For long-time Raider fans, a few things have been as certain as death and taxes: head-scratching draft picks, self-sabotaging penalties, and bottom-rung defenses.
Since Gruden returned in 2018, the defense has been especially inept at rushing the passer, having never finished above 23rd in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rush grading:
- 2018: 32nd in NFL
- 2019: 23rd in NFL
- 2020: 27th in NFL
While there is an ongoing debate about whether pass-rushing or coverage is more important, one thing is for certain: a top-five pass-rushing unit increases a team’s odds of making the playoffs. Over the last three seasons, 80% of teams that finished in the top five of PFF’s pass-rush grading made the postseason:
- 2018: 5 of the top 5 pass-rushing units made the playoffs
- 2019: 3 of the top 5 pass-rushing units made the playoffs
- 2020: 4 of the top 5 pass-rushing units made the playoffs
Not just coincidentally, the last time the Raiders made the playoffs was the last time they joined that list. The year was 2016 and the Raiders paired a high-powered offense with a top-tier pass rush, headlined by a stud defensive end.
Could 2021 follow suit? It’s a small sample size, but signs point to yes. Reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week Maxx Crosby fit the bill of a stud in Week 1. And he was joined by two teammates in the top ten of PFF’s pass-rushing grade:
- 3rd: Maxx Crosby (93.1)
- 6th: Yannick Ngakoue (91.7)
- 10th: Carl Nassib (90.4)
For comparison, the 2020 Raiders had only two games where a player earned a PFF pass-rushing grade over 90. The 2021 Raiders have therefore outperformed their predecessors in that stat in one game. Quite a feather in the cap for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s debut.
But possibly the best sign for the remainder of the season—and what ultimately may make this success sustainable—is that the Raiders achieved this ranking without blitzing:
Getting pressure without blitzing is a key tenet of Gus Bradley’s system. As fans saw on Monday night, if the Raiders can get pressure with only four, they can contain a former NFL MVP and actually be the reason the Raiders win.
Time will tell if the defense can repeat Monday’s performance, but for the time being the defense is no longer on the bottom rung, ranking in the top ten of Football Outsiders’ DVOA rankings.
And, for that alone, Raider fans should be overjoyed and optimistic.
Twitter: @TravisGilkeson
