Las Vegas Raiders: 5 biggest surprises of 2022 thus far

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 02: Running back Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates with teammates after he ran for a 10-yard touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter of their game at Allegiant Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 32-23. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 02: Running back Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates with teammates after he ran for a 10-yard touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter of their game at Allegiant Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 32-23. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Oct 23, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones (55) celebrates after making a play against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones (55) celebrates after making a play against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

Las Vegas Raiders: 5 biggest surprises of 2022 thus far

The pass rush has drastically underperformed

Heading into the 2022 NFL season, the pass rush duo of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones was supposed to be one of the best in football. It was a duo that I felt was going to be consistent in terms of getting after the quarterback, but through the first six games, only one-half of the duo has stepped up.

Maxx Crosby has himself six sacks with 16 pressures, but the Raiders are now tied for dead last in team sacks with just nine.

If there was going to be a strength to this Raiders defense, I felt good about it being the pass rush, but unfortunately, it appears Crosby is out there on his own, and one man is not going to make a pass rush overly successful. I don’t care who that man is.

Chandler Jones is a potential Hall-of-Famer and he only has a half-sack to his credit with six quarterback hits and is on track to have the worst season of his career by a longshot. I knew he wasn’t going to have his fastball still, but this has been shocking.