The Las Vegas Raiders defense came up big when it mattered most in Week 8 against the New York Jets. However, almost everything else about last Sunday's game raised red flags for a Raiders defense that is still in transition in its first year under Rob Leonard.

The Raiders are only in the first season of their actual rebuild. Las Vegas' front office addressed multiple positions as much as it reasonably could, with what they hoped would be serviceable options. This was especially the case in the defensive backfield.

Las Vegas drafted several young defensive backs and planned to develop them throughout this season and beyond. The Raiders' defensive backfield is filled with several first- and second-year players they expect to contribute early in their careers.

However, few positions go through the rites of passage that young cornerbacks and safeties do, which is where the Raiders find themselves halfway through their first season under Klint Kubiak, and second under general manager John Spytek.

Raiders' Rearview

Week 8 proved that rebuilds take time, and that a team can win and walk away with some of the same feelings as a loss. Still, the Raiders didn't lose, which is both a win in the record books and a moral victory for Las Vegas' defense and defensive backfield, which made enough stops to seal the win.

“It was tough sledding. We need to be better, and we talked about some things. It’s hard to comment on what their mindset was, but we tried to fix some things and adjust," Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said following practice on Thursday. 

“It wasn’t pretty. There’s a lot we have to fix, but I’ve been here a couple years, and not many times we come out finding a way to win. I was proud of the resilience of getting hit in the mouth the first three plays, and we have a red-area stop on the three-yard line. So, there’s a lot of points on the little things that helped us win that game and how they rallied in the fourth quarter. It was really fun to see.”

Looking Ahead

The 49ers are tough to play. Their 6-0 start to the season firmly established them as one of the league's best teams. This season, Las Vegas has struggled against teams that are considered such. Leonard knows his unit, specifically, the defensive backfield, will have their work cut out.

“They’re fundamentally sound, man. They’re a clean operation, and they got some good players. Quarterback’s playing at a high level, good tight end, running backs, and the offensive line is really good. So, that’s what jumps out to me, how fundamentally sound they are, and they’re able to put a lot of pressure on you,” Leonard said.

San Francisco presents Las Vegas with no shortage of issues, as the 49ers excel at many of the things the Raiders do not. This is true on both sides of the ball. Few teams on the Raiders' schedule will pose as many problems specific to Las Vegas' remaining roster issues as the 49ers will.

Given how injured the New England Patriots were when Las Vegas faced them earlier this season, Week 9 is arguably the toughest test to date for Klint Kubiak's Raiders. The game itself will be enough. It will be the first taste many of the 2026 Raiders get of a long-running rivalry, which will only add to it.

“If you respect the game and understand how this thing really went down and what it was when they were there, it means a lot to a lot of people. I think it’s awesome to be a part of. It’s very humbling, and we want to go and put on a performance that everybody’s proud of as a team,” Leonard said.

At 4-4, Sunday is a chance for Las Vegas to gain ground in the playoff hunt. It is also the start of another brutal three-game stretch for a Raiders team still processing the last five games, four of which they lost. The Raiders must take things one game at a time.

As they do, they must improve significantly upon the past month. The Raiders have a chance at a statement victory.