HENDERSON, Nev. -- Following the Las Vegas Raiders' 33-30 home loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6, coach Klint Kubiak uttered a three-letter phrase in a vexed tone.
The Raiders had lost their third straight game. And unlike their 45-17 loss in Week 5 to the New England Patriots, when the game felt decided by halftime, the Raiders went toe-to-toe with Buffalo, a Super Bowl contender, but their struggles in the second half, particularly in the third quarter when they were held scoreless, proved the difference-maker.
When Kubiak was asked how the team can improve and get out of their current rut, he said the Raiders need to "close games out."
That has been an issue for the Raiders in recent weeks. Yes, the Raiders are scoring more points than last season, and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins has played at a surprisingly high level, but their inability to finish games strong has hurt the Silver & Black. In the past three weeks, the Raiders have been outscored 64-41 in the second half and 24-3 in the third quarter.
Multiple factors have contributed to their struggles in the second half, from inconsistent red zone production on offense to the defense allowing explosive plays in crucial moments. Kubiak said the team needs to clean up their act in the second half, starting on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox), if they want to have success that mirrors the first three weeks of the season when they went 3-0.
"Overall, it's just a complete lack of production. It's really putting us in a bad spot as a team, not getting it done [and] getting outscored in the third quarter," Kubiak said Monday.
The Raiders' third-quarter issues were a common theme in postgame talks against Buffalo. Cousins and wide receiver Tre Tucker said the frequent three-and-outs to begin the second half have been a momentum killer.
That was certainly the case last week. With the game tied at 13 at the start of the third quarter, the Raiders failed to push the ball down the field. Cousins threw three straight incompletions, and the Raiders were forced to punt.
The Bills did the opposite. They scored 10 unanswered points to take a double-digit lead. Buffalo had a nine-play, 47-yard drive that ended in a field goal. After Cousins threw an interception, Bills quarterback Josh Allen marched his team into the red zone where his wizardry was on display. Allen evaded multiple defenders and then threw a 12-yard shovel pass to wide receiver Keon Coleman to take a 23-13 lead with 6:22 to go in the third.
The Raiders have committed seven turnovers in the second half this season. Four of Cousins' five interceptions have occurred in the final two quarters.
"We can't come out flat," Tucker said. "Especially when we win the coin toss and defer, and we want the ball in the second half. We have not been great at doing that. ... That's a part of our winning formula."
The opening sequence was almost similar to the one Las Vegas had against the Patriots. Down by 21 points, the Raiders needed a spark to keep some hope alive. Instead, they watched running back Ashton Jeanty record two short-yardage attempts, Cousins threw an incompletion, and A.J. Cole had to punt the ball away.
Cousins said the Raiders are a "much better team" if they can start the third quarter more efficiently.
"We have not played good football for the most part [in the third quarter]," Cousins said. "I mean, maybe one game had a better start to the third quarter, but we've got to be much, much better coming out."
The margin for error is thin. And the Raiders need to do a better job of capitalizing on red zone opportunities. Overall this season, the Raiders have been fairly solid in the red zone. They have converted 63.6% of their red zone opportunities -- tied for 13th in the league.
However, Las Vegas left points off the board by going 2-for-5 in the red zone against the Bills. The Raiders had a chance to score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but right guard Caleb Rogers whiffed on a block, and Jeanty was stopped for a 3-yard loss near the goal line. Two plays later, the Raiders had to kick a field goal to cut the deficit to 23-16.
Against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, the Raiders had a chance to extend their lead to six or 10 points during the early stages of the third quarter. Kicker Matt Gay nailed a 41-yard field goal, but the Chiefs were penalized for illegal formation, turning a fourth-and-7 into a fourth-and-2. Kubiak went aggressive and sent the offense back on the field, but Cousins' pass attempt to Jeanty was broken up by linebacker Drue Tranquill, leading to a turnover on downs.
"We got to come away with those plays and get the touchdown, not the kick [a] field goal," Cousins said. "Those are all the plays throughout the game that you look back on, and you say, it didn't give us a chance to win. You got to make plays and be smart and manage the game well. And if you do that, you'd like to think that you give yourself a chance to close it out in the fourth quarter."
The regression of the defense has factored into the Raiders' issues in finishing games strong. Las Vegas is near the bottom in almost every major statistical defensive category. The Raiders are 26th in points allowed per game (27), 28th in total yards allowed (371.7) and 25th in EPA by a defense (minus-18.55).
Specifically in the second half, the Raiders' defense hasn't been great. Las Vegas has given up 15.3 points (27th) and 184.5 total yards (28th) in the second half.
"Overall, if you're going to win the game, it's about limiting points, and we have to limit points in the red zone," Kubiak said.
The Raiders understand they are close. Las Vegas was close to defeating the Chiefs and Bills in its past two home games. And despite having one of the worst rushing attacks and wide receiver rooms in the league, the Raiders are still sixth in points per game (26.7). That suggests they are heading in the right direction, and perhaps a bit closer to reaching their potential, especially on offense, than expected.
Still, close is not enough.
"At the end of the day, we don't want a moral victory. There's no stat for that. There's no column for it," Rogers said. "... We've got to close."