Raiders LB Cory Littleton Is Quietly Showing His Worth

During the season, Littleton seemed lost or out of position. He was known for solid coverage skills and run-stuffing ability, and those abilities rarely would show up on game day. In fairness, the defense last season under Paul Guenther consistently left much to be desired. Guenther seemed set in his ways and didn’t seem to adjust to the players he had, which caused a lot of issues as he would blame the players when questions arose about their play. Unfortunately, Littleton’s play last season drew the ire of fans as many called for him to be let go before this season.

As a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Littleton was predominantly in a Cover 3, and during those seasons, Littleton established himself as a great player. In his last two seasons with the Rams, Littleton averaged 129 total tackles and 2.5 interceptions, per ESPN. He has yet to generate an interception and his total tackles last season were only 82 for the Silver and Black. 

Under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who employs a Cover 3 defense, the difference is noteworthy. Littleton has currently amassed 61 total tackles, which rank second on the team per ESPN. He also has three pass deflections, one of which was a near interception. The other impressive overlooked piece of those 61 tackles is that Littleton has had double-digit tackles in four of the first seven games. In comparison, he did not cross that threshold last season.

Littleton flourishes in the Cover 3 scheme, so it is no wonder why teams flocked to him once free agency began following his Rams stint. The numbers don’t lie. Littleton has shown growth this year and seems to have found that moxie which made him a valuable addition.

The Raiders defense has improved tremendously, and Littleton has been a contributing factor in that change. One of the big things for Littleton has been the coverage skills, as alluded to earlier. Last season according to Rotowire, Littleton gave up an average of 7.7 yards per pass attempt, and this year the yards per attempt are down to 4.5. His best game this season was against the Denver Broncos. Littleton totaled 11 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a pass deflection in that contest. He was all over the field and seemed reenergized. 

The question will now be whether Littleton can continue this effort coming out of the bye as the team soon approaches the halfway mark. Who knows, maybe the linebacker could end up earning himself a contract extension?

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