Dennis Allen: Oakland Raiders Wise to Target Broncos Defensive Coordinator

The Oakland Raiders' search for a head coach is apparently down to a single man: Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

The news comes straight from Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network, who claims that Allen is the only candidate still talking to the Silver and Black. He's met twice with new general manager Reggie McKenzie, and the two sides could agree to a deal "soon."

The 2011 season was Allen's first (and maybe only) season as Denver's DC. Under his watch, the Broncos allowed 24.4 points per game and about 358 total yards per game.

Those figures don't seem all the impressive, but it's worth noting that Denver's defense played very well down the stretch once all its pieces came together. It did have subpar games at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs against the New England Patriots, but that was bound to happen given the struggles of Denver's offense under Tim Tebow.

Allen deserves credit for holding up his end of the bargain, which consisted of doing a lot with relatively little. He took a bad, undermanned defense and turned it into a formidable defense.

If the Raiders do end up hiring Allen, it would be abundantly clear that the organization is distancing itself from the way Al Davis ran the team. Under Mr. Davis' watch, the Raiders made it a habit of hiring offensive-minded head coaches, with varying degrees of success.

The truth is that it's well past time for the Raiders to consider a new direction. The team has struggled under the offensive-minded head coaches Davis hired after Jon Gruden left the team, and it is certainly worth noting that defense has been an ongoing problem for a good portion of the last decade.

If the Raiders were to hire Allen, he presumably wouldn't step in and make fixing Oakland's defense a personal priority. It stands to reason he will find a defensive coordinator to handle the specifics.

But at the very least, Allen would bring about a much-needed culture change in Oakland. For far too long, the Raiders have been predicated on an explosive offensive attack and a defense that is just good enough. This has been the Raider way, but it's clear now that the Raider way simply doesn't work in today's NFL.

It's time for a new Raider way, and the team needs a coach who is in touch with what does and doesn't work in the contemporary NFL.

Allen's resume is relatively short, to be sure, but the experience he does have is not to be underestimated. He spent five years as an assistant for the New Orleans Saints, a team that is more in tune with the evolution of the league than most. He then stepped right in and worked wonders with the Broncos.

There's no reason to think Allen couldn't step in and work wonders with the Silver and Black.