After a stellar effort against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, the Oakland Raiders pass rush is improving as the season rolls along.
The Oakland Raiders entered the 2019 season with many questions circulating their defensive line. After last season, where the Raiders ranked last in the NFL among sacks, many wondered if they did enough in the offseason to address the team’s biggest need?
The Raiders entered year two under Jon Gruden with another young and inexperienced defensive line, which still lacked a game-wrecker to get after the quarterback. Oakland came into the season with big plans for their first round pass rusher Clelin Ferrell, but since making his debut, he’s experienced a rocky start to his NFL career.
While the jury was out early when it came to Ferrell’s egregious start to the 2019 season, he’s put together back-to-back performance’s that give him some life. The coaching staff has moved him all over the defensive line, trying to give him some favorable matchups, but he’s only thrived in those situations as of late.
Dating back to Week 9, Ferrell recorded four tackles, and got to Matthew Stafford on the final play of the game, resulting in a bad throw and a Raiders victory. In Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers, he recorded 2.5 sacks, eights tackles, two tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and one pass defended.
Ferrell’s last two games have without a doubt been the best of his young career.
Oakland signed Benson Mayowa to a one-year $1.7 million prove-it deal this offseason, and since then he’s exceeded all expectations. Through Mayowa’s first eight games, he’s recorded a career-high seven sacks, and has three forced fumbles.
Mayowa has been a pleasant surprise for the Raiders defense as he’s helped close the window for their biggest question mark entering the final season in Oakland. His 6.5 tackles for loss, which also lead the team, shows the coaching staff he’s not just someone who can play on passing downs, but he can be a factor in stopping the run.
While Mayowa is posting his breakthrough year, Raiders fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby is turning some heads with the promising start to his early career. Crosby, who originally was thought of as a rotational pass rusher has solidified himself as a viable option.
Crosby’s high motor and never quit mindset have given him a little taste of success through the early stages of his rookie campaign. In last week’s Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Chargers, he finished the night with a team-high ten pressures on Philip Rivers.
In his first nine professional games, Crosby has recorded 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, three passes defended, and 23 tackles.
After last season, where the Raiders only recorded 13 sacks, they’ve seen a tremendous change from their pass rushers. They currently have 20 sacks this season and still have seven more games on the schedule. With a core of young defenders on the defensive line they’ll experience many growing pains, but still possess many signs of improvement moving forward.