The Las Vegas Raiders have now dropped two straight games, most recently suffering a 45-17 blowout loss against the New England Patriots that left them at 3-2.

The Raiders still have time to get back on track and make a playoff push, but their defense faces a tougher challenge in the weeks ahead. Sunday’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills will be an early test of whether the unit can bounce back from its recent struggles.

NFL Analyst Says Raiders’ Defense Must Prove Itself Against Bills

CBS Sports’ Mackenzie Brooks recently questioned the Raiders’ defense in a social media post, pointing out that its strong performances have come against weaker opponents like the winless Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, that same defense had a much harder time against the 1-4 New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, and New England Patriots, raising questions about how well it can hold up against tougher competition.

“Their underlying metrics are concerning, allowing 5.2 yards per carry, bottom 10 in passer rating. They’ve allowed 34 points per game in their past three games. So even with Kirk [Cousins] playing like the ninth-best quarterback in the league, it doesn’t matter because the defense is allowing the opposing quarterback to look just as good,” Brooks argued.

The Bills won’t make things any easier for Las Vegas. Josh Allen and James Cook give Buffalo a dangerous one-two punch, and the Raiders’ defense has already shown it has a tendency to struggle against quality opponents.

As Brooks sees it, Sunday’s matchup is the kind of game Las Vegas needs to win to be taken seriously as a playoff contender.

“So, now comes another stab at a strong offense.” She added. “Where this defense can shut up everyone like myself. Can they hold James Cook? Can they stop Josh Allen through the air? Can this defense play to the winning caliber that their quarterback is providing them? Can they just take the step to say we are legit contenders?”

The Bills have one of the NFL’s most dangerous rushing attacks. They rank fourth in EPA per play on designed runs, even without factoring in Allen’s scrambles. Buffalo also ranks among the league’s top five teams in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards per carry. The Bills are currently the top-ranked unit in PFN’s Offense Impact Metric with an 84.1 grade.

With Cook leading the way and Allen adding another threat on the ground, Buffalo has the NFL’s third-leading rusher and its top rushing quarterback.

To slow down the Bills, the Raiders’ defensive line will need to step up, particularly on the interior. Winning the battle in the trenches will be key to keeping Buffalo’s ground game in check.

Foley Fatukasi has been part of the Raiders’ interior rotation, while Adam Butler has also seen significant playing time up front. Las Vegas has rotated its defensive tackles throughout the season, with none playing more than 60% of the defensive snaps.

Against a strong Bills rushing attack, finding the right combination along the defensive line could make all the difference.