There is no way around it. Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is underrated, but Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes had a bad outing against the New York Jets on Sunday. Geno Smith and the Jets went at Stokes and the Raiders' defensive backfield early and often with a high success rate.
Entering the offseason, the Raiders' defensive backfield was the team's biggest question mark. After a productive season with Las Vegas last season, Stokes re-signed with the team, cementing himself as the team's top option at the position. That has remained the case throughout the season.
However, Sunday was arguably the worst game Stokes has had since joining the Raiders. Darien Porter's injury after the first play of the game and Las Vegas' need to stop the run forced defensive coordinator Rob Leonard to lean on his veteran and the rest of the backfield in man coverage.
This left Stokes on an island with several young, quick, and agile wide receivers and a quarterback with the arm to deliver the ball accurately and on time. It made for a long day for Stokes and the rest of the backfield. It also confirmed what was already largely suspected.
Nov 1, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) attempts to make a catch against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (5) in the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Stokes' solid 2025 season saw teams throwing away from his side of the field, as he usually made plays that made it not worth trying. Yet, as the team's best cornerback, if teams broke through Stokes' coverage, it would look a lot like it did against the Jets.
It was not pretty, but Stokes battled the entire game. Even with the Jets racking up catches and yards, mainly on him, Stokes continued to push through. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak shared his thoughts on the veteran cornerback.
"No, I think [Eric] Stokes also made some really big plays for us. He had a tough assignment. They made some plays on him, but he also made some really big plays for us, especially in the red zone. He's been a great competitor for us. But as the competition continues and young guys make plays, we're going to play the best guys," Kubiak said earlier this week when asked if he and the coaching staff had any talks about potentially replacing Stokes on Sunday.
Nov 1, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The fact of the matter is, no matter how bad Stokes plays, he is the best cornerback the team has. As bad as he played on Sunday, he did not give up many big plays, despite the fact that the Jets went at him a significant number of times.
"I think the Jets had a really good plan overall, and I think again, when you play defensive back in the NFL, yeah, you're going to get beat. At some point you're going to get beat, but how do you respond when that happens? And when a defensive back gets beat, everybody knows about it," Kubiak said.
"If a guard loses in the run game, it's not discussed as much. So, you've got to have thick skin. You've got to be able to move on to the next down, and so I'm really glad we have number five [Eric Stokes]."
Despite his struggles, Stokes had two plays on the Jets' first two scoring drives that helped Las Vegas' defense force field goals instead of touchdowns. Stokes broke up two passes in the end zone, one on third down.
Nov 1, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) attempts to make a catch against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (5) in the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This cost the Jets eight points. Las Vegas won by five. It was not pretty. Stokes must fix things quickly, with a tough few weeks ahead, but considering the Raiders held the Jets to 26 rushing yards in the second half while leaving Stokes on an island, something worked.
Through it all, Stokes continued to battle, refusing to let a disappointing outing deter him. Stokes and the Raiders' defensive backfield deserve the spotlight that comes with a subpar performance. However, they also deserve the spotlight for the game-changing plays they made on Sunday.
Las Vegas' defense has struggled to stop opponents' ground and passing game this season. Sunday against the Jets, the Raiders decided to eliminate the run, which cost them through the air.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Raiders have had a questionable defensive backfield for multiple seasons. Sunday's defensive backfield performance shouldn't surprise anyone who has followed the unit over the past few seasons. This has been building for years.
That said, if Stokes has another game as he did against the Jets, I would be curious how healthy he is and whether he's potentially been quietly working through a health issue.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Analyzing Raiders CB Stokes' Game-Changing Impact Amid Clear Struggles .
