To the surprise of many, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ defense has played very well to start the season, while the offense has struggled. Expectations were high for the offense due to the additions of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, quarterback Geno Smith, and running back Ashton Jeanty.
That wasn’t the case for the defense, as the Raiders didn’t make any big moves to add difference-makers, and they lost star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason. Las Vegas is allowed 16.5 points a game through two weeks, which is fifth-best in the NFL.
The fact that the Raiders’ defense lacks high-end talent hasn’t changed, so it’s fair to question if their success is sustainable. ESPN went through and revealed if each team’s “surprising trend” this season is real or a mirage. They believe the Raiders’ success is real.
“Real,” Ryan McFadden wrote. “Las Vegas has allowed 16.5 points per game through two weeks. Against the Chargers, the defense kept the game within reach, allowing just three points in the second half. Even though the Raiders still have question marks in the secondary, coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham have shown they can find a way to get the best out of the talent at hand.”
What is Raiders Defense Doing Right?
The Raiders’ defense didn’t have an easy job in Week 2. Justin Herbert is playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the Las Vegas offense gave up three turnovers. Despite that, the defense still kept the team in the game.
A big reason for that has been the run defense. In two games, the Raiders are allowing 70.5 rushing yards a game, which is fourth-best in the league. Now, the pass defense hasn’t been great. The 256 yards a year they’re allowing is sixth-worst in the NFL. Luckily, that hasn’t led to them giving up many points.
The Raiders still haven’t been creating a lot of turnovers, nor have they been getting after the quarterback much, so it’s promising that they’re still not allowing teams to score a lot of points. The group should only get better as the season goes on.
Raiders Need the DL to Be Better
The defensive line has been solid at defending the run, but they are creating very little pass rush. Maxx Crosby is still a superstar, but he’s getting double-teamed almost every snap, and nobody is stepping up.
The big concern is on the inside. Six different players took snaps at defensive tackle in Week 2. The Raiders are having a very difficult time replacing Wilkins. For now, head coach Pete Carroll is still trying to get a better feel for the group, which is why so many players are seeing snaps right now.
“We’re still evaluating the strengths and making sure that we’re zeroing in on that. But yeah, we’re going to continue to move our guys,” Carroll said, per Raiders.com. “We like the uniqueness that the guys bring, and so we’re trying to put them in those positions as much as possible and try to make it hard on your opponent so they’re not certain what we’re doing.”
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