Oakland Raiders Defense Struggling to Neutralize Opponents' Best Weapons

The Oakland Raiders see the heavy blow coming and still get punched in the mouth.

When comparing an NFL matchup to a boxing match, the Raiders defense knows the opponents’ strengths, takes the punches but fails to rise up off the mat. 

In the previous two outings, Oakland has been knocked out by the expected effective jab or the right hook we all saw coming.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson are the most effective offensive weapons on those respective rosters, we all knew it, yet defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. failed to come up with a game plan to counter the obvious.

Oakland’s pattern of losing contain on the opposing team’s primary weapon dates back to Week 2.

Player	Week	Position	Receptions/Carries	Yards
Steve Smith Sr.	2	WR	10 catches	150
Matt Forte	4	RB	25 carries / 4 catches	155
Antonio Brown	8	WR	17 catches / 2 carries	306
Adrian Peterson	9	RB	26 carries / 2 catches	206

Quarterback Derek Carr put together a miraculous game-winning drive to erase any thoughts about an ineffective defense against an offensively challenged Baltimore Ravens team.

How can the Raiders allow guys like Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr., Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, Brown and Peterson to heavily impact the game as primary weapons who demand so much defensive game planning in the film room?

Is the Raiders defense so devoid of talent that Norton simply cannot stop what’s coming on Sundays? Or does this fall on Norton to do a better job in preparation?

Whatever the case, the Raiders will attempt to defend against another offensive juggernaut in Week 11. Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson still devours pass defenses as the NFL’s No. 10-ranked wideout in receiving yards. Oakland felt his wrath in the previous outing between these two teams, per Associated Press writer Josh Dubow.

Part of becoming a playoff contender is taking away, or at least slowing down, what the opponent does best. Will Norton have an answer for Megatron?

Falling Apart at the End of Halves

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Some spectators feel as though the Raiders defense takes the field outmatched from a talent standpoint, which somewhat absolves Norton of ineffective week-to-week defensive game plans.

Well, let’s pay close attention to when the defense leaks, which illustrates why this team fails to close halves on a strong note. 

Quarter	Average Points Allowed	Ranking
1st	4.7	17th
2nd	8.6	26th
3rd	3.2	6th
4th	10.3	31st

Oakland surrenders the most points in quarters that allow teams momentum going into the second half or an opportunity to win the game. The Raiders just haven’t developed a killer instinct on the defensive side of the ball.

Carr has the moxie and confidence to push the ball downfield in critical situations, but when has the defense emphatically sealed a victory outside of safety Charles Woodson in Week 3?

The same defensive personnel that limits points in the first and third quarters allows opposing offenses to invade the end zone in the second and fourth quarters. That’s not due to lack of talent, it speaks to coaching schemes and adjustments. 

Norton has been flexible in switching up his schemes and taking chances with adjustments—some with positive results. However, in order for the Raiders to compete with playoff contenders, the defense must develop urgency in critical moments.

Not Challenging Contenders 

In the, “who did you beat” conversation, the Raiders have logged the softest victories among AFC wild-card contenders, with three out of four wins against two-win teams. In fact, only two teams have recorded a weaker strength of victories percentage.

Team	Strength of Victory Percentage	Win-loss Record
Kansas City Chiefs	.514	4-5
Houston Texans	.472	4-5
New England Patriots	.458	9-0
Indianapolis Colts	.444	4-5
Buffalo Bills	.422	5-4
Denver Broncos	.422	7-2
Baltimore Ravens	.421	2-7
Tennessee Titans	.421	2-7
Jacksonville Jaguars	.407	4-5
Pittsburgh Steelers	.400	6-4
Cincinnati Bengals	.392	8-1
Miami Dolphins	.389	4-5
New York Jets	.370	5-4
Oakland Raiders	.297	4-5
Cleveland Browns	.222	2-8
San Diego Chargers	.211	2-7

Remember the old adage defense wins championships? There’s still some truth to it. Oakland doesn’t need a shutdown defense similar to the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 or the Seattle Seahawks in 2013. 

However, it’s important to assemble a defense capable of making plays in critical situations, which means stopping third-down conversions, forcing turnovers down the stretch and surrendering fewer points. Currently, the Raiders allow 26.8 points per game, ranking No. 27 in the league.

The Raiders offense can lead this team to a considerable amount of victories, but the defense must hold its weight. Oakland has scored 30-plus points in four games but allowed 30-plus points in four contests. As a result, the team hovers around .500.

Oakland doesn’t possess world-class talent on the defensive side of the ball, but technique and sound game planning should at least hinder the opponents’ best weapons from breakout performances.

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All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings unless otherwise noted.