As the Las Vegas Raiders prepare for their Week 5 game against the Denver Broncos, it’s worth noting that several defenders are having impressive campaigns—the numbers don’t lie.
There seems to be a growing notion that Raiders fans were bamboozled into believing that the team’s defense would be elite. Overall, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has certain issues to address. His unit ranks near the bottom across the board in most major categories, including red zone defense and total defense.
That notwithstanding, it doesn’t mean several players within said defense aren’t making notable runs. If nothing else, the foundation is there for things to turn around; it’s only Week 5, of course.
The heart of the Raiders defense: Robert Spillane…
Since joining the Silver and Black, Robert Spillane has become the heart of the defense. Other than Maxx Crosby, Spillane is surely the second most important defender in terms of leadership and sheer will. More than that, the man is a tackling machine.
While the defense as a whole has received criticism, Spillane is doing his best to hold down the fort. Actually, he’s doing more than that. Spillane has amassed double-digit tackles in every single contest—that gives him a total of 44 tackles in four games. Thus far, that puts him third in the league, only slightly behind Nick Cross and E.J. Speed, who each have 47 apiece.
In the near future, we could possibly see Spillane become the league’s leading tackler.
Locking down opposing receivers…
Jack Jones and Jakorian Bennett are another pair of Raiders defenders with noteworthy individual campaigns; the cornerback duo is quietly holding down despite all of the off-field issues. For a position that many felt would be a concern this season, the team’s cornerbacks are doing their part.
Jones has been tight in coverage thus far; according to Aaron Schatz of FTN Fantasy, No. 18 is fifth in the league in DVOA (defense value over average). Though he’s been far from perfect, there are things that Jones still needs to get a grasp on. In fact, he’s already surrendered two touchdowns in coverage (career-high).
Conversely, Bennett is flourishing this year after a rough rookie campaign. Just four weeks in, Bennett has recorded five pass deflections; that’s currently sixth—that’s only two away from being tops in the NFL. If you recall, Bennett had the defensive play of the week (batted down pass) against the Browns, which helped the team hold on for their win.
Could Bennett emerge as one of the league’s top corners at the end of the season?
*Top Photo: Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus
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