Raiders buzz – Page 335 – Syndication Server

Raiders QB Derek Carr named one of the league’s most underappreciated players

Derek Carr is playing some of the best football of his career. That’s been the case since the start of the 2019 season when he became a much more aggressive and efficient quarterback. His strong play has continued into the 2021 season as he leads the NFL in passing yards (by 125 yards) through two games.

Finally, people are starting to take notice. In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he spoke with several NFL coaches and decision-makers to discuss who are the league’s most underappreciated players.

Carr made the list as several people around the league believe he is on the verge of being a franchise quarterback. Here is what one NFL executive had to say about the league’s leading passer after two weeks:

“He’s smart, tough, mobile, knows where to go with it, can make all the throws. He’s been in several systems and has been productive in all of them.”

For the last few years, the general belief was that Carr was somewhere between the No. 13 and No. 20 quarterback in the NFL. But over the last 40 games, he’s performed closer to a top-five quarterback than a middle-of-the-pack passer.

Since Week 8 of the 2018 season, Carr has a passer rating of 100.4 and has averaged nearly 7.8 yards per attempt. He’s totaled 70 touchdowns to just 20 interceptions in those 44 games. However, he’s been even better as of late, averaging 8.11 YPA in his last 22 contests. He’s managed to continue to improve in every season under Jon Gruden.

If Carr can continue to play at this level for the rest of the 2021 season, the Raiders will be a shoo-in for the playoffs. He is playing like one of the very best quarterbacks in the league and that is a great sign for the Raider moving forward.

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Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks stumble upon ‘secret sauce’ to Raiders newfound pass rush

Daniel Jeremiah digs up stat that suggests Raiders newfound pass rush is no fluke

Over the first couple weeks of this season, some interesting stats show the Raiders are getting some extraordinary pressure. If you’d like to pump the brakes, it’s easy enough to say that it’s been just two games. Or you could listen to Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks whose recent show seems to have stumbled upon a formula that the Raiders have which suggests these first two weeks are no fluke.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CULZWPOBkQE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The thrust of the show was analyzing ‘get-off’ as it relates to great pass rushers. Which is how much time from the ball coming off the ground on the snap to when the defender’s shoulders come across the line of scrimmage. And it appears as if there is a near perfect correlation between the two.

Jeremiah lists off names of the players in the top ten in get-off time last season and this season. And there are some elite pass rushers at the top of it. For instance, he mentions the top five last year being TJ Watt, Bud Dupree, Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue, and Myles Garrett.

That’s a hell of a list. One of whom — Ngakoue — joined the Raiders this offseason, and instantly we see an improved pass rush.

“We’ve talked about maybe the most improved defense in the NFL through two weeks, the Raiders,” Jeremiah said. “You’ve got Ngakoue, who for the second year in a row — obviously last year he wasn’t with the Raiders — he’s in the top five. So, he’s proven what he does getting off the rock. So, Ngakoue’s up there, he’s number three. Maxx Crosby’s number seven. So, you’ve got two rockets coming off the edges there for the Raiders.”

The play of Crosby and Ngakoue has a trickle down effect. A high tide raises all boats, if you will. Carl Nassib has been adding pass rush as well and the interior guys have been given some chances too due to the outside pressure. For instance, last week Solomon Thomas had his first ever two-sack game.

Bucky Brooks takes it a step further, mentioning that having an outstanding defensive line coach is also crucial to helping these players find their game.

“I think you have to pay a premium for the positions that we say are vital when it comes to coaching. Not only paying for pass rushers and offensive linemen, but if i’m a head coach in the National Football League, the first couple areas that I’m taking care of are the offensive and defensive line. . . I am investing in those guys, because I think there’s the secret sauce to being able to be a great defensive line coach.”

Brooks could be onto something, and Jon Gruden would seem to agree. We already know that when Gruden came back to coaching in 2018, he made Tom Cable a top priority to coach the Oline. And last year, he was able to get longtime well-respected Dline coach, Rod Marinelli onboard as well.

Maxx Crosby is entering his second season under Marinelli, who Gruden held onto even with the change at defensive coordinator and overhauling most of the rest of the defensive staff. And clearly we’re seeing the benefits of that time they’ve had together.

It’s weird and foreign to be talking about the Raiders as having a good all-around pass rush. They’ve had the league’s worst pass rush over the last few years since trading away Khalil Mack. And seemingly overnight, they are discussed among the best in the league. Now we know why.

Does Raiders DT Solomon Thomas deserve more playing time?

The Raiders have found a pass rush. Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue have proven to be one of the best pass-rush duos in the NFL and they are finding a way to destroy offenses.

But one of the biggest reasons why the defense has been successful is that they are getting production from players not named Crosby or Ngakoue. One of those players is Solomon Thomas.

In a recent article by Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report, he named one player for every team that needs more snaps. For the Raiders, that was Thomas. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the former first-round pick and his role in this defense:

“Thomas saw an uptick in defensive snaps between Weeks 1 and 2, going up from 22 to 45 percent. Last week, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he recorded his first two-sack performance.

With the ability to line up on the end or as a 3-technique defensive tackle, Thomas can move across the line and apply pressure or take on lead blockers to stop the run, which makes him a valuable defender on the front line.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Thomas totaled four pressures on 19 pass-rush snaps in Week 2. While he hasn’t graded out as well against the run, his ability to create pressure from the defensive tackle spot is exactly what this defense needs going forward.

Thomas probably isn’t ready to be a full-time starter, but he is someone who needs to be on the field on every obvious passing down. He’s just too perfect of a fit with Crosby and Ngakoue to leave off the field. Look for him to see even more snaps in Week 3 as the Raiders continue to trust him more as an interior rusher.

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Raiders vs. Dolphins: Time, TV schedule, odds, streaming, how to watch

The Las Vegas Raiders have started 2-0 for the second consecutive season. But, can they get to 3-0 and take a commanding lead of the AFC West after three weeks? That remains to be seen.

The Raiders will take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, who will be without their starting quarterback. Instead, it’s Jacoby Brissett who will draw the start for Miami.

To get you prepared for this game, here is everything you need to know about this AFC matchup:

What: Miami Dolphins (1-1) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (2-0)
When: Sunday, September 26 at 4:05 p.m. E.T.
Where: Allegiant Stadium
Radio: 95.7
TV: CBS
Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)
Odds: Raiders -4.5
Referee: Carl Cheffers
Announcing Crew: Ian Eagles, Charles Davis
TV Map:

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Raiders, Dolphins injury report: DE Yannick Ngakoue (hamstring) upgraded to full participant

It seem hard to believe that Yannick Ngakoue suffered a hamstring injury late in the Raiders’ season opener. He was lost for the rest of that game, but managed to practice all week leading up the Steelers game and play in that game.

He was limited, however, and had his leg wrapped up with a support brace to protect his hamstring. He was projected to be still limited for Wednesday’s walk-thru. But come Thursday, Ngakoue was upgraded to a full participant in practice.

All #Raiders missing Wednesday are still not practicing today. pic.twitter.com/qz1XkiMFZi

— Levi Damien (@LeviDamien) September 23, 2021

That’s the lone bit of good news on today’s injury report. Still missing were G Richie Incognito (calf), RB Josh Jacobs (ankle), S Dallin Leavitt (concussion), and S Roderic Teamer (ankle).

Still limited for the Raiders were LB Nick Kwiatkoski (concussion), DE Carl Nassib (pectoral/toe), and DT Darius Philon (knee).

Still the only missing player for the Dolphins was QB Tua Tagovailoa who has already been ruled OUT for the game with a fractured rib.

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Are the Raiders actually improved on defense or is it a mirage?

One of the biggest additions the Raiders made this offseason was hiring defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The team finally has a coordinator on that side of the ball that can coach up talent and a scheme that can pressure and confuse quarterbacks.

Through two games, the defense has been outstanding. They’ve been able to limit Lamar Jackson and Ben Roethlisberger. But more importantly, they’ve been able to create turnovers and get stops when they need them. That’s something that Raiders’ fans just aren’t used to seeing.

But is the defense for real or is it just a mirage? In a recent article by ESPN and their 32 beat writers, they listed each team’s biggest surprise after two weeks. For the Raiders, it is their defense. Here is what senior writer Paul Gutierrez had to say about the unit:

“Anything north of competent would have been a massive improvement for the Raiders. And Las Vegas adding a disruptive pass rush — two sacks of Lamar Jackson by DE Maxx Crosby in the opener, two more of Ben Roethlisberger by DT Solomon Thomas — in new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s scheme has been key, and showing success against versatile foes portends for continued success, so long as the injury bug stays away.”

When healthy, the Raiders should have a capable defense. However, that’s been the bigger issue so far. The team has lost multiple defensive linemen due to injury and a few won’t return this season. Their depth is going to be tested this season, but that is why having a defensive coordinator like Bradley is so vital.

While it’s too early to say for sure, but it does appear the Raiders have a good defense. And that’s something we all weren’t expecting just a few months ago. If they can continue to play this week, the Las Vegas Raiders will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

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PODCAST: How did the Raiders pull off the upset in Week 2 over the Steelers?

In this episode of the Raiders Wire Podcast, Marcus Mosher and Ryan O’Leary discuss how the Raiders pulled off the massive upset against the Steelers in Week 2. They touch on Derek Carr’s play, Hunter Renfrow, Maxx Crosby and so much more!

Plus, they look forward to this week’s game against the Dolphins and discuss the keys to victory for that contest. All that and so much more in this episode of the show!

Enjoy the show with the player at the top of the page and make sure to subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. You can also follow Marcus on Twitter @Marcus_Mosher and Ryan O’Leary, host of the Raiders Wire Podcast at @RyanOLearySMG.

If you would like to listen to older episodes of the Raiders Wire Podcast, feel free to use the playlist below to find your favorite show from the past!

Playlist embed:

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9 former Raiders among modern-era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022

9 former Raiders among modern-era nominees for Hall of Fame class of 2022

The list of modern-era nominees for the 2022 Hall of Fame class was released Wednesday. In total, there are 122 nominees. Of them are nine players who once suited up for the Raiders.

The nine Raiders legends are as follows: WR Andre Rison, G Steve Wisniewski, DT La’Roi Glover, DT Richard Seymour, DE Greg Townsend, DE Justin Tuck, DE Pat Swilling, CB Eric Allen, and CB Albert Lewis.

Richard Seymour was a finalist for the class of 2021. None are first-year eligible with all having been nominated several times before.

The list of Modern-Era nominees will be reduced to 25 Semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 Finalists in January.

These modern-era finalists are in addition to Cliff Branch who is the lone finalist via the senior committee. Which almost always guarantees induction.

This year, Raiders greats Charles Woodson and Tom Flores both go the call. Woodson as a first-year eligible player and Flores via the senior committee.

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It could be another big day for Raiders pass rush vs Dolphins

Signs points to another big day for Raiders pass rushers vs Dolphins

Few teams have dialed up the pressure over the first two games of this season better than the Raiders. In the opener, they were in the Ravens’ backfield seemingly all day. Their highest pressure rate in any game in five years according to Next Gen Stats.

The #Raiders pressured Lamar Jackson on 54.5% of his dropbacks tonight (18 pressures on 33 dropbacks), their highest team pressure in a game in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).#BALvsLV | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/K4CCzz54Su

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 14, 2021

Those pressure numbers yielded three sacks and numerous QB hits. The sack leader in the opener was Crosby with two. Carl Nassib had the other while Yannick Ngakoue made a significant impact in the pass rush as well.

Crosby and company didn’t slow down last week against the Steelers either. Crosby added five more QB hits while defensive tackle Solomon Thomas got into the act with his first-ever two-sack performance.

This week the Raiders face the Dolphins and based on what we’ve seen from them the first two games, the Raiders pass rushers have got to be smelling blood in the water.

Only two teams have allowed QB pressure on more than 50% of their dropbacks through Week 2, per @PFF:

New York Jets (52%)
Miami Dolphins (55%)

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) September 21, 2021

No team over the first two weeks of this season has allowed more pressure than the Dolphins, according to Pro Football Focus. At 55%, that’s even higher than the Raiders had in the opener when they looked like they were living in the Ravens’ backfield.

The Dolphins have had two different quarterbacks and the result is the same. Last week Tua Tagovailoa played just nine snaps and was sacked twice. Backup QB Jacoby Brissett played the rest of the way and he was sacked four times. With the two times Tua was sacked in the opener against the Patriots, that makes eight sacks on Dolphins’ QB’s already.

All this could make for a big day for Raiders pass rushers.

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