The Las Vegas Raiders took care of business in Week 1, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-13. It was a significant margin of victory. Most analysts expect the Dolphins to contend for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2027 NFL draft, but the Raiders' victory was nonetheless impressive.
ESPN releases their league-wide power rankings every week. Heading into Week 2, the Raiders inexplicably fell down the rankings. After opening the campaign at No. 27, they dropped one spot to 28th, with EDGE Kwity Paye being named as their best newcomer.
"The Raiders have been searching for a secondary pass rusher to support All-Pro Maxx Crosby," Ryan McFadden summarized. "Paye, who signed a three-year deal in free agency, showed Sunday that he could fill that role with
two sacks, five pressures and five quarterback hits. Under first-time defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, the Raiders want to be aggressive and make life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks. If Paye continues to have performances similar to the one he had in Week 1, the outlook for Las Vegas could be a lot different this season."
The Raiders are touchdown underdogs versus the Los Angeles Chargers heading into Week 2. That's despite the Chargers being among the biggest disappointments in Week 1, having lost by two scores to the lowly Arizona Cardinals. If the Raiders can execute an upset in their first divisional contest of the season, ESPN will have no choice but to improve their positioning in the Week 3 power rankings.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders somehow drop in ESPN's power rankings despite dominant Week 1
