The Las Vegas Raiders were supposed to have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL last season. Injuries derailed the group, but all four of the major cogs were set to be back in 2025 for a chance at redemption under the same defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, and head coach Pete Carroll.
Before the season started, however, Christian Wilkins had a falling out with the team and was suddenly released. Malcolm Koonce hasn't returned to the form that he was in during the 2023 campaign either, and Tyree Wilson has not lived up to his billing as the No. 7 overall pick.
Maxx Crosby is just as dominant as he's ever been, and Adam Butler is a selfless superstar. But this defensive line has failed to meet expectations this year, and it is plaguing the defense and team as a whole. Week 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers will also be a disaster if they don't step up.
Raiders' defensive line must step up vs. battered Chargers offensive line
Las Vegas has only recorded 20 sacks this season through 11 games, which is the 27th-most in the NFL. Crosby leads the unit with 6.0 sacks, and Jonah Laulu notched 4.0 at the beginning of the year, but no other player on the roster has more than 2.0, and things have been bleak lately.
Against rookie Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders in Week 12, the Raiders only recorded one sack. In fact, this defense has only recorded 5.0 sacks in the last five games, good for just one a week. They've had no multi-sack games since Week 6, when they had 6 against Cam Ward.
If Las Vegas can't get it done this week against the Chargers' offensive line, the matchup will be an absolute disaster. Los Angeles' two star tackles are out, their big free agency signing Mekhi Becton has been banged up all year, and the team has been forced to utilize countless lineups due to injuries.
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This Chargers team has given up 37 sacks this season, which is the 6th-most in the NFL. Despite being 2-1 in the last three games, Los Angeles has relinquished 14 quarterback sacks, which won't fly against the better teams in the league.
Of course, the Raiders are among the worst teams in the NFL, but their pass rush has the potential to make life difficult on Sunday. They haven't even remotely shown what they are capable of this season, but the talent and pieces are all there for them to put together a strong showing.
The Raiders will obviously need to find another elite edge rusher to pair with Crosby this offseason, and another starting caliber defensive tackle alongside Butler. But a coming out party against a brutally inept and injured Chargers offensive line could stave off those talks, if just for a little longer.