The Las Vegas Raiders' defense got off to a strong start to the season, as they held the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers to a combined 33 points over the first two weeks. The unit came crashing down in Week 3 as they were torched by a shorthanded Washington Commanders offense.
With Marcus Mariota making his first start since 2022 in place of an injured Jayden Daniels, the Raiders' defense and special teams allowed 41 points. While some player's struggles were able to fly under the radar when the group was preventing opponents from scoring, that is no longer the case.
Due to the collective shortcomings of the unit, several players will find themselves under a microscope going forward. No player will be more affected than safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, who has been awful to start the season and could lose his starting job with another bad performance.
Raiders' Isaiah Pola-Mao must play better against the Bears in Week 4
Pola-Mao joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent back in 2022; however, he was largely used on special teams. He was finally given a chance to enter the starting lineup for Las Vegas after Marcus Epps tore his ACL in Week 3 of the 2024 season.
In a breakout year, he recorded 89 total tackles, 57 solo tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one quarterback hit, two forced fumbles and five passes defended. His play was solid enough to earn him a two-year, $8.45 million contract extension and a starting role ahead of the 2025 season.
Pola-Mao got off to a strong start in 2025, as he recorded seven tackles, including one for a loss, one interception and one pass defended in the opener. Things have gone downhill from there, as he has allowed a perfect passer rating when targeted in back-to-back weeks, while also picking up an unnecessary roughness penalty in both games.
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For the season, his 29.9 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 122nd out of 123 qualifying safeties, while his run blocking and pass blocking grades rank 104th and 115th, respectively. He has also missed four tackles. Simply put, Pola-Mao has to be better if he wants to keep his starting job.
Las Vegas lacks depth at the safety position, as Chris Smith II and Tristin McCollum have played just three and two defensive snaps behind him, respectively. However, Lonnie Johnson Jr., who was promising this offseason, will be eligible to return from the IR after Sunday's game.
If Johnson is not cleared, the Raiders could look outside the building and target the recently released C.J. Gardner-Johnson or another veteran. If Pola-Mao continues to get torched while committing crucial penalties, he could once again find himself a rotational player or relegated to special teams duties.