October 18, 2026 - 8:09 pm

Las Vegas Raiders fullback Connor Heyward loves everything about the play in which he lines up under center, designed to gain a yard or so on fourth-and-short.

Except the repeated result.

“I know that it’s a play that’s effective,” Heyward said Sunday after a 33-30 home loss to the Buffalo Bills. “It’s just if you’re being successful or not at it. … We’ve got to really deep dive and figure out what’s really going on.”

The Raiders like to summon Heyward under center for a quarterback sneak to spare Kirk Cousins wear and tear, doing so Sunday in the second quarter on a fourth-and-1. But center Tyler Linderbaum was whistled for a false start at Buffalo’s 14-yard line — amid trickery and motion that sent Heyward behind him after how Las Vegas originally lined up — and instead of extending the drive toward the goal line, kicker Matt Gay was summoned for a tiebreaking 35-yard field goal.

Miscues happened with the same concept against the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots, drawing the ire of coach Klint Kubiak.

Against the Saints and Patriots, Linderbaum was ruled to be lined up offside.

“It’s happened three times, and it’s killing us. Absolutely killing us,” Kubiak said. “I have not fixed it, so shame on me. It’s on me to get it fixed.”

It’s sensible for Kubiak to avoid a quarterback sneak with Cousins, 38, in his 15th season with a surgically repaired right Achilles tendon. Heyward has been tasked this season with fielding and sneaking short-yardage snaps, successfully converting fourth-and-shorts against the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers.

But for reasons the Raiders are working on determining, they have not executed the sneak the same way. Linderbaum said the explanation he received against the Saints and Patriots was relatively simple, that he lined up offside.

Officials ruled Sunday that he jumped pre-snap.

“I’ve been called three times already on it, so I’ve got to figure it out,” he said. “I’ve got to figure it out. Unacceptable to kind of put our team in our position. Just got to be better than that, and it’s a critical moment in the game. A big swing. So, we’ve got to improve on that. It just takes coordination between me and Connor and the line. I think they said I moved when he got under center. Can’t have that happen.”

The Raiders have been beleaguered this season by the NFL’s least efficient rushing offense, but even so, short-yardage conversions are critical to sustaining drives. Heyward noted how effective the sneak has been for the Philadelphia Eagles — nicknamed the “Tush Push” and run with bruising quarterback Jalen Hurts — and believes it can be a weapon for the Raiders.

So long as they learn how to run it correctly.

“I know we could’ve got seven on that drive for sure, so it’s eating me up,” Heyward said. ” You can feel the momentum and as the quarterback … on that play, I’m thinking to convert every play.

“It’s a play that works all across the NFL, so it’s something we’ve got to really lock in on and get back to the drawing board.”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.