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As with every team, the offensive skill-players get most of the pub, most of the ink, and most of the girls. The Oakland Raiders are no different in that aspect...

Oakland Raiders All-Time Defense

by Roger Gowens (Scribe)

24

2,967 reads

Rankings/List

August 17, 2008


As with every team, the offensive skill-players get most of the pub, most of the ink, and most of the girls. The Oakland Raiders are no different in that aspect. But what good does it do if your offense is a juggernaut scoring at a clip of 40 points a game or more, but your defense gives up 50?

Can you say 1980’s San Diego Chargers and Don Coryell? The offense was known as “Air Coryell” for the head coach’s love of the passing game. The defense was known as just air. As in “we couldn’t score against air”, a common phrase in the lingo of “coach-speak”. However, few coaches could have said that about the Chargers’ defenses in that era.

The Raiders, on the other hand, have a long and proud tradition on that side of the ball. In the Silver and Blacks’ last Super-Bowl-winning season, '83-'84, while the offense was explosive at times, the defense was downright nasty.

Somehow, in the discussions of the great NFL defenses,—the ‘85 Bears, the 2000 Ravens, and so on—no one talks about that Raider defense. All they did in the Super Bowl was hold the NFL’s highest scoring regular-season team, the Redskins, to a paltry nine points.

The ‘Skins were the defending champs at that. The Oakland defense trashed that high-powered offense to the extent that Joe Gibbs and Joe Theismann still have trouble talking about that game. (Hint: There are a few members of that gang on this honorary squad.)

 

DE: Otis Sistrunk

 While Sistrunk did not enjoy that long a career, the man made his mark while he was around. One of the few impact players in NFL history who never played a down of college football, Sistrunk was from the “University of Mars,” according to Alex Karras, then a commentator on Monday night Football.

 

DE: Greg Townsend

 One of the most underrated pass rushers in NFL history, Townsend is never mentioned with the Derrick Thomases or Lawrence Taylors. Okay, he wasn’t that good. But Townsend’s 109.5 sacks put him in an elite club. Seldom has a guy put up 100+ sacks and been nearly anonymous around the league. He could wreak havoc on opposing QBs.

 

DT: Chester McGlockton

 Yeah, if there was an All Pro squad for bitching, holding out for more money, and generally making everyone around him miserable (reportedly), the massive McGlockton would head the defensive line on that team. But he could stuff the run with the best of them, a commodity the Raiders could use now.

Surprisingly nimble for his size, McGlockton could rush the passer from the inside, as well. Not as well as the next player, of course.

 

DT: Howie Long

 What needs to be said? Long was relentless, durable, and pretty much a prototype for an NFL defensive interior lineman. The first of a few Hall of Famers in this group. If his son Chris turns out half as good as the old man, the Rams will be happy.

 

OLB: Ted Hendricks

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24 comments Last one added 4 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. big ROC Stockton, CA 10 months ago

    Greg Biekert of even Kirk Morrison should be at MLB

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  2. big ROC Stockton, CA 10 months ago

    Put Lance Johnstone or Derrick Burgess instead of Sistrunk to go with Greg Townsend at the DE positions.

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  3. big ROC Stockton, CA 10 months ago

    oh and you gotta have Mike Haynes on your list. He is in the Hall of Fame.

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  4. Tom Mc Gowan 10 months ago

    are you kidding?, Chester McGlocton over Ben Davidson? Ben Davidson is easily one of the greatest Raiders of all time. I'll take Bob Nelson at MLB. Other than the Davidson slight, like your list.

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  5. Roger Gowens 10 months ago

    Davidson was an end. Rock, the reason I left Haynes off, the only reason, is he spent much of his career w/ NE. Otherwise he's definitely be on the list. Biekert, Burgess and Johnstone are all worthy candidates, you may be right on those. Thanks for reading.

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  6. Dan Boone 10 months ago

    What about Alzado? Or the Tooz for morale purposes...

    Chester was lazy...

    Mike Haynes put the Raiders over the top...

    Millen can't play the pass...or draft wide receivers for that matter, so put Haynes into the nickel...bump Martin to the middle, Chester is tired so sit his fat ass, insert Davidson and when he is ejected Alzado, and when he is ejected the Tooz and when he fails the drug test Townsend...

    Is that Gus Otto warming up?

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  7. big daddy 10 months ago

    Mike Haynes was the best cover-corner ever in the game and he was a Raider for long enough and retired a Raider - nuff said.

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  8. bill hinton 10 months ago

    what about phil villapiano, maybe not the best player, but definitely a true raider!

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  9. bill hinton 10 months ago

    what about phil villapiano? maybe not the best player, but definitely a true raider!

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  10. Derek Walker 10 months ago

    Howie Long was more of a DE than a DT. Reggie Kinlaw is the most underated nose tackle in NFL history. He should be on this list over McGlockton. In Superbowls XV and XVIII, Kinlaw controlled the line of scrimmage and made the opponents one dimensional. He stuffed John Riggins. The Raiders actually ran a 3-4 scheme in those days, with Kinlaw at NT, Howie at LDE and Alzado at RDE. Townsend was a situational pass rusher (and a damn good one at that!) A LB who should also be on this list is Phil Villapiano. He was a stud at OLB, and in those days we had 4 on the field at once. Another underated player at MLB was Monte Johnson. He was a monster against the run. Sorry so long, I'm done now.

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  11. Jon Train 10 months ago

    howie long was a defensive end. come on man....

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  12. James Adler 10 months ago

    Going hard on one out of four plays MCGlockton, is that a joke? Long was an DE in a 3/4. Your LB's listed all played in a 3/4. Haynes needs to be on your list. This article is a joke.

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  13. Art Gonzalez 10 months ago

    How could y'all dawg Matt Millen like that? He was a bad man in the middle! I thought this article was about players, not GMs and what they do today. AND, you need to replace Chester McGlockton! I agree, that Alzado, the Tooz, or Kinlaw should take his place.

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  14. Rick Baker 10 months ago

    Mike Haynes needs to be on that list.

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  15. Raider Card Addict 10 months ago

    I love it when people want to limit a player, due to short times.
    Alzado was fun, but we only had him for a short tenure. Same goes for Michael Haynes, but with both, they both got rings with the Raiders.
    Wasn't a huge fan of McGlockton, but if you look at our past, we had better choices.
    You could also make the argument of players before the 1978 Rules change, and the after effect.
    If anyone forgets, that's when they made that pass interference rule to mess up defenses.
    There was also the grand joke, of keeping the QB safe....two-edged sword, because without the pocket of defense, Plunkett would have died.
    Good article for opening debate. And you can't forget Hendricks....the guy is a legend.

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  1. Scott Tully 10 months ago

    Phil Villapiano needs to find a role on this team.

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  2. Jeff Little 10 months ago

    Good Read, Roger. I like Chester McGlockton he was a good player who Howie took under his wing and showed him the ropes. I met him in L.A. and we spoke for about 30 minutes at a restaurant. However, I disagree with Chester McGlockton being selected over Reggie Kinlaw just as Derek commented.

    Reggie Kinlaw was under-sized for a NT, Chester was bigger, but Reggie Kinlaw's quickness demanded a double-team which allowed his teammates to make huge plays. This 12th round draft choice in 1979 worked his way into the D-line rotation and became an unsung hero and two-time Super Bowl champion in silver and black.

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  3. Charles Oakey 10 months ago

    These types of articles are fun as every fan has his own opinion as to who was "the greatest player".

    My opinion is that Dan Conners (middle linebacker) and Tom Keating (defensive tackle) should be on the list. Both starred on Oakland's 1967 American Football League Championship Team and both made the AFL All-Star Team that year. These two stellar defenders were part of a group of players called "the Eleven Angry Men".

    I am an original Oakland Raider fan having watched games since the team's inception at Kezar Stadium.

    Sincerely,
    Charles Oakey

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    • Jeff Little 10 months ago

      Charles,

      I had to comment and agree with you. Dan Connors and Dan Keating both deserve to be on the list. Also you have to be an original to know of Kezar Stadium.

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  4. Derek Walker 10 months ago

    Roger - you are exactly right to put Ray Guy on the defensive side of this argument. Guy was an instrumental part of our defense, as he was incredible at pinning the opponent back deep in their own territory. It makes the defense's job a lot easier when the offense has to go the length of the field in order to score.

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  5. J.C. Ayvazi 10 months ago

    I remember Sistrunk more as a tackle than end. Put him inside and add Davidson or Alzado at DE. While Millen should be the starter, Greg Biekert deserves better than you gave at MLB. Agree with why you put Brown over Haynes at corner. and for Canton not to have Ray Guy already enshrined is a joke on level with the snow job.

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  6. Tom Raider 10 months ago

    Are you all nuts! The Raiders have not had a good run stuffing MLB since Matt Millen period! Greg Biekert was average at best. Did you watch what happend during the patriots game I think it was 85 when the Raiders were bumped out of the playoffs, Matt took his helmet off and wacked that weasel over the head because he had pride!!!!! Thats something no Raider has had since.

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  7. Roger Gowens 10 months ago

    There were a number of players who could have made the list, Haynes would most defintely have made the list with Hayes as a nickelback if not for longetivity, Dan Connors, Ben Davidson, Biekert, Kinlaw...the list could go on forever, but I limited the article to 12 players with a punter included. Listing all of the great defenders the article would have read like War & Peace. Howie was a 3/4 DE, yes, but a 3/4 end is not the same as a 4-3 end and I went with a 4/3. It's all hypothetical anyway. I had fun writing it even tho there may have been a few omissions. there were no slights intended for anyone left out.

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  8. steve angeles 4 months ago

    I would've taken the late Darryl Russel over McGlockton, Russel was just plain nasty, it must've been tough picking the DBs since the Raiders have had a good history there throughout the year

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