In a game like the one that the Las Vegas Raiders played on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11, it is hard to know where to begin when assigning blame. One could be general and just acknowledge that both the offense and defense played poorly.
One could break it down even further and point out that the offensive line and the run game were completely inept, and Las Vegas' defense really struggled against the pass. But when there are such widespread issues, a lot of the onus falls on the coaching staff.
But three players stand out as bigger culprits than others from the 33-16 primetime loss. While the list of people to hold responsible could easily be pages long, here are the three Raiders who deserve the most blame for Las Vegas' recent defeat.
These 3 Raiders deserve the most blame for primetime loss to Cowboys
1. Kyu Blu Kelly
Kelly, after an electric two-interception showing last Thursday against the Denver Broncos, came crashing back down to earth against the Cowboys. It seemed like he was really turning a corner, but on Monday, Kelly was targeted 5 times and gave up 5 receptions for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns.
That means he gave up a perfect passer rating of 158.3 when targeted. Kelly also missed a tackle and just got torched by George Pickens throughout the game, which was debilitating for the defense. He was benched in the fourth quarter for Darien Porter, who played much, much better.
2. Will Putnam
Putnam is a young player who was making his first NFL start, so some mistakes were expected. But Putnam did not even remotely look like he belonged in the game, as the Cowboys' interior defensive line absolutely ate him alive and wrecked the Raiders' entire offensive game plan.
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He gave up three sacks, a quarterback hit and two hurries, and he got no push in the run game. Putnam got clobbered on a handful of reps, and Las Vegas got safetied when they tried to run off him in the fourth quarter. Just a bad, bad debut for the young player.
3. Isaiah Pola-Mao
Pola-Mao has been incredibly hot and cold for the Raiders this season. On Monday, he was cold. Not only did he fail to stick with CeeDee Lamb in the red zone and give up a touchdown, but Pola-Mao gave up three other receptions for 29 yards, allowing a passer rating of 155.2 when targeted.
Yes, he made 9 tackles in the game, which was the second-most on the team, but he also missed three tackles. Pola-Mao is likely still adjusting to a slight change in duties with Lonnie Johnson Jr. now back, but the Las Vegas defense needs him to be better.