Oakland Raiders: Charles Woodson Showing Age Is Just A Number

By Jonathan George | Oct 13, 2015

While the Oakland Raiders lost a big game this past Sunday, there was one really good takeaway from the defeat that seems to defy logic in terms of NFL history; specifically, the belief that a player gets progressively slower and becomes more of a liability with age. Charles Woodson, now officially a 39 year old safety, has like a fine wine seemed to improve with time.

More from Las Vegas Raiders

He is not so quiet making a real run at his 2nd D.P.O.Y. award; something nobody, even Woodson, would have predicted before the season.

Writing this article carries with it some real danger. After all, I may have jinxed Sebastian Janikowski when I mentioned how reliable he has been this year before he went out and missed two FG against Denver.

ALSO ON NFL SPIN ZONE: Woodson among the greatest draft picks of all-time?

But when it comes to Woodson, it’s worth the risk. And it’s not like an injury will keep Woodson down; whether it’s playing with a broken collarbone, as he did when he won a Super Bowl with Green Bay several years ago, or playing with a dislocated shoulder he hurt in week 1 this year, Woodson is truly an iron man. But the real reason he has a shot at being the best defensive player in the NFL in 2015 is his unmatched instincts and uncanny desire to win.

Woodson currently is tied for the league lead with 4 interceptions through week 5, with each pick seemingly more impressive from an athletic and vision standpoint than the last. The game sealing pick against the Cleveland Browns where he came out of nowhere. The pick off of Peyton Manning where he climbed an invisible ladder to grab it over cornerback D.J. Hayden. Every time it looks like he can’t top himself, Woodson does exactly that.

Meanwhile, he plays in a secondary that is currently 31st in the NFL in passing defense, per ESPN stats. This includes a registering only 9 sacks so far, putting them in a tie for 18th in the NFL. With more time to throw and lackluster coverage from the cornerbacks so far, you would think Woodson would be struggling to keep up. Instead, he has saved the Raiders time and time again this season, either by keeping them in the game or winning it for them.

The metrics bear this out as well. Profootballfocus.com has Woodson as a top 5 cover safety in the NFL through week 5. With his 2nd pick on Sunday against Peyton Manning and the Broncos, Woodson moved into 6th place all-time with 64 career interceptions; no one playing in the league today has more. While Woodson may be 39, he’s playing as though his age is closer to his jersey number: 24.

It is hard to predict where Oakland will end up this season when all is said and done. Their offense has shown flashes of brilliance, but also given fans pause with questionable performances in key situations. And the Raiders defense is definitely a work in progress overall.

But one thing is for certain: Charles Woodson has been the unquestioned MVP so far for this team in 2015, and if he keeps playing the way he has been he has a real chance to be one of the oldest, if not the oldest, D.P.O.Y. in NFL history.

Next: What makes Amari Cooper so good?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Las Vegas Raiders