Young coaches deserve to learn from their mistakes and should be allowed to grow on the job, just as young players so often get to. That said, it is getting harder and harder to defend Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard with each passing week.
After showing so much promise in the first few games of the season, the Raiders' defense has been a complete disaster. When the turnover luck ran out, this unit got exposed, and they've given up 35.2 points per game over the last five weeks. Las Vegas has gone 1-4 during that stretch.
And while results and the bottom line are both important, the issues run a bit deeper with Leonard's unit. They aren't prepared on Sundays, they make simple mistakes and don't correct their flaws, and they seemingly continue to get worse every time they take the field. Those matter more than points.
Week 8's effort against the New York Jets was easily the worst of the year. Leonard gets an "F" for his group's performance, his first true failing grade of the season. It feels like the rookie defensive play-caller is already nearing the end of his rope in Las Vegas.
Rob Leonard gets an "F" for Raiders' defensive effort vs. Jets
Keeping in mind that Leonard should know how to attack Geno Smith after spending a year in the building with him, and that he should know how to exploit Dylan Parham's weaknesses after battling with him in the trenches over several seasons, the defensive showing was particularly disappointing.
New York lit up Las Vegas for 33 points and 439 yards of offense, and it scored on their first six drives for the first time since 2008. The Raiders' defense dug itself quite a hole, and it was a miracle that the Jets inexplicably abandoned the run, which was very much working, in the second half.
On the ground, Las Vegas gave up 166 yards and a touchdown on 6.1 yards per carry, and through the air, Smith picked them apart for 290 yards and two touchdowns. They only pressured him 11 times and got two sacks, and Smith's interception came on the game's final play in desperation.
In fairness to Leonard's unit, they turned things around in the final quarter and a half, giving up just one field goal and forcing two three-and-outs. They also held up just enough and got the aforementioned takeaway with the game on the line. They deserve credit for that.
But the Jets were averaging 19.6 points per game before they faced Las Vegas. They hadn't eclipsed 25 points, and yet they scored 33. Previously, their season-high in total yards was 377, but they earned 439 against the Raiders. They had a season high in rushing yards. This is not a good offense.
And yet they had their way with the Raiders. Inexcusable.
Why Rob Leonard is near the end of his rope in Las Vegas
Simply put, this was somewhat of an arranged marriage in the first place. Leonard wasn't sought out by Kubiak or any other teams, for that matter. He was the best defensive coach left from the previous staff, and with how late in the process Kubiak was hiring a staff, Leonard was the best option.
It helped that Leonard was highly regarded and had worked with some great defensive minds before, plus he and Kubiak shared some DNA with their Mike Macdonald connection, but it's not like Kubiak brought Leonard with him from Seattle or made him a priority hire.
With how things are going in Las Vegas, the defense is the clear weak link, and they are obviously trending in the wrong direction. Their failure to improve is an indictment of the coaching staff on that side of the ball, especially after hefty offseason investments in the defense. More is required.
And if Leonard can't deliver more, then the Raiders would be justified in trying to find someone else who can. This is an elite offense that they're wasting, and the "lack of talent" excuse isn't holding Kubiak back. Leonard is the one struggling in an imperfect scenario.
There will be great defensive coaches available next offseason, like Jim Shwartz and Sean McDermott. Maybe some combination of Todd Bowles, Aaron Glenn or Dan Quinn gets fired as well. Perhaps there is a young up-and-comer.
But if this eight-game sample size becomes Rob Leonard's résumé for the year, then it will be hard for Las Vegas to justify keeping him. The Raiders are ahead of schedule in their rebuild and will be ready to compete as soon as next year, perhaps even this year. And Leonard can't hold them back, as he has in the last few weeks.
Rob Leonard Report Card
Week 1 vs. Miami Dolphins: B (3.0)
Week 2 vs. Los Angeles Chargers: A- (3.7)
Week 3 vs. New Orleans Saints: B+ (3.3)
Week 4 vs. Kansas City Chiefs: C- (1.7)
Week 5 vs. New England Patriots: D- (0.7)
Week 6 vs. Buffalo Bills: C- (1.7)
Week 7 vs. Los Angeles Rams: D- (0.7)
Week 8 vs. New York Jets: F (0.0)
GPA: 1.85
That's not a passing grade.
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