After three games, the Oakland Raiders sit at a disappointing 1-2. With so much more football to play, time for a solutions still exist. However, if past is prologue, we need to go back and see where Oakland currently sits on both sides of the ball. to answer that, FPC Raiders writers Ray Aspuria, Kenneth Berry, and Terrance Biggs discuss the good and bad.
What are your two positives and two negatives about the defense?
Berry
Positives
1.They don’t look intellectually incompetent like they did last year. 2. They’re doing less gambling on routes & more forcing incompletions and having better run fits as a collective group.
Negatives
1. The pass rush is dull & ineffective by another name. Passing on pass rushers in the draft and free agency is catching up to Oakland. The inexperience has been rampant even when Khalil Mack was there. 2. The pass coverage used to be able to shut down the best player on the other team but it’s clear the defense is just going to bend & break harder than a sumo wrestler falling with ice skates on.
Aspuria
Positives
1. Gareon Conley is a reliable cornerback.
2. Vontaze Burfict still has it.
Negatives
1. Gareon Conley is the only reliable cornerback.
2. The injury to Johnathan Abram results in Curtis Riley getting snaps.
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If there were a neutral category, it would be rookie Clelin Ferrell. While he hasn’t had the impact a No. 4 overall pick should, he hadn’t made any glaring errors either.
Paul Guenther is doing little to show he’s a viable defense coordinator. Sure, you can point to lack of talent, but around the NFL, there are barebone defenses doing their jobs.
Biggs
Positives
- Darren Waller excels in his role as the starter. The Raiders need to feed him more.On top of that, he’s catching passes at an 89.7 percent clip. That is to say, he’s snaring every in his vicinity.
While he missed one kick in Minnesota, Daniel Carlson solidified the kicking game. Now, the Raiders possess the option of three points from 55 yards and in. Carlson looks to continue is stellar work.
Negatives
1. Paul Guenther’s defense continuously surrenders big plays. From Courtland Sutton to Demarcus Robinson to Adam Thielen, the Raiders fail to tighten up this problem. hearing about a lack of talent is irrelevant. These are Guenther’s players. Do something, anything to stop chunk yardage.
Jon Gruden talks, and talks. yet, nothing looks fixed. The offense thrives on dink-and-dunk. The defense cannot get to the quarterback. In general, the team looks only slightly different than the 2018 version.
