What happened to the run defense?
November 15, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) runs with the football against Oakland Raiders middle linebacker Curtis Lofton (50) during the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Vikings defeated the Raiders 30-14. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
For the second week in a row, Oakland’s run defense was absolutely gashed. Adrian Peterson was the opposing back so the run defense deserves some slack for that, but the unit simply did not look close to competent much of the day.
In Week 9, DeAngelo Williams carried the ball 27 times for 170 yards and 2 TD’s, and the Steelers ran for 195 yards as a team.
In Week 10, AP registered 26 carries for 203 yards and 1 TD, and the Vikings racked up 263 total rushing yards.
Over this stretch, the Raiders went from the 2nd ranked run defense to 23rd.
#Vikings: Block down on S & force CB to fill on the edge. Arm tackles don't cut it vs. Peterson. https://t.co/Ogx3ar81hn
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) November 17, 2015
That obviously makes the run defense a huge concern going forward, and it needs to be fixed if the team hopes to be competitive in the upcoming games. The Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans are up next. Detroit is ranked 32nd in rushing yards per game, while Tennessee is ranked 24th. With two teams coming up that are weak in the run game, it should be a great opportunity to get back to from from the first eight weeks of the season.
Next: Week 10 Thought #2