One of the worst defensive outings of the season

Prior to the matchup, one of our keys to victory was getting pressure on quarterback Derek Carr. They did just that, posting three sacks in the first half. But the pass rush fell apart in the second half, failing to acquire another one the rest of the game.

As a result, Carr had a field day, where he carved up the defense underneath. He finished 26-of-30 passing for 291 yards and a touchdown. Now, that doesn’t all fall on the lack of pass rush. The back end of the defense played a role in that, allowing too many big plays due to poor coverage, miscommunication or missed tackles in the open field.

Oakland’s offensive line also handled Los Angeles’ defensive line for the most part, creating big holes for running back DeAndre Washington. The biggest contributor on the defensive side of the ball, you ask? By no surprise, it was safety Derwin James, who led the team in total tackles for the second game in a row with eight, including one for a loss.