HENDERSON, Nev. — Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders defense know what they’re going to get when they line up across from the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday for their Week 2 matchup. With two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and former All-Pro running back Derrick Henry leading the way, the Ravens will lean on a bruising game plan focused on running the ball down the Raiders’ throat.
“Big-boy football,” Pierce said Wednesday. “Strap it up. Have a hard-hat mentality. Grab a couple Advil from (head athletic trainer) Chris (Cortez). It’s going to hurt.”
The Ravens rushed for 185 yards (the second most in the NFL) in their Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Thursday. The 0-1 Raiders have to figure out how to stop the power of Henry, who’s 6 feet 3, 247 pounds, and the speed and elusiveness of Jackson, who’s arguably the greatest running quarterback of all time.
“(Jackson) is definitely as good as it gets, as dynamic as it gets. The definition of a dual threat,” Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said Monday. “I believe in our guys, and I believe in our coaches and our scheme. We’re going to rebound and lock in and do what we’ve got to do this week.”
Even when Jackson drops back to pass, his legs remain a threat. It’s crucial that the defensive front and secondary remain disciplined.
“If you see our guys running up the field running past the quarterback, just pack your bags. It’s going to be a long day for the Raiders,” Pierce said. “When I played, we played against (Michael) Vick, and we called it cage rush — kind of keeping him in (the pocket). You see Lamar, he has the ability to slither his way out of it. It’s very difficult. The second-level defenders and your DBs, they’re 12 to 14 yards deep, and all of a sudden he steps up in the A and B gap, and what do you do? Do you stay back in coverage or do you go attack the quarterback? It’s really critical up front that we’re detailed and do our job. … Everybody’s eyes have got to be on (No.) 8.”
Though the Raiders’ defense has improved since coordinator Patrick Graham was hired in 2022, the unit has not found a way to consistently stop the run. In 2022, the Raiders finished 19th in rushing defense. Last season, they slipped to 21st. The first sign that the run defense could continue to be an issue this fall emerged when the Raiders allowed 410 rushing yards (the fifth most in the NFL) across three games this preseason. Though most of that yardage was given up by backups, it still concerned Pierce.
“It’s not our standard,” Pierce said after the final preseason game.
In the Raiders’ Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, it still wasn’t. The Chargers gouged the Raiders for 176 rushing yards. Without an improvement this week, the Ravens offense will be able to utilize a similar approach to the Chargers.
To get a sense of how the Raiders can avoid a repeat against the Ravens, it’s worth looking at what went wrong against the Chargers. In the first half, things couldn’t have gone much better for the Las Vegas defense. Quarterback Justin Herbert completed 10 of 13 passes but for only 67 yards and was held without a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Raiders limited the Chargers to just 20 rushing yards on nine attempts, allowing just 6 points as their secondary and pass rush thrived.
In the second half, though, the Raiders’ stout rush defense dissolved. Los Angeles running back J.K. Dobbins needed only eight carries to total 131 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers gained 156 yards on the ground in the second half and outscored the Raiders 16-3 on the way to a 22-10 win. Each of L.A.’s three second-half scoring drives resulted from breakdowns in the Las Vegas run defense.
On the Chargers’ first drive of the second half, Dobbins took a carry up the middle on third-and-1. Wilkins quickly shed his blocker and had a chance to bring him down for a short gain, but he whiffed while attempting a diving tackle. No one else separated from his blocker, which allowed Dobbins to spring into the second level of the defense. Dobbins made safety Tre’von Moehrig miss before nickelback Nate Hobbs finally brought him down after a gain of 46 yards.
J.K. DOBBINS 46 YARDS!
📺: #LVvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/TAO6tSqpQ1— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
The Chargers went on to settle for a field goal to take a 9-7 lead.
After Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson missed a field goal attempt later in the third quarter, the Chargers took over with a favorable field position.
After driving into the red zone, on first-and-10, Dobbins took another carry up the middle. Linebacker Divine Deablo was lined up as a slot defender and was sent on a blitz but seemed to mistime the snap. He got caught up behind defensive end Maxx Crosby, which left a gaping hole on the right for Dobbins to cut through. Deablo recovered late and attempted to tackle Dobbins, but the running back fought through it, regained his balance and finished the run for a 12-yard touchdown to extend the Chargers’ lead to 16-7.
touchdown, baby
📺 | @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/iD3od713wL
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 8, 2024
After a Carlson field goal cut the lead to 16-10, the Raiders forced a three-and-out and had a chance to take the lead on the ensuing possession. But instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 43-yard line with seven-plus minutes remaining, Pierce bet his defense could get a stop.
The Raiders punted the ball back to the Chargers. But once again, their run defense crumbled.
On a third-and-2, Dobbins converted a short run for a first down that drained the game clock to 4:58. On the next play, he took another carry for 7 yards and the Chargers decided to stick with the hot hand.
On second-and-3, the Chargers came out in 22 personnel (one running back, one fullback and two tight ends). In response, the Raiders were lined up in an unusual front. Defensive tackles Wilkins, John Jenkins and Adam Butler and defensive ends Charles Snowden and Janarius Robinson were on the line of scrimmage. Crosby lined up as a linebacker with Deablo and Robert Spillane. Moehrig was lined up next to Crosby, so the Raiders had eight players in the box.
Crosby blitzed right as the ball was snapped, and the Chargers handed off to Dobbins on a carry up the middle. The Chargers blocked the Raiders’ loaded front perfectly, and Dobbins exploded toward an open lane to the left. Safety Marcus Epps had crashed down toward the middle, and Hobbs was blocked by L.A.’s lone receiver. Dobbins had nothing but green turf in front of him and turned it into a 61-yard gain.
jk dobbins the man that u are
📺 | @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/YZGjq4cXYm
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 8, 2024
The Chargers would ice the game three plays later on a Herbert touchdown pass to receiver Ladd McConkey, but it was Dobbins’ run that broke the Raiders’ back.
In anticipation of the Chargers’ run-first approach, Graham significantly altered his defensive game plan. Last year, the Raiders used a nickel package (five defensive backs) on 81.8 percent of their defensive snaps (most in the NFL), according to TruMedia. Against the Chargers, however, they used nickel on just 46.3 percent of their snaps (28th).
Last year, the Raiders averaged just 7.2 plays per game with five defensive linemen on the field. Against the Chargers, they had 36 such plays.
The Raiders also played with one high safety on 57.4 percent of their snaps (eighth) and used a heavy box (seven or more defenders in the box) on 46.3 percent of their snaps (10th). Collectively, the adjustments were made to stop the run.
“If you can’t stop the run on defense, it’s going to be a long day,” Graham said last week. “That’s the worst fear as a defensive play caller.”
Graham’s strategy largely worked in the first half, but the second-half breakdowns might signal a need for additional tweaks. For instance, the Raiders didn’t have a single snap where they used more than two linebackers against the Chargers. When going against a Ravens team that often utilizes heavier packages, it could make sense for Graham to bring more defensive linemen and linebackers onto the field.
Schematic adjustments aside, the issues with the Raiders’ run defense will persist without a substantial uptick in player performance. The defense needs to do a better job at all three levels of shedding blocks, maintaining gap assignments and tackling.
The defensive line, in particular, has to step it up when it comes to block disruption and making plays in the backfield. The Raiders had just one tackle for loss on a run against the Chargers, and that was made by Spillane, a linebacker. The unit also will be short-handed against the Ravens. Starting defensive end Malcolm Koonce (knee) was placed on injured reserve last week and will be out until at least Week 5. Additionally, defensive end Tyree Wilson suffered a knee sprain against the Chargers. When asked about Wilson’s status Wednesday, Pierce said the injury is “not looking good.” Wilson didn’t practice Wednesday and seems unlikely to play Sunday.
In response to the injuries, the Raiders signed defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson to the practice squad Tuesday. The former first-round pick was largely a disappointment across four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pierce said he believes Chaisson has some “untapped potential” as a pass rusher. He could be signed to the active roster and play against the Ravens, but Chaisson is a smaller defensive end at 6-3, 254 pounds and doesn’t offer much as a run defender.
Putting the D-line aside, the linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties have to do a better job of fitting gaps, taking good angles and wrapping up ball carriers. It’ll take all of that coming together for the Raiders to slow the Ravens’ ground attack and give them a chance at an upset.
“Do your job each and every play,” Pierce said. “If you’re a second-level linebacker, fit the gap accordingly. If you’re a D-lineman, there’s no jumping around playing peek-a-boo. It’s critical. … You’ve got to keep playing team defense. Those are the good teams that play in the month of January and February, and that’s what we’re striving to do.”
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(Top photo of J.K. Dobbins breaking away from Divine Deablo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)
