In a rebuild like the one the Las Vegas Raiders are going through, some ups and downs are expected. Not everything will go swimmingly for a young coaching staff leading a very young roster with so many new pieces. But progress is what the organization and fans are mainly looking for.
Rob Leonard's defense has done the opposite this year.
They started up and came soaring back down, with no signs of slowing. Instead of making progress, they have regressed in almost every contest. They've fluctuated between bad and terrible for the last six games, allowing 30 or more points in each of them, and they have completely lost their identity.
This unit isn't flooded with talent, but they have enough to be better than they are.
So, for his group's effort in Week 9's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Leonard earns another D-, his third in the last four weeks and his fifth in the last six games. He looked to be out of answers on Sunday, and his seat is certainly heating up in Las Vegas, even if no changes are imminent.
Rob Leonard's unit earns another D- grade in Raiders-49ers blowout
As always, let's start with the facts.
The Raiders' defense gave up 31 points against a 49ers team that was averaging 28.1 points per game prior to Sunday's matchup. While that may not seem like a crazy-bad showing, it's still below average, and San Francisco was without its top three receivers. That weighs heavily.
Given that, Leonard and Co. should have known that the 49ers would feature a heavy ground attack and that they would be looking for tight end George Kittle a lot through the air and picking their moments to go deep with fast but not particularly nuanced receivers.
And yet that is precisely where they gashed the Raiders.
San Francisco ran for 94 yards in the first quarter (!!) and 190 yards in the game. Las Vegas' defense missed nine tackles in the game, which isn't ideal, but they also gave up plenty of yards before contact due to being out of position or getting mauled at the point of contact.
Kittle had several key catches, including another huge one that got called back, and Brock Purdy was able to find Jordan Watkins for a deep touchdown. Leonard also dropped defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway into coverage on Christian McCaffrey, which is never a good idea. CMC scored easily.
Las Vegas really only gave up two big plays against the 49ers, but that is part of the problem: the Raiders got walked down on every possession, as Kyle Shanahan's offense started the game with touchdown drives of 12, 13 and 12 plays. That kills the offense's momentum, too.
Leonard's crew couldn't stop the run, they couldn't cover or tackle, and they couldn't get after the quarterback. It was a rough all-around performance, even if it came against one of the league's best teams and the game's best schemer and offensive mind.
And while things were markedly better in the second half, the defense dug itself and the entire team into a hole once again. That is a very bad habit that they cannot seem to break.
How Rob Leonard's defense avoided an "F" against San Francisco
As we just mentioned, the second half was much better. Treydan Stukes picked off a pass to cut a 49ers possession short, and after the Raiders' offense failed to capitalize, the defense turned around with another tremendous stop at midfield. They cinched things up after the break.
Following the offense's second straight giveaway, the defense gave up a touchdown, and after the third one, another field goal. But to be fair, the offense did not put them in a position to succeed, and they are at least partly culpable for the defensive shortcomings in the second half.
Also, this is an elite offense that they went up against, with or without their top wide receivers. Shanahan has an uncanny ability to scheme around deficiencies, and he is impossible for even the best defensive coordinators to stop.
Things at least looked a little bit better in the second half, and given the Raiders' foe, Leonard avoids an "F," unlike last week.
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)
Week 9 vs. San Francisco 49ers: D- (0.7)
GPA: 1.72
Leonard remains below a passing game.
Add us as a preferred source on Google