Are the Las Vegas Raiders ready for Derwin James?
James is the leader of the Chargers’ secondary, and the two-time Pro Bowler has become quite familiar with the Raiders. Last season, James accumulated a pass deflection, one interception, and seven solo tackles in games against the Silver and Black. Simply put, James can do it all. He’s a menace in the outfield, always looking to make a play, but he can also help shut down the run game, or if needed, he’s proven to be a lethal pass rusher with 21 career pressures, per Pro Football reference.
However, James will be facing a vastly different offense on Sunday due to Davante Adams’ addition. McDaniels spoke of James and the secondary in general, with regard to what they do well.
“It will be a big challenge for us.”
“They all match routes well. They can run, they tackle and hit, and they go after the ball. This is a really good unit that we’re getting ready to play. And, again, we haven’t really seen the unit in its entirety yet. So, we know what we’re getting ready to deal with and Derwin [James] is certainly an incredible player and has been for a long time. It will be a big challenge for us.”
The Chargers had one of the better pass defenses in the NFL last year, and McDaniels can fully expect a similar caliber unit on Sunday. In fact, they were 12th in passing yards given up and 16th in touchdowns surrendered. Nevertheless, it does help that McDaniels is familiar with the Chargers’ staff.
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