Bruce Irvin Ties Raiders' Franchise Record for Forced Fumbles in a Season

Oakland Raiders linebacker Bruce Irvin tied the franchise record for most forced fumbles in a season by recording six in 2016, per NFL Communications.

As the strong-side linebacker for the Raiders, Irvin added seven sacks and 57 tackles to his six forced fumbles for an all-around solid season. He and star pass-rusher Khalil Mack led a Raiders defense that could stand to improve further in 2017.

Despite the efforts of the two, Oakland still allowed 24.1 points per game in the regular season. While that is almost a point fewer than the Raiders allowed each game last season (24.9), they still ranked in the bottom half of the league in that category.

The biggest difference the defense made this season came in the turnover department. The club finished 2015 with 25 takeaways and 24 giveaways, sitting in the middle of the pack in turnover differential. That changed in a dramatic fashion this season, as the Raiders caused 30 turnovers and turned it over just 14 times, tying the Kansas City Chiefs for the best differential in the league.

Irvin's six forced fumbles played a role in the team's success, but the linebacker's performance wasn't enough to get the Raiders past the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs. The team could have taken care of business if star quarterback Derek Carr had not suffered a broken right fibula in Week 16, but the defense still allowed 27 points to a Texans team led by struggling quarterback Brock Osweiler.

The Raiders likely have at least two more seasons remaining in Oakland before they move into a new stadium in Las Vegas. If it comes to that, the team still has a couple of campaigns to provide the city with some excitement before heading out of town.