The Las Vegas Raiders’ Week 7 matchup against the 1-5 Chicago Bears had plenty of mass appeal. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for Tyree Wilson to have a breakout game. It also seemed like an easy win for the Raiders, who hoped to extend their win streak and climb to 4-3. Unfortunately, the Silver and Black could not have their cake and eat it too.
Tyree Wilson indeed had the best game of his professional career. The Raider, however, suffered an embarrassing loss; 12-30, against undrafted free agent rookie Tyson Bagent and the Bears.
Raiders Rookie Tyree Wilson Gets Wild VS Bears
Despite the Raiders adding another horrendous loss to their history, rookie Tyree Wilson finally looked like he knew what he was doing.
During the final play of the first half, the seventh-overall pick lined up on the left side of the defensive line, beat left tackle Larry Borom handily, and finally recorded his first official sack in the NFL. It wasn’t just a sack, but a strip sack as Wilson knocked the ball loose while the quarterback attempted to throw ball by the sideline.
Ironically enough, Wilson logged his first sack against Bears backup quarterback Nathan Peterman. Peterman was a former backup with the Raiders under Jon Gruden; he had come in to relieve Tyson Bagent briefly.
On top of recording his first sack, Wilson was rated as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded Raider in Week 7. Wilson received a score of 82.9, which is remarkable considering his Week 1 PFF grade was 40.8. Overall, the rookie finished the game with two quarterback hits, one solo tackle, two pressures, and the aforementioned sack/forced fumble.
Lets check the tape
What’s worth noting is Wilson used a combination of his usual bull-rush while incorporating some swipes into his pass rushing moves. For the most part, Wilson was working on left tackle Larry Borom.
Borom did not always have the upper hand. When Wilson’s get-off was timed well and he incorporated more speed into his rushes, the Raiders’ rook was able to defeat his left tackle opposition with his power rush. Wilson utilized another stunt on one repetition which resulted in Las Vegas’ defensive tackle Adam Butler knocking Bagent’s pass down to the ground.
The Texas Tech alum almost had a second sack as Tyson Bagent failed to notice Wilson blow by Borom. Bagent attempted to scramble backwards out of the pocket, but Wilson grabbed onto the rookie quarterback with his exceptional reach. As he began the tackle, Bagent launched the ball out of bounds to avoid the negative yards he would have accumulated.
When it came to the run game, unfortunately Wilson was a non-factor. He would not be described as having “sideline-to-sideline” speed, but that’s been clear since Week 1.
Wilson’s vision as an edge defender is still not where it needs to be. Additionally, he displayed issues shedding his blocks to get to the runner. Wilson had an opportunity to stop one of Donta Foreman’s rushing touchdowns but was unable to affect the play.
The rookie was definitely held on several plays, none of which were addressed by the officiating crew. After a review of Wilson’s 28 snaps, it would not be farfetched to say Tyree Wilson bested Larry Borom in Week 7.
Week 8 preview: Lions have league’s #1 offensive line
The Raiders’ Week 8 opponent is the new darling team of the NFL: the Detroit Lions. Las Vegas faces off against the new “Kings of the (NFC) North” on Monday Night Football. The Lions are coming off an absolutely dismantling 6-38 loss, courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens. This loss was almost as bad as the Raiders loss to the Bears, although the Ravens are at least a formidable opponent.
Detroit will likely be coming out hot on Monday night, making the challenge even more treacherous for the Raiders.
The Lions’ offensive line was ranked #1 by PFF heading into Week 7. Wilson should see the majority of his snaps opposite Lions left tackle Taylor Decker.
Decker, a former first-round pick from 2016, has allowed only two sacks in 2023. PFF has given Decker an average rating thus far in the season with a mark of 70.3.
The Ravens, however, were able to exploit that same offensive line in Week 7, sacking Lions quarterback Jared Goff five times while earning eight QB hits. The Ravens, once again, have a much stronger defense than the Raiders; unfortunately.
Wilson should not be completely underestimated as he’s had his fair share of elite left tackles to work against. There should be more optimism surrounding Wilson than ever as the rookie truly shined against Chicago. He was one of the few Raiders that did.
Let’s hope the rookie can create a much needed spark in Week 8 under the lights of Monday Night Football.
*Top Photo: NBC Sports