Raiders have the 13th-best pass rush lineup in the league, surprisingly
The Las Vegas Raiders' defense isn't close to being one of the best in the league or even league average, really. They are a unit that has won the Raiders a few games, but solely because the offense couldn't. However, there is something surprisingly good about the defense that we likely didn't know about as […]
The Las Vegas Raiders' defense isn't close to being one of the best in the league or even league average, really. They are a unit that has won the Raiders a few games, but solely because the offense couldn't. However, there is something surprisingly good about the defense that we likely didn't know about as a fan base.
We know how good Maxx Crosby is, as he is one of the best defensive players in the league. He is a top player at his position, and there frankly isn't anyone like him. The start of the season he is having is one that would warrant some DPOY conversations, that is, if he was on a good defense.
The defense is bad, but according to some advanced stats, the Raiders somehow have an above-average pass-rush unit.
According to Arjun Menon, the Raiders have the 13th-best four-man pass rush lineup in the league.
This list shows every team's best four-man pass rush lineup and ranks them from whose is the best to whose is the worst based on pressure percentage, sack percentage, and stunt percentage. The immediate ranking is pressure percentage because that is obviously the best metric to use to see how good a unit is, even when they aren't necessarily getting the sack.
The Raiders' pass rush lineup of Bilal Nichols, Maxx Crosby, Tyree Wilson, and Adam Butler is their best lineup, and it's the 13th-best lineup in the league when it comes to pressure percentage. According to this chart and graph, that lineup is getting pressure on the quarterback 45% of the time. However, the one thing that is bad about this lineup is the volume, in which they have only played 11 snaps together.
That unit's sack percentage is 9%, and their stunt percentage is 18%. The pressure number is great, but that sack number isn't the best. Now, they need to see what they can do with this lineup when they get more volume.
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The Raiders lost to the Bears on Sunday.
