Raiders: Like it or not Josh McDaniels is not the problem in Las Vegas
Raiders: Like it or not Josh McDaniels is not the problem in Las Vegas
Defensive Gon’ Defense
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The Raiders’ defense can’t get to the quarterback and the secondary can’t cover for long. This year’s defensive woes make it feel like Groundhog Day over and over when many thought this year would be different.
We saw some success with the duo of Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue last season holding down the defensive end position. Since that time, the Raiders signed Pro-Bowl EDGE rusher Chandler Jones, who was supposed to be the rich man’s version of Yannick. Unlucky enough for the Raiders’ defense though, he has yet to record a sack through nine games.
This year’s defense has slightly gotten worse compared to last year’s, which would account for the fact that as a whole, this team has a hard time closing out games and holding onto leads. Last season they ranked 29th in turnovers, 22nd in passing touchdowns, and 23rd in rushing touchdowns.
This year they rank 32nd, 30th, and 20th in their respective stats.
Their average per game in some important stats has also dropped quite a bit. They averaged 2 sacks a game last year, and this year a measly 1.1. Last season they averaged 3.76 hurries a game, this year they’ve averaged 2. Ironically enough they have averaged just about exactly the same in the turnover category, at .88 per game this season and last.
When you look at the in-depth stats from last year to current, it’s not surprising that Patrick Graham has broken pretty even with a unit that was handpicked by Gus Bradley. Furthermore, defense is arguably more important than offense when it comes to having your guys for your system.
Graham has simplified his scheme around the players he currently has, but the unfortunate part is that it simplifies things for opposing offenses. Giving him a year or two to curate his own players through the draft and free agency will go a long way in potentially bringing the Raiders the highest-ranked defense they’ve had in a long time.