Las Vegas Raiders defense answered some questions in 2021 Week 1

Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard (42) is brought down by Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Denzel Perryman (52) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard (42) is brought down by Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Denzel Perryman (52) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball ahead of Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib (94) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball ahead of Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib (94) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders had a ton of question marks on defense heading into their Week 1 matchup against Baltimore, and they answered some Monday night.

Last season, the Las Vegas Raiders struggled mightily on the defensive side of the ball, finishing as one of the worst teams in all of football. They stunk against the run, were atrocious against the pass, and that led to them finishing up with a bottom-3 defense in the league overall.

This offseason, the franchise made a concerted effort to get better on that side of the ball, utilizing many draft picks and a lot of free agency money to fill the many holes. On Monday night, we got a good look at what could be for this Raiders defense, as they were fast and opportunistic, something they have not been in a long time.

Would Gus Bradley make a difference? Will there be a legitimate pass rush? Could the team even be better than the mess that it was last year? These were some of the biggest questions surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders defense heading into the 2021 season.

And after a huge week one win, it seems that these questions have their answers.

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