Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders are being outscored in the first quarter 21-9, yet still, stand undefeated at 3-0. The deficits the team puts themselves in early on have not fully come back to haunt them yet, but it would certainly be better to try and put a stop to their slow starts instead of hoping things continue going their way.

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Behind Early

It is a strange situation when, against the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, the Raiders struggle early. Then they come alive. Whether it is a motivation issue, or if Jon Gruden's scripted plays to start the game do not have the effect he thinks they will, the Raiders flounder..

Predictability

With their first possession of the game, the Raiders tend to test the opponent's run defense, dink and dunk, maybe take a deep shot. It certainly is not unique or particularly dangerous. Getting a feel for what the defense is putting out really can help coaches and coordinators get a feel of what they will be facing for the remainder of the game. In fact, most coaches will pencil in a few double-move pass routes and complex runs at the start of the game to see how the defense reacts. But, it does not take most coaches an entire quarter to figure out what the opposing defense is schemed for.

Immediate Need

Whether or not the Raiders struggle to sniff out the defense, something must be done to combat these slow starts. Higher-powered offenses will not wait around for Las Vegas to figure out their game before their onslaught begins. Although it has yet to happen in 2021, there will be games in which the opponent's offense is clicking from kickoff.

Trouble Ahead

Although the Raiders have already surmounted two double-digit deficits this season, playing catchup against the Kansas City Chiefs or Dallas Cowboys most likely will not pan out positively. Seeing as the Raiders have the current passing yards leader and second-most pass attempts per game, this offense should be far more productive in the first quarter. Since the sample size is relatively small, it is hard to pinpoint what exactly is going on. It is best to get out in front of these problems before they become detrimental. Las Vegas won their games despite trailing in all three. However, if should that trend not continue, a quick peek into the first quarter box score could very quickly find a major reason for a loss.