The Las Vegas Raiders' defense was projected to be a major weakness coming into the 2025 NFL season. The unit had been up and down over the first five weeks of the year, as they had three strong performances and two brutal showings.
The defense entered Week 6 allowing 27.8 points per game, the seventh-most in the league. They had, undoubtedly, their worst performance in Week 5, as they allowed the Indianapolis Colts to score 40 points in the first three quarters, which included six consecutive touchdown drives.
Earlier this week, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham highlighted three areas where he hoped to see an improvement against the Tennessee Titans in Week 6. The Raiders' defense answered the call in a major way, excelling in each.
Raiders' defense answers Patrick Graham's call in dominant Week 6 performance
Graham spoke on the Raiders' defensive issues during his press conference on Thursday, noting that he was hoping to see more from the unit. He highlighted the need for the pass rush to improve, while adding that Las Vegas must be better in third-down situations and at forcing turnovers.
The defense stepped up to the challenge as they recorded a season-high six sacks in Week 6, including two from Maxx Crosby, as well as one apiece from Devin White, Jonah Laulu and Leki Fotu, with the sixth being a team sack. They were also much better in third-down situations, as the Titans were just 3-13 on the day.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas forced a season-high three turnovers. The first was the most pivotal, as a strip sack from White was recovered by Tyree Wilson at the Tennessee two-yard line, which set up the Raiders' first touchdown of the day.
White was responsible for the next turnover as well, as he intercepted a pass late in the second quarter to keep the Titans, who were in field goal range, off the board. The pass rush was, once again, the cause for the turnover, as Wilson and Laulu, who both made contact with Titans quarterback Cam Ward, applied pressure, leading to an errant throw.
The pass rush was also behind Tennessee's third turnover on the day. While nobody got home, it was credited as a team sack as Ward lost the football due to the incoming pressure, leading to a Thomas Booker IV recovery on the Titans' final offensive play of the game.
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Head coach Pete Carroll highlighted the importance of winning the turnover battle following the game.
"There's nothing more of a factor than the football," Carroll said. "If you don't give it up, you win 75% of the time, if you just don't turn it over. So, to be in the plus, it's important. We got to get our numbers back up to where we're a plus for the season."
Las Vegas entered Week 6 with a -6 differential in the turnover department. It marked the first time the team forced more than one turnover this season, and just the second time that they won the turnover battle, with Week 3's blowout loss to the Washington Commanders being the other.
Sunday marked the Raiders' best defensive performance of the season as, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden, it was the first time the defense recorded six sacks and three turnovers on the same day since 2002.
Entering Week 6, Las Vegas had just eight total sacks, the eighth-lowest mark in the league. Their opponents had converted on 45.9% of their third-down attempts as well, which was the fifth-highest percentage. Their four takeaways and two interceptions were tied for the sixth-fewest and seventh-fewest, respectively.
While they were facing one of the NFL's worst offenses, the performance after Graham's call-out was certainly encouraging. Six weeks into the season, it looks like the Raiders are a few pieces away from being a stout defensive team.