Part of the Raiders’ struggles this season has been an underwhelming performance by the team’s defense. Aside from a notable coaching decision made last week, though, no major changes with respect to players or coaches will be coming any time soon. 
Las Vegas ranks 28th in the league in both total and scoring defense, despite a number of moves made in the offseason which led to heightened expectations the unit could at least effectively complement the Raiders’ talented array of skill-position players. That included bringing in Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons in the same capacity with the Giants.
One element of the team’s lackluster performance to date has been its pass rush. Despite having a starting edge tandem of Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, the Raiders have registered a league-worst 10 sacks this season. The latter has accounted for just 0.5 of that total, a figure which marks a major disappointment relative to the $52.5MM deal he signed this offseason. Significant alterations to the rotation, or along the sidelines, are not being considered for the remainder of the season, however.
“What’s the alternative?” head coach Josh McDaniels said, via Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required). “I think that’s our job to look at that and consider it that way, but I also think throwing things out there just because you’re frustrated with the results doesn’t necessarily mean that the results are going to change for the better at all. Matter of fact, they could get dramatically worse.”
Eyebrows were raised this past Sunday when three notable defenders were deactivated. Defensive linemen Clelin Ferrell, Matthew Butler and Neil Farrell were each healthy scratches for the team’s 25-20 loss to the Colts. Reed tweets that the decision was made as a result of an unspecified non-football matter.
Amidst the Raiders’ 2-7 campaign, questions have been raised about the commitment level of certain players, a list which may include Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller. McDaniels’ job security has also been a talking point in recent weeks, though owner Mark Davis emphatically put an end to speculation about a change being made in that regard in at least the intermediate future. The same will apparently hold true both on the field and the sidelines for the team’s defense.
When a guy clings to a haircut like Mark Davis does, it’s impossible to tell how long he’ll tolerate something, no matter how ugly.
I think Mark Davis has more in common with Moe Howard than just a haircut.
LOL! Hey Moe!
Thanks for the laugh
They better NOT fix the D! They’re in a hunt for the number 1 pick!!!
I would say bench Carr, but like I said… I want the number one pick. Maybe they’ll take a punter
who are they picking with that #1 pick though?
Defense.
Defense. Defense. Defense.
In fact, if they did get it, it’s a prime opportunity to trade back and acquire more defensive help.
As a Giants fan we had to put up with Patrick Grahams ‘bend but don’t break’ defense for a few years. It was horrible watching DB’s and LB’s playing 12 yards off the ball when it was 3rd and 2. Hoping that you would get an incompletion or force them into a field goal situation. By time the end of the drive came about our defense was gased from the 12-15 play drive. Then at the end of the half or the game the defense was so tired they couldn’t tackle or cover anyone. It was why we were outscored 92-0 in the last 2 minutes of a half or game.
Probably why Blake Martinez up and retired when he remembered how crappy the defense scheme was.
Sucky defense + we aren’t going to change anything = Raiders.
At least they got out of Oakland I guess.
They released Abrams after sawing he was learning to be the leader of the defense.
The head lined should read “major changes are coming”
“Matter of fact, they could get dramatically worse.”
I’d like him to expand on that remark a little.
Last in sacks.
28th in defense.
2nd worse record in the NFL.
Does anything qualify as “dramatically worse”?
“What’s the alternative?”
Hey coach, isn’t that your job to figure out??