Tyree Wilson had the best game of his rookie season against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. Wilson wasn’t satisfied and had another productive outing in Week 15. The Las Vegas Raiders blew the top off the Los Angeles Chargers 63-21, and Wilson was again a contributor rather than a spectator—quite the opposite of other previous lackluster performances.
Wilson finished the rout of their AFC West rivals with three pressures, one solo tackle, and a fumble recovery. Though he didn’t light up the stat sheet as obviously as he did in Week 14, No. 9 continued to look more like a first-round pick. Antonio Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham appear to be moving the rookie around the line to try and find where he can be successful for the Silver and Black.
Tyree Wilson: More Snaps, More Tape
Tyree Wilson had his highest snap count of the season with 45 defensive snaps (69.2%) compared to his 37 snaps (51.4%) in Week 14. Granted, the Raiders sat several of their stars after the victory was all but secured against the Chargers. The substitutions were beneficial for the rookie as he received more experience against the Chargers’ offensive line, which was ranked 7th best halfway through the season (via The 33rd team).
After reviewing every one of Wilson’s reps from Thursday Night Football, there were several observations that jumped out:
- Wilson’s get-off is still slower than most of the other players on the defensive line.
- Wilson is lining up at defensive tackle 30–40 percent of the time.
- During Wilson’s solo tackle on RB Austin Ekeler, he absolutely manhandled TE Nick Vannett, shed him, and made a vicious stop on Ekeler.
- Wilson fared better against RT Trey Pipkins III than LT Rashawn Slater.
- Wilson’s most effective position looks to be lined up alongside Maxx Crosby on the right side as a DT.
- His vision has drastically improved, and he continues to watch the play unfold and react accordingly.
- Wilson is attempting to incorporate more pass rush moves into his arsenal.
- His change of direction (and aforementioned get-off) is still slower than it should be, and he also had at least two tackles he missed that he should not have.
The Raiders’ Rookie Produced When It Counted
The Raiders Week 15 rematch against the Chiefs is crucial to the Raiders postseason hopes. This game should be different, as Maxx Crosby is healthier now than in Week 12. Crosby was on a snap count in that contest, and when healthy, he is a game wrecker.
Tyree Wilson is finally coming into his own as a defensive disruptor, and this week he needs to have his next best performance of his career. He could face a variety of opponents along the Chiefs offensive line, but he should plan to square off against RT Jawaan Taylor, LT Donovan Smith, and LG Joe Thuney. The three combined have allowed only seven sacks in 14 games.
The Chiefs offensive line (ranked 5th at the halfway point in the season) held Wilson in check in Week 12. If you recall, he didn’t log a single pressure. As stated earlier, the Raiders defense could be close to complete this time. It should be especially beneficial for the Raiders that their defense is coming off a game where they had four fumble recoveries, a pick 6, three sacks, and six QB hits.
The Chiefs are coming off a win against the Patriots. However, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been visibly frustrated regardless. There’s a genuine chance that Crosby and Wilson, along with the rest of the rising defense, can add to that frustration. To do that, they’ll need some consistent disruption. The Raiders-Chiefs rivalry is very real.
Wilson could continue to win over Raiders fans if the squad gets a victory at Arrowhead. The question is, will they do it?
*Top Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
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