Follow us:

What we learned: They need more from their free-agent signees on defense. The Athletic's Vic Tafur made this point in his column following the Raiders' loss to the Patriots. The Raiders were competitive into the third quarter. They set up for a 41-yard field goal to tie the game at 13 in the third quarter but missed. After that, the defense -- and specifically, the run defense -- fell apart. Cory Littleton signed a three-year, $35 million deal with the Raiders in the offseason, but he's been nowhere to be found with 15 tackles (one for loss), no sacks, no QB hits, no forced fumbles, no pass breakups and no interceptions through three games. The defense showed up early, limiting the Patriots to two field goals on their first five drives, but the Raiders wore down in the second half. They need more impact plays on defense.

That cross-country trip after a Monday night game seemed to wear on the Raiders. The offense wasn't the same against the Patriots.

If they're going to engage in track meets every week -- Las Vegas has scored 88 points but allowed 90 -- they need a track star like rookie WR Henry Ruggs back in the lineup.

What we got wrong: Lynn Bowden Jr. would be a do-everything Swiss Army knife for the Raiders on offense.

Not only were we wrong in that prediction for college's most versatile player last year, the third-round draft pick is not even on the Raiders' roster. Rather, the Raiders surprisingly traded Bowden to the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 5, with general manager Mike Mayock saying it was a "football decision only." The Raiders tried to convert him into a running back, but he is a receiver with the Dolphins, having caught one pass for a 1-yard loss. -- Paul Gutierrez

Darren Waller received the Belichick Kiss Of Death last week, when the Patriots head coach volunteered to the media that the tight end was a "big challenge" for the Pats in Week 3. What came next was a given: Waller, who powered the Raiders offense with 12 catches against the Saints six days earlier, was bracketed in coverage and held to two catches for 9 yards on four targets in Sunday's loss. A frustrating day for Waller and a frustrating day as a whole for a banged-up Raiders team, which moved the ball well early but made too many mistakes to win on the road in Foxborough. Another big challenge lies ahead in Week 4 with a matchup against the undefeated Bills at the Death Star.