Coming into the Sunday’s match-up against the Minnesota Vikings, the Oakland Raiders have a few defensive concerns that need to be solved if they want to come out with a victory. As mentioned in the past, the Raider’s ability to stop the opposing team’s quarterback needs to improve dramatically, and the best way to do that quickly is to improve the pass rushing numbers.
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It’s probably too late to expect the Raiders cornerbacks to improve; currently opposing teams QB’s are averaging well over 300 yards game against Oakland’s defensive back-end, which ranks them dead last in the NFL per ESPN statistics, and the idea that putting more defenders in the secondary while rushing 4 seems to be flawed logic.
With only 15 total sacks through 8 games this season, it’s time for the Raiders to take more risks on defense. They need to bring the blitz early and often. While blitzing on every projected pass play can leave you more exposed, and the odds of bigger gains and plays of course goes up, so does the opportunities for more negative plays like sacks and interceptions.
If you just look at the next probable QB the Raiders will face, Teddy Bridgewater, the numbers show that when he is pressured his performance drops. According to Pro Football Focus, of the 119 drop backs Bridgewater has taken under pressure, he has completed less that 50% of his pass attempts while throwing for 5 interceptions and just 2 TD’s. Pressure forces bad decisions, and the Raiders need to create more of it.
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Sure, Oakland has a lot of talent in Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith. Rookie Mario Edwards Jr. looks promising as well, and no one is suggesting that they can’t create decent pressure on their own. But the blueprint on the Oakland Raiders is out there for 2015: running the ball usually won’t work, but you can pass all over them. Per sportingcharts.com, the Oakland Raiders sack percentage per pass play defensed is 4.0%, good for 28th in the NFL.
Teams with the best sack percentage per pass play defended? The Denver Broncos and the St. Louis Rams are #1 and #2. Oh and by the way, they are ranked #1 and #4 respectively is pass defense, and #1 and #2 in sacks, per ESPN statistics.
Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton Jr. needs to have the attitude that Broncos DC Wade Phillips has, or the Rams Gregg Williams: if you’re going to beat me, you’re going to do it on my terms, not yours. The Raiders need to be the script writers on defense and make the opposing team change their game plan. Letting teams slowly pick you apart for 300+ yards and multiple TD passes won’t work long-term.
Derek Carr and the Raiders offense has saved the team in a lot of situations this season, but you can’t expect them to score 35 or more a game. Oakland needs to create more negative plays on defense with sacks and run stuffs in the backfield; to do that they need to create situations where they have free runners at the ball.
If, in the end, they are burned a few times deep, then so be it. Fans can decide what they would rather see: a slow death via a 7-10 play drive that results in a TD and a tired defense, or a 1-4 play drive that results in a TD sometimes, but a chance at a turnover or big sack more often.
The answer is simple: What has been tried has not worked. Blitz more and see if by doing so you can flip the script on pass defense.