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3 bold predictions for the Las Vegas Raiders defense in 2020

By Khaled Abdallah

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Maxx Crosby of Oakland Raiders celebrates during the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 06: Maxx Crosby of Oakland Raiders celebrates during the game between Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /
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Raiders CB Trayvon Mullen (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
Raiders CB Trayvon Mullen (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

3 bold predictions for the Las Vegas Raiders defense in 2020

Raiders defense will record 15 INTs and 40 sacks

Before you scoff at the numbers, let’s take a look at the Raiders interception and sack totals in 2019. Last year the Raiders recorded 9 interceptions, 29th in the league, and 32 sacks, enough for 25th in the league. The jump from 9 to 15 and 32 to 40 may sound like an incredible leap but it is quite realistic given the new additions on defense.

Last season the turnover in the Raiders’ defensive backfield was incredible as Daryl Worley was the only player to start both games in a 4-man backfield. Throughout the season, free agents like DJ Swearinger were asked to come in and start in place of injured players like Karl Joseph or Johnathan Abram, which is not a recipe for success.

This year, the Raiders have more depth in the secondary and at linebacker like Damarious Randall and Cory Littleton, who have put up impressive interception numbers in the past, so 15 is a realistic mark to aim for. Even the Raiders awful defense in 2018 that barely mustered 13 sacks had 14 interceptions.

Speaking of sacks, the team was able to record 32 on just 64 quarterback hits, lowest in the league by a fair margin. That sack rate is not sustainable but it shows that for the best pass rushing teams, a quarterback hit can be just as effective as sack in terms of impact.

The Raiders know they could not go in to 2020 relying on just Maxx Crosby to generate pressure so they went out and got two under the radar free agents in Carl Nassib and Maliek Collins who excel at that. Collins has 14.5 sacks and 40 quarterback hits in 61 games and Nassib has 18 sacks and 40 QB hits in 59 games but just 32 starts.

Those two additions along with an expected increase in production from Mo Hurst in his third season and Clelin Ferrell in his second could quite easily add up to 40 sacks for the Raiders. Not to mention Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski who have 3 seasons between them with 3 or more sacks. Look for the pass rush to be a strength of the Raiders defense in 2020.

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