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4 reasons the 2019 Oakland Raiders are a playoff team

By Nick Ellis

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 20: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders drops back to pass during the third quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 20, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 20: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders drops back to pass during the third quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 20, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Karl Joseph #42 and Keisean Nixon #22 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after Joseph broke up a pass in the endzone on fourth down and goal against the Detroit Lions late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. The Raiders won the game 31-24. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 03: Karl Joseph #42 and Keisean Nixon #22 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after Joseph broke up a pass in the endzone on fourth down and goal against the Detroit Lions late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on November 03, 2019 in Oakland, California. The Raiders won the game 31-24. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Raiders defense makes big plays in crunch time

Although the Raiders’ defense is struggling to stop the pass, they do have one thing going for them; they step up when it matters. Outside of the Texans game, this defense has made big plays at the end of the game.

When the Raiders played the Colts, Erik Harris had a game-winning pick-six to close out the game, a game where the defense as a whole played fairly well. Against the Bears, the Raiders had an interception to win the game again, making that back to back weeks.

When the Raiders played the Packers, they were exposed and did not even have a chance to make a game-winning play, and against the Texans, they could not get to Deshaun Watson when it mattered. They let that game slip away, but they bounced back against the Lions, making a stop at the one-yard line on fourth down.

The defense looked its best against the Chargers, recording three interceptions, two coming from Harris, and 5 sacks, three coming from rookies. If the defense can play at that level the rest of the year, there is no doubt this team will make the playoffs.

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