Raiders vs. NFC West: Best Pass Rusher

If you peruse the 2018 schedule, you will find the Raiders meet the NFC West this season. With so much riding on every game, Oakland needs to stockpile wins. As a result, each aspect of the game falls under focus. As a result, protecting Derek Carr becomes a priority. The NFL West boasts freakish pass rushers. With that said FPC writers Zaragoza, Aspuria, Simmons, Berry, and Camarillo detail their pick as the one to watch.

Anthony Zaragoza

Aaron Donald. Welcome back to the NFL, Jon Gruden. Opening the season on Monday Night Football against the defending NFC West champions is hard enough. Now, Gruden and new Offensive Line Coach Tim Cable need to worry about the 3-time All-Pro defensive tackle. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year is a quarterback nightmare. Also, should be double-teamed at all times. Donald remains disruptive at the point of attack. This will serve as the Raiders’ biggest test, individually, on defense all season.

Chris Simmons

Aaron Donald is the most unique pass rushing force in the NFL right now and it is not even close. Between his shorter size and insane quickness, Donald is a terror even for veterans like Rodney Hudson. The worst part is how difficult it is to double team an Interior lineman that is like trying to double team a point guard in basketball. That means someone is getting a one-on-one matchup that even the best OL can lose. If they Raiders are going to be among the best, then Donald will be a great opening salvo.

Kenneth Berry

Rams: Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Two of the best defensive lineman in football, few defensive tackles can penetrate backfields like Suh and Donald. The Raiders will have to pick their poison and protect rookie right tackle Kolton Miller because that is who Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will scheme against. Gabe Jackson had a down year run blocking but was still elite in pass protection. Right tackle will be the albatross on the Raiders back if Miller does not develop into a competent right tackle.

Seahawks: Frank Clark, Shaquem Griffin, & Rasheem Green. Clark is a young and proven pass rushing talent with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett gone. Griffin is more than a feel good story. He is a tenacious pass rushing linebacker with 4.38 speed and a chip on his shoulder for having it held against him for only having one hand. Oh and the Raiders passed on him every chance they got.

Another tremendous talent the Raiders surprisingly passed on is Rasheem Green. Pegged as Carlos Dunlap 2.0, Green undoubtedly would’ve been a top-10 pick had he gone back for his senior year but falling to the third round was a blessing in disguise because Seattle develops pass rushers. Green can play edge or as a three technique which means trouble for the Raiders. His versatility and athleticism would have benefited them much more than anything Brandon Parker will probably do. Fellow rookie and former Bruin Miller will have to avoid abuse by Green again, like he did when Green was a Trojan.

San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner & Fred Warner. Thomas owns measureables almost identical to Aaron Donald. Buckner is an athletic freak with size almost comparable to Calais Campbell and his length could cause a lot of batted passes or even an interception. Arik Armstead is not much of a pass rushing threat but he and Buckner have the length to be that disruptive. Warner can do a little bit of everything and with his athleticism, he could wreck havoc on delayed blitzes or stunts with Reuben Foster. The Raiders passed on Warner as well in the draft.

Arizona Cardinals: Chandler Jones, Markus Golden, Haason Riddick, & Robert Nkemdiche.

Chandler is an All-Pro pass rusher who will be giving Donald Penn trouble all game. Markus Golden is only a few years removed from a 12-sack season and will be problems on a backside play action plays. Riddick is an athletic marvel an is only in his second year. He and Deone Bucannon can chase down anything and Riddick was a great pass rusher at Temple. Nkemdiche is so athletic and strong that can never truly be forgotten about with so much talent around him. The Raiders took Karl Joseph on him but the jury is still out on both players.

Ray Aspuria

Aaron Donald. He is an interior cat and the Raiders boast arguably the best interior line, but Donald is that good. What Khalil Mack is as an edge defender, is what Donald is as an interior annihilator.

Pete Camarillo

The obvious answer is Aaron Donald since he is the best pass rusher in the division. Also, a generational talent who transcends his position by playing across the defensive line. However, the Raiders are strong at the guard position. I do not expect them or anyone to stop Donald but Oakland’s guards will make the DT work. Of course, Donald would have to end his holdout before the two teams play in Week 1.

If you peruse the 2018 schedule, you will find the Raiders meet the NFC West this season. With so much riding on every game, Oakland needs to stockpile wins. As a result, each aspect of the game falls under focus. As a result, protecting Derek Carr becomes a priority. The NFL West boasts freakish pass rushers. With that said FPC writers Zaragoza, Aspuria, Simmons, Berry, and Camarillo detail their pick as the one to watch.

Anthony Zaragoza
Aaron Donald. Welcome back to the NFL, Jon Gruden. Opening the season on Monday Night Football against the defending NFC West champions is hard enough. Now, Gruden and new Offensive Line Coach Tim Cable need to worry about the 3-time All-Pro defensive tackle. The 2017 Defensive Player of the Year is a quarterback nightmare. Also, should be double-teamed at all times. Donald remains disruptive at the point of attack. This will serve as the Raiders’ biggest test, individually, on defense all season.

Chris Simmons

Aaron Donald is the most unique pass rushing force in the NFL right now and it is not even close. Between his shorter size and insane quickness, Donald is a terror even for veterans like Rodney Hudson. The worst part is how difficult it is to double team an Interior lineman that is like trying to double team a point guard in basketball. That means someone is getting a one-on-one matchup that even the best OL can lose. If they Raiders are going to be among the best, then Donald will be a great opening salvo.

Kenneth Berry

Rams: Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Two of the best defensive lineman in football, few defensive tackles can penetrate backfields like Suh and Donald. The Raiders will have to pick their poison and protect rookie right tackle Kolton Miller because that is who Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will scheme against. Gabe Jackson had a down year run blocking but was still elite in pass protection. Right tackle will be the albatross on the Raiders back if Miller does not develop into a competent right tackle.

Seahawks: Frank Clark, Shaquem Griffin, & Rasheem Green. Clark is a young and proven pass rushing talent with Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett gone. Griffin is more than a feel good story. He is a tenacious pass rushing linebacker with 4.38 speed and a chip on his shoulder for having it held against him for only having one hand. Oh and the Raiders passed on him every chance they got. Another tremendous talent the Raiders surprisingly passed on is Rasheem Green.

Pegged as Carlos Dunlap 2.0, Green undoubtedly would’ve been a top-10 pick had he gone back for his senior year but falling to the third round was a blessing in disguise because Seattle develops pass rushers. Green can play edge or as a three technique which means trouble for the Raiders. His versatility and athleticism would have benefited them much more than anything Brandon Parker will probably do. Fellow rookie and former Bruin Miller will have to avoid abuse by Green again, like he did when Green was a Trojan.

San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner & Fred Warner. Thomas owns measureables almost identical to Aaron Donald. Buckner is an athletic freak with size almost comparable to Calais Campbell and his length could cause a lot of batted passes or even an interception. Arik Armstead is not much of a pass rushing threat but he and Buckner have the length to be that disruptive. Warner can do a little bit of everything and with his athleticism, he could wreck havoc on delayed blitzes or stunts with Reuben Foster. The Raiders passed on Warner as well in the draft.

Arizona Cardinals: Chandler Jones, Markus Golden, Hassan Riddick, & Robert Nkemdiche.
Chandler is an All-Pro pass rusher who will be giving Donald Penn trouble all game. Markus Golden is only a few years removed from a 12-sack season and will be problems on a backside play action plays. Riddick is an athletic marvel an is only in his second year. He and Deone Bucannon can chase down anything and Riddick was a great pass rusher at Temple. Nkemdiche is so athletic and strong that can never truly be forgotten about with so much talent around him. The Raiders took Karl Joseph on him but the jury is still out on both players.

Ray Aspuria

Aaron Donald. He is an interior cat and the Raiders boast arguably the best interior line, but Donald is that good. What Khalil Mack is as an edge defender, is what Donald is as an interior annihilator.

Pete Camarillo

The obvious answer is Aaron Donald since he is the best pass rusher in the division. Also, a generational talent who transcends his position by playing across the defensive line. However, the Raiders are strong at the guard position. I do not expect them or anyone to stop Donald but Oakland’s guards will make the DT work. Of course, Donald would have to end his holdout before the two teams play in Week 1.

Therefore, the Raiders need to fear Chandler Jones. Not only are the Raiders weaker at tackle than they are in the interior offensive line but Jones has 40.5 in the past three seasons. That includes 17 sacks in a Pro Bowl season, last year. Chandler Jones is one of the most freakish athletes at Edge in the league and he will probably look even more dominate against whoever the Raiders start at RT in Arizona for Week 10.

Don’t sleep on Frank Clark in Seattle either as he is now the featured pass rusher and DE on that d-line.