coverage. Some teams view him as a cornerback coming out of college. If he can play against the Chiefs, that will help their chances of winning.
Eric Stokes Talks 3-0 Start
The Raiders defense had some issues in Week 3, but has been really strong for most of the season. The secondary played very well.
Eric Stokes proved to be a solid No. 1 cornerback and showing that last year was not a mistake. This season has been the polar opposite of last season. However, the players are not ready to get too high on themselves.
Stokes made it clear that they take each individual game very seriously.
“It feels good,” Stokes said, according to Vegas Sports Today. “We treat every week like it’s the Super Bowl to us. So when we get to the Super Bowl, it’s just another week to us.”
Each week represents a reset for the Raiders.
“We know for a fact we’re trying to be 1-0 every week, no matter what,” Stokes said.
Maxx Crosby Isn’t Thinking About The Playoffs
Maxx Crosby is in his eighth year with the Raiders, but has only made the playoffs once. He saw the team fall off a solid start only to falter by the end of the year.
A 3-0 start is great, but the Raiders probably need at least seven more wins if they’re going to make the playoffs. Crosby isn’t even thinking about the playoffs right now.
“You have to focus on what the mission is,” Crosby said. “And I’ve said it, many times, but you don’t make the playoffs on three wins.”
In Week 4, the Raiders face the Chiefs, which will be their toughest test yet. Crosby is laser-focused on the hated rival.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Crosby said. “We have a big divisional opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs. We know how important it is and how much of a challenge it is.”
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd