The first mistake the Raiders made on Sunday was winning the coin toss and electing to receive the ball. Las Vegas starting the game on defense has worked better for them in each game this season. Overall, they played better with their defense on the field first, even in losses.

In each of their three wins, Las Vegas' defense was on the field first. The Raiders forced a punt or a turnover on downs on the opponent's first drive in each of those three games. In those three wins, the Raiders' defense held opposing offenses to six points combined in the first quarter.

Even during their three wins, the Raiders' offense started slowly. In those three wins, Las Vegas' offense scored a total of 10 points in the first quarter. That is why electing to receive the ball against the Rams was a mistake.

In theory, getting the ball first, marching down the field, and scoring first against a reeling Rams team sounds good. However, that only works if your offense can actually execute in the first quarter.…