The Las Vegas Raiders couldn’t take advantage of facing a backup quarterback in Week 3. Marcus Mariota and the Washington Commanders encountered little resistance, racking up 400 yards of offense in a 41-24 victory. There were few bright spots for the Raiders, though the performance of wide receiver Tre Tucker deserves acknowledgement.
Tucker has established himself as Geno Smith’s go-to target when it comes to explosive plays. Tucker recorded eight receptions on nine targets for 145 receiving yards and three touchdowns. It was a historic showing. His second touchdown was a 10-yard grab underneath the coverage that featured his yards-after-catch ability.
Tucker’s third touchdown was his most explosive. He got behind the Commanders secondary on 2nd-and-5 for a 61-yard score late in the fourth quarter.
Entering Monday Night Football, Tucker is tied with Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze for the lead in touchdown catches with four. His 211 receiving yards ranks 16th, and his 16.2 yards per catch ranks fifth among wideouts with at least 10 receptions this season.
The Raiders entered the season with questionable pass-catching depth behind Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. That’s not actually the case. Tucker has emerged as a legitimate WR2, a fact made painfully obvious by his Week 3 showing.
