Raiders’ defense was a huge issue vs. the Commanders and it still managed to extend an insane streak
The Las Vegas Raiders defense was bad, but extended a special streak.
The Las Vegas Raiders went into D.C. to face the Washington Commanders. They came out with everyone realizing that maybe this isn’t a good football team, and this is the same old Raiders.
The offense and special teams were terrible, and the one thing that they had working for them the last two weeks, the defense, was also terrible. Las Vegas let backup Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota put up more than 40 points. And yet, somehow, the Raiders defense still extended a pretty insane streak, according to the Raiders PR team.
“DE Maxx Crosby sacks WAS QB Marcus Mariota for a loss of eight yards, notching his second sack of the season. Crosby also notches his 28th career game with multiple TFLs, the second most of such games in the NFL since 2019, only behind T.J. Watt (31). His 28 games have also tied Von Miller (28) and T.J. Watt (28) for the third most games in the NFL since 1999 among players in their first 97 games – only behind J.J. Watt (41) and Aaron Donald (34). The Raiders have now recorded a sack in 38 straight games, the second-longest active streak in the NFL (Ravens 57) and the team’s longest streak since a 58-game streak from 1984-87.”
Raiders’ defense has the pass rush, but it needs everything else
The Commanders pretty much did whatever they wanted to do, but the Raiders’ pass rush has been there. Well, it’s been there in waves, really. At times, it appears they’re extremely dominant up front, and then it seems like no one is there. In this game, it was just a few individual moments, and outside of that, they were bad.
Maxx Crosby will always have moments where he busts through the offensive line and gets pressure, but doesn’t get the sack because of a quick throw.
Washington gashed the Raiders in the run game. They gave up 201 rushing yards and allowed the Commanders to settle into the game and play at their pace. And when you allow a team to rush for 200 yards, and that team still scores 40 points, that’s how you know the defense was bad.
The Commanders only had 199 passing yards, but the Raiders still managed to give up some big-time plays through the air at what seemed to be the worst times. The secondary looked so lost, and the defense as a whole just wasn’t good. Yes, we talk about the pass rush being good or having moments, but it finished with just that one sack.
Something has to change with this defense.
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