Game preview
Raiders @ Jets
Week 8 · 2026
Geno Smith meets the Raiders with two interceptions this season, after leading the league with 17 for them.
Geno Smith threw 17 interceptions for the Raiders. He has two as a Jet
StorylineLast season Geno Smith was the passer for a 3-14 Raiders team, and he led the league with 17 interceptions and tied Cam Ward for the most sacks taken, 55. Seven games into his time with the Jets he has thrown two interceptions on 207 attempts, the seventh lowest rate among 32 passers with 100 or more, and on Sunday the defense across from him belongs to the Raiders. Their passer this season is Kirk Cousins, who leads the league with 16 touchdown passes, yet the Raiders have lost four straight after a 3-0 start, 35-21 to the Rams last week, while the Jets lost 28-25 to a Miami team that had lost its first five. Two teams that went 3-14 a year ago meet on one question: does Smith's careful start hold up against the team he played for, or does Cousins turn his touchdowns into a win that ends the Raiders' slide?
Geno Smith, 2025 with the Raiders and 2026 with the Jets (regular season)
| Season | Team | Games | Attempts | Completion % | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | LV | 15 | 448 | 67.4 | 3,025 | 19 | 17 | 55 |
| 2026, Wks 1 to 7 | NYJ | 7 | 207 | 70.0 | 1,623 | 10 | 2 | 21 |
Most interceptions thrown, 2025 regular season
| Rank | Passer | Team | INT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geno Smith | LV | 17 |
| 2 | Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | 15 |
| 3 | Sam Darnold | SEA | 14 |
| 4 | Justin Herbert | LAC | 13 |
| 5 | J.J. McCarthy | MIN | 12 |
| 5 | Trevor Lawrence | JAX | 12 |
Lowest interception rate, 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 (100 or more attempts, 32 passers)
| Rank | Passer | Team | Attempts | INT | INT % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jared Goff | DET | 223 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1 | Jayden Daniels | WAS | 116 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 3 | C.J. Stroud | HOU | 247 | 1 | 0.40 |
| 4 | Michael Penix Jr. | ATL | 144 | 1 | 0.69 |
| 5 | Caleb Williams | CHI | 124 | 1 | 0.81 |
| 6 | Tyler Huntley | BAL | 106 | 1 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Geno Smith | NYJ | 207 | 2 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Kirk Cousins | LV | 257 | 5 | 1.95 |
Two 3-14 teams a year later, points per game
| Team | Season | Record | Scored | Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV | 2025 | 3-14 | 14.2 | 25.4 |
| LV | 2026, Wks 1 to 7 | 3-4 | 26.1 | 28.1 |
| NYJ | 2025 | 3-14 | 17.6 | 29.6 |
| NYJ | 2026, Wks 1 to 7 | 2-5 | 19.6 | 21.4 |
Why it matters. Smith's 2025 with the Raiders ended with the most interceptions in the league and a share of the most sacks, and his first seven games with the Jets have the second number down to two. The Raiders' scoring has gone from 14.2 points a game in 2025 to 26.1 with Cousins, but their defense allows 28.1 a game, up from 25.4. Seven games is a small sample set beside a full season, and Sunday puts Smith's new ball security in front of the team that saw the old version every week.
Cousins leads in TD passes. The Jets have one interception since 2025
What to watchCousins throws 36.7 passes a game at a defense that almost never catches one. The Jets made no interceptions in 17 games in 2025, the only defense since 1999 to finish a season without one, and their only interception of 2026 came from Minkah Fitzpatrick at Chicago in Week 4. The Raiders' passing game is ninth in EPA per dropback after 29th in 2025, with Tre Tucker at 474 yards and four touchdown catches and Brock Bowers at 455 yards in five games, while the Jets' pass defense ranks 20th after 32nd in 2025 and let Miami's Malik Willis complete 14 of 21 for 208 yards and two touchdowns last week. If Cousins completes his first two third down throws, the Raiders are playing to their passing rank; if the Jets intercept him, it is their second interception in 25 games.
Fewest interceptions by a defense in a completed regular season, since 1999
| Rank | Season | Defense | Games | Dropbacks faced | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025 | NYJ | 17 | 542 | 0 |
| 2 | 2018 | SF | 16 | 578 | 2 |
| 3 | 2020 | HOU | 16 | 579 | 3 |
| In progress | 2026, Wks 1 to 7 | NYJ | 7 | 232 | 1 |
The Raiders' passing against the Jets' pass defense, EPA per dropback
| Unit | Window | Dropbacks | EPA per dropback | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV passing | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 278 | +0.136 | 9 of 32 |
| LV passing | 2025 regular season | 578 | -0.187 | 29 of 32 |
| LV passing | 2026 Wk 7 vs LA | 49 | -0.081 | 23 of 28 |
| NYJ pass defense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 232 | +0.065 | 20 of 32 |
| NYJ pass defense | 2025 regular season | 542 | +0.253 | 32 of 32 |
| NYJ pass defense | 2026 Wk 7 vs MIA | 23 | +0.496 | 27 of 28 |
Kirk Cousins by game, 2026
| Week | Opponent | Comp | Att | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs MIA | 21 | 30 | 160 | 3 | 2 |
| 2 | at LAC | 19 | 29 | 253 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | at NO | 22 | 33 | 248 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | vs KC | 31 | 52 | 365 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | at NE | 19 | 28 | 243 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | vs BUF | 23 | 41 | 313 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | vs LA | 26 | 44 | 295 | 2 | 0 |
Why it matters. The Jets' pass defense has improved from last in 2025 to 20th, but it still does not take the ball away, so a passer who throws as often as Cousins can keep drives alive without paying for it. Cousins has five interceptions, 18th by rate among 32 passers, so the risk on his side is real. With a run game ranked 31st, the Raiders lean on volume through the air; whether the Jets can turn pressure or tight coverage into a turnover is the swing in this collision.
The Raiders gave up 64 sacks last year. The Jets' rookie has 5.5
What to watchThe Raiders allowed 64 sacks in 2025, the most in the league, and this season they have allowed 10 on 278 dropbacks, 3.6 percent, the fourth lowest rate. The Jets' rush ranks fourth by sack rate at 8.2 percent after 29th in 2025, and David Bailey, the second overall pick in 2026, has 5.5 sacks, tied for fifth in the league and three more than any other 2026 draftee; the Week 8 injury report lists Bailey with a groin injury and "Did Not Participate In Practice". Going the other way, Smith has been sacked 21 times, 9.1 percent of Jets dropbacks and 27th, against a Raiders rush that ranks 15th, with Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce at three sacks each and Maxx Crosby at two. If Cousins is sacked on either of the Raiders' first two possessions, the Jets' rush is winning the matchup; if he is clean at halftime, the protection that ranks fourth is holding.
Sacks and sack rate, both sides of the ball
| Unit | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | Rank of 32 | 2025 regular season | 2025 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV offense, sacks allowed | 10 on 278, 3.6% | 4 (fewest first) | 64 on 578, 11.1% | 32 |
| NYJ defense, sacks made | 19 on 232, 8.2% | 4 | 26 on 542, 4.8% | 29 |
| NYJ offense, sacks allowed | 21 on 230, 9.1% | 27 (fewest first) | 60 on 556, 10.8% | 30 |
| LV defense, sacks made | 16 on 239, 6.7% | 15 | 37 on 562, 6.6% | 18 |
Most sacks, 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 (half sacks count 0.5)
| Rank | Player | Team | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Anderson Jr. | HOU | 7.5 |
| 2 | Chase Young | NO | 7.0 |
| 3 | Greg Rousseau | BUF | 6.0 |
| 3 | Dallas Turner | MIN | 6.0 |
| 5 | T.J. Watt | PIT | 5.5 |
| 5 | Carl Granderson | NO | 5.5 |
| 5 | Elijah Ponder | NE | 5.5 |
| 5 | David Bailey | NYJ | 5.5 |
Sacks by game, 2026
| Week | LV offense allowed | NYJ offense allowed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 vs MIA | 0 at TEN |
| 2 | 2 at LAC | 4 vs GB |
| 3 | 3 at NO | 5 at DET |
| 4 | 0 vs KC | 3 at CHI |
| 5 | 3 at NE | 4 vs CLE |
| 6 | 0 vs BUF | 3 at NE |
| 7 | 2 vs LA | 2 vs MIA |
Why it matters. The Raiders' line gave up the most sacks in the league a year ago, and through seven games it has been one of the best at keeping Cousins clean, while their scoring has risen from 14.2 points a game to 26.1. The Jets' rush is the strongest unit Sunday by rank, built around a rookie with 5.5 sacks whom the Week 8 injury report lists as "Did Not Participate In Practice". On the other side, Smith still takes sacks at a high rate, so the Raiders' middle-of-the-pack rush has a path too. Seven games is a small sample beside a full season for every number here.
Jeanty went from 23 carries to eight. The Jets' run defense ranks 10th
What to watchThe Raiders run the ball worse than every team but one: 3.22 yards per carry and minus 0.249 EPA per carry, both 31st, after they finished 32nd in both in 2025. Ashton Jeanty carried 23 times for 102 yards in Week 1 and eight times for 15 yards against the Rams, and his 312 receiving yards on 34 catches rank third on the team. The Jets' run defense allows minus 0.077 EPA per carry, 10th, after 26th in 2025, while the Jets' own run game meets a Raiders defense giving up 5.29 yards per carry, 31st, after sixth in 2025; Braelon Allen has 357 yards on 72 carries in Weeks 4 to 7, 4.96 a carry, and the Week 8 injury report lists Breece Hall with a quadricep injury and "Limited Participation in Practice". If Jeanty has five carries by the end of the first quarter, the Raiders are leaning on the run against this front; if Allen is gaining five yards a carry on the Jets' first two drives, the Raiders' 31st ranked run defense is on the field.
Run offense against run defense, 2026 Weeks 1 to 7 and 2025
| Unit | Window | Carries | Yards per carry | YPC rank | EPA per carry | EPA rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV run offense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 166 | 3.22 | 31 | -0.249 | 31 |
| LV run offense | 2025 regular season | 364 | 3.63 | 32 | -0.260 | 32 |
| NYJ run defense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 209 | 4.32 | 19 | -0.077 | 10 |
| NYJ run defense | 2025 regular season | 511 | 4.69 | 23 | +0.035 | 26 |
| NYJ run offense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 172 | 3.97 | 24 | -0.111 | 27 |
| LV run defense | 2026 Wks 1 to 7 | 192 | 5.29 | 31 | -0.036 | 20 |
| LV run defense | 2025 regular season | 492 | 4.08 | 6 | -0.036 | 14 |
Ashton Jeanty by game, 2026
| Week | Opponent | Carries | Rush yards | Catches | Rec yards | Total TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs MIA | 23 | 102 | 6 | 45 | 2 |
| 2 | at LAC | 21 | 48 | 4 | 15 | 0 |
| 3 | at NO | 19 | 56 | 3 | 37 | 0 |
| 4 | vs KC | 15 | 58 | 6 | 68 | 0 |
| 5 | at NE | 10 | 27 | 3 | 50 | 0 |
| 6 | vs BUF | 10 | 22 | 4 | 36 | 1 |
| 7 | vs LA | 8 | 15 | 8 | 61 | 1 |
Jets lead backs by game, 2026
| Week | Breece Hall | Braelon Allen |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 for 102 | 10 for 40 |
| 2 | 16 for 29 | 5 for 7 |
| 3 | 13 for 32 | 4 for 14 |
| 4 | No carries | 14 for 59 |
| 5 | No carries | 24 for 116 |
| 6 | No carries | 17 for 78 |
| 7 | No carries | 17 for 104 |
Why it matters. The Raiders run on 37.4 percent of their plays, the seventh lowest share, with a run game ranked 31st, and Jeanty's carries have fallen each game from Week 1 to Week 5 and stayed at 10 or fewer since. Against a Jets front that ranks 10th by EPA per carry, the Raiders have little reason to change that. The Jets have the better matchup on the ground: Allen has averaged 4.96 a carry in Weeks 4 to 7, and the Raiders' run defense has dropped from sixth to 31st in yards per carry.
The Raiders allowed 30 in four straight. The Jets have not scored 30 yet
What to watchThe Raiders allowed 13, 14 and 27 points in a 3-0 start, then 30, 45, 33 and 35 in four losses, the only active run of four 30-point games allowed in the league. Thirteen teams since 1999 have stretched a run like that to five games in one season, and the 2004 Raiders are one of them. The Jets are one of six teams without a 30-point game this season, at 19.6 points a game, 27th, but their 25 against Miami came with plus 0.272 EPA per play, fourth of 28 offenses in Week 7, after a 2025 season at minus 0.127, 29th. If the Jets score touchdowns on two of their first three possessions, the Raiders' run is alive; if those drives end in field goals or punts, the Jets' ceiling of 25 is the one holding.
Points allowed by the Raiders, 2026
| Week | Opponent | Result | Points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vs MIA | W 27-13 | 13 |
| 2 | at LAC | W 26-14 | 14 |
| 3 | at NO | W 35-27 | 27 |
| 4 | vs KC | L 27-30 | 30 |
| 5 | at NE | L 17-45 | 45 |
| 6 | vs BUF | L 30-33 | 33 |
| 7 | vs LA | L 21-35 | 35 |
Five or more straight games allowing 30 or more points in one regular season, since 1999
| Season | Team | Games | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DET | 6 | 12 to 17 |
| 2020 | JAX | 6 | 2 to 7 |
| 2020 | DAL | 5 | 2 to 6 |
| 2015 | CLE | 5 | 8 to 13 |
| 2015 | TEN | 5 | 13 to 17 |
| 2013 | NYG | 5 | 1 to 5 |
| 2012 | TEN | 5 | 1 to 5 |
| 2011 | TB | 5 | 13 to 17 |
| 2010 | BUF | 5 | 2 to 7 |
| 2004 | LV | 5 | 4 to 8 |
| 2004 | TEN | 5 | 12 to 16 |
| 2000 | SF | 5 | 6 to 10 |
| 1999 | NO | 5 | 11 to 15 |
| 2026, active | LV | 4 | 4 to 7 |
Teams without a 30-point game, 2026 Weeks 1 to 7
| Team | Games | Points per game | Rank of 32 | Most in a game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYJ | 7 | 19.6 | 27 | 25 |
| CLE | 7 | 19.0 | 28 | 27 |
| PHI | 7 | 18.1 | 29 | 24 |
| MIA | 6 | 16.3 | 30 | 28 |
| TEN | 7 | 15.4 | 31 | 26 |
| LAC | 6 | 15.0 | 32 | 23 |
Why it matters. The Raiders' defense has allowed 143 points in four games, and a fifth 30-point game would make it the 14th team since 1999 with a run of five. The Jets have not reached 30 all season and score 19.6 a game, 27th. Their Week 7 game against Miami was their best of the season by EPA per play, a single game set beside a 2025 offense that ranked 29th, so Sunday shows whether that game was a step or an outlier.
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