Kubiak said Wednesday that his team is focused and “ready to go” as it moves on from its loss to the Chiefs and begins preparing for the Patriots.
The first-year head coach said his message to players centers on the first quarter of the season. That means looking at what Las Vegas has done well and what it must fix. He also stressed that opponents are “working on our weaknesses all the time.” Kubiak said players arrived “focused” and “detailed” for practice. He added that the staff is trying to be “very intentional” about improving. Asked whether the team resembles New England’s rise a year ago, he said he is not thinking about building or rebuilding. “Just looking at the next game and competing and winning that game,” he said.
AOC has returned…
Kubiak also said quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who returned last week, gave the team “a great boost.” He added that the team missed O’Connell’s leadership and maturity. Kubiak said Cody White, who arrived as a practice squad addition, has “earned his way onto the active” roster. On facing stacked boxes, he acknowledged that it makes rushing “tougher,” but he called finding ways to move the ball part of the job. He also praised the Patriots’ defense and quarterback Drake Maye. Kubiak cited Maye’s mobility, arm strength and football intelligence.
The O’Connell update is the most significant item for the depth chart. Kubiak did not say how roles will be divided. His praise suggests, however, that O’Connell is a valued part of the quarterback room. Las Vegas is preparing for a defense that Kubiak called great in both seasons.
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White’s promotion is a smaller move with real roster implications. Kubiak cited his work in the run game and on special teams, the kind of versatile contributions that often decide the back end of an active roster. He called White “a good football player” twice in one answer, a clear sign of trust. A practice squad move typically carries little cap impact, though no figures were discussed Wednesday, so that is context rather than reporting. The more pressing issue is the ground game. Kubiak’s comments on stacked boxes show the Raiders expect to keep seeing crowded fronts, and New England will test that.
Expect the Patriots to stack the box again and dare Las Vegas to win through the air, which could put the passing game in the spotlight.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images