Knee-Jerk Reactions to Raiders’ Fourth Straight Loss

We knew this stretch of the Las Vegas Raiders’ schedule would be rough, but it is getting ugly quickly. Las Vegas was soundly beaten by a banged-up Rams team on Sunday and fell to 3-4. Raider Nation, let’s react.

Rob Leonard needs to get it together…

This is not to say defensive coordinator Rob Leonard should be on the hot seat, but his unit has to be better. The Raiders have allowed at least 30 points in each of their last four games. Some of that is a talent issue. Las Vegas fields a very young defense that lacks star power outside of Maxx Crosby, and it has faced some of the league’s best offenses over the past month. Even so, some of the problems can be fixed through coaching.

Tackling has been the biggest issue in recent weeks. The Raiders have focused too much on forcing turnovers instead of simply bringing down the ball carrier. Sunday’s game also showed Leonard being outschemed. For much of the afternoon, Las Vegas stayed in its base defense with three linebackers to counter the Rams’ 13 personnel. In theory, that made sense, because the Raiders were struggling to stop the run even in that look. But they had no apparent plan for covering the tight ends in the passing game. The defense seemed unaccustomed to playing so much base, and its rules were not fully developed. That is unacceptable, and the coaching staff must fix it.

Still, the defense did offer at least one bright spot this past week.

Eric Stokes is one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL…

He may not make many splash plays, but cornerback Eric Stokes is quietly blossoming into a true shutdown corner. He probably should have followed Puka Nacua all game. It was no surprise that the Rams receiver did much of his damage when lined up against Darien Porter Jr.

As a longtime Stokes critic, I have to admit he is clearly more than, as the kids say, “an NPC.” He is an impactful defensive back who can severely limit opponents’ top receivers. The Raiders just need to find him a better counterpart.

Now to the offensive side of the ball.

The offensive line needs a massive overhaul…

This unit may be better coached than last year’s, but the talent is still clearly lacking. Pass protection has been average, though it struggles under pressure. The biggest issue is that the Raiders cannot run the ball because almost nothing is blocked. This group is incapable of moving defenders consistently.

In the interior, center Tyler Linderbaum has been an upgrade over Jordan Meredith, but he has not lived up to his massive contract. It does not help that the guard play on either side of him has been awful. No good combination has emerged from Spencer Burford, Caleb Rogers and Jackson Powers-Johnson, and it may be time to give rookie Trey Zuhn III a look.

On the outside, left tackle Kolton Miller is still serviceable but clearly in decline. Meanwhile, DJ Glaze being a replacement-level starter says more about the poor state of offensive line play around the league than anything else. There is a real chance that all five starters up front will be replaced within the next three years.