3 Takeaways from Raiders' Week 2 Loss vs. Bills

The Las Vegas Raiders surprised plenty of folks when they went on the road and knocked off the rival Denver Broncos in Week 1. This was a team that did a ton of reloading in the offseason, and it looked unexpectedly good in the season-opener.

Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, on the other hand, was more in line with the general preseason expectations for Las Vegas. The Raiders struggled to find a rhythm against a very stout Bills defense. The new-look secondary failed to force Josh Allen into the types of mistakes he had in Week 1.

The result was a lopsided defeat that will have Josh McDaniels and the Raiders heading back to the drawing board ahead of next week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Here are our biggest takeaways from Sunday's 38-10 loss to Buffalo.

Josh Jacobs Isn't All the Way Back, Hunter Renfrow Still Missing

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Raiders RB Josh Jacobs

Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was inactive on Sunday with a concussion. The big free-agent addition had a huge impact for Las Vegas in Week 1, finishing with nine catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

With Meyers out, the Raiders needed other players to shine against the Bills. Davante Adams (84 yards, 1 TD) did his part, but Jimmy Garoppolo struggled to find other options.

Star running back Josh Jacobs still doesn't look up to full speed after a holdout that lasted the entire offseason. The 2022 rushing champ did have five catches for 51 yards, but he recorded negative yardage on nine carries.

Buffalo has a good defensive front, but it was just gashed for 172 rushing yards in Week 1.

It was fair to expect Hunter Renfrow to be part of the game plan with Meyers out, but the 2021 Pro Bowler continues to be absent from the game plan.

Renfrow didn't record a single target in Week 1. While he did have a 23-yard reception on Sunday, he was only targeted once. With such a low usage rate, Renfrow could eventually become a trade candidate.

Las Vegas may need to rely even more on Jacobs and Renfrow in Week 3, as Adams was evaluated for a concussion following the loss, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

Tyree Wilson Making Incremental Progress

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Raiders edge Tyree Wilson

The Raiders have yet to see splash plays from rookie first-round pick Tyree Wilson. Las Vegas has incorporated the Texas Tech product into the defense slowly, which isn't a surprise.

Wilson has a lot of promise as the seventh overall selection, but he spent the majority of the offseason working back from foot surgery.

While Wilson only finished with one tackle and one assist against the Bills, he played faster and appeared far more comfortable in the defense than he did just one week ago.

"Much better get off by [Raiders] rookie Tyree Wilson. Talked to one of his former coaches this week, and he felt Tyree was just a little bit hesitant with the scheme," Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

While Raiders fans would prefer to see Wilson recording sacks in bunches, positive strides are, well, positive.

Las Vegas needs Wilson to emerge as a long-term pass-rushing complement to standout Maxx Crosby. It hasn't happened yet, but the 23-year-old is taking steps in the right direction.

This Will Indeed Be a Transition Year for Las Vegas

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Raiders WR Davante Adams

Though they came into Sunday with an 0-2 record, the Bills are still one of the AFC's top measuring sticks. Las Vegas didn't measure up too well.

Jimmy Garoppolo tossed a pair of interceptions, Las Vegas got nothing going on the ground, and the defense surrendered a whopping 450 yards of offense to Allen and Co. The Raiders held the ball for less than 20 minutes of game time.

It was a completely different performance than the gritty and mostly mistake-free game Las Vegas played against Denver. After a promising preseason and a Week 1 victory, Sunday's loss was a wake-up call that the Raiders probably aren't playing for the postseason in 2023.

Garoppolo was supposed to be the efficient game-manager who steered McDaniels' precision offense. He's now thrown three picks in two games while averaging just 192.5 passing yards.

The defense doesn't look much better than last year's unit, and the offense doesn't have enough difference-makers to match points with true contender like Buffalo.

Las Vegas might be able to pick up a win next week against Pittsburgh, but it appears that the 2023 season will be about developing young talent and building a foundation for 2024.