As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Getting you ready for Sunday night with our Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive scouting report.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
Raiders Run Defense
A unit that has not performed well in two games. They’re 27th in rush yards per game at 138.5 and tied for 26th by allowing 4.6 yards per carry. They’ve also allowed eight runs of 10 or more yards, tied for 27th, the same number as the Steelers have allowed.
Like last year, they are a true four-down front. No hybrid, no mix, an old-school even group. But most interestingly, the Raiders are a 4-2-5 defense. Pretty much always have been. At least, they basically never use a 4-3 with three linebackers. There’s former Steeler Robert Spillane (No. 41) and No. 5 Divine Deablo (a college safety) and those are the guys who play. You can be in 12, 13, 21 personnel, put whatever big guys you want on the field, they’re going to stick with their five defensive backs look. They’ll play dime on third and long, but they trust DB Nate Hobbs to be their third “linebacker,” keeping him in the box and helping the run. Hobbs has played 97 percent of the Raiders’ defensive snaps this season.
Look at them staying in their nickel grouping here against 12 personnel.
And how about on the one-yard line against 12 personnel? No change.
They don’t match their personnel to the offense like most teams, including the Steelers. This should be a unit you can run on. Pittsburgh needs to come out heavy. Play Darnell Washington. Maybe use a sixth offensive lineman like Broderick Jones. If they can’t run on these guys, then they have no hope.
One last note. I wrote yesterday about the desire to use more gap/power schemes and I do want to see that Sunday night. But the Raiders will wrong-arm and go under/scrape over the puller and blow it up, as Maxx Crosby does here. Have to log him inside. Watch the left defensive end here.
Some other defensive stats. They’re allowing 27 points per game through the first two, including 38 last week. That’s tied 25th in the league. They’re allowing a 50-percent conversion rate on third down and 70 percent in the red zone, both below-average to bottom-third marks. Spillane leads the team with 21 tackles while Hobbs has 19. Cornerback Jakorian Bennett has been around the ball, too, with 16 stops. He is a rookie out of Maryland, overshadowed by Deonte Banks in the pre-draft process.
Raiders Pass Defense
Hasn’t been great here either. They are keeping a lid on things and the ball in front but it’s allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 81.7 percent of their passes, the worst rate in the league. Russell Wilson was nearly at 80 percent in Week One, Josh Allen over that mark last Sunday. They’ve allowed five passing scores — that’s 31st in the league — and have yet to record an interception.
Their pass rush only has four sacks and they have consistently struggled to get after the QB. Maxx Crosby is a tremendous rusher who primarily plays RDE, they don’t move him much at all, but he has just two QB hits and one sack through the first two weeks. It’s easy for teams to focus in on him. Their blitz rate is high at over 30 percent, but their pressure rate is 10.5 percent, dead last in the league. Most their blitzes are from Spillane in obvious pass situations. Alert him wrapping into the opposite A gap, especially in two-minute drills.
As one positive, they’ve given up just four plays of 20 or more yards through the air. But again, by design as they’ve played soft coverage.
Schematically, they play more zone than man. Mix of two-deep looks, Cover 4 and Cover 2. Examples of each below.
But they can and will man up on third down. Doubled and bracketed Bills WR Stefon Diggs last week. Here, they drop eight into coverage with the “pea dropper” a defensive lineman in coverage, and they cut the crosser here to eliminate it. Nice stop.
They’re aggressive and downhill with their eyes near the goal line, probably because they’re always in nickel even in these moments. Buffalo got a couple of receivers open off play-action down here last week. One was a touchdown to TE Dawson Knox. The other, Diggs was wide open but Allen missed him.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers go from playing one primetime game to another, facing off against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football on the road at Allegiant Stadium. The Steelers have faced two stout defenses to open the 2023 season, going against the vaunted defensive fronts of the 49ers and Browns, who pressured QB Kenny Pickett and stifled the running game.
As far as the Raiders’ defense goes, they rank near the bottom of the league when it comes to stopping the run (27th in rushing yards allowed) and middle of the pack when it comes to defending the pass (18th in passing yards allowed). They ranked 25th in points allowed per game and have yet to record a turnover on the year. Their defense personnel-wise isn’t to the same caliber of the two defenses Pittsburgh has faced this season, but Las Vegas still has some dudes that Pittsburgh must account for come Sunday night.
Defensive Line
Along the Raiders’ defensive line, No.91 Bilal Nichols is a name to keep an eye on regarding his status. He injured his hamstring and hands last week and has been limited in practice but is currently expected to suit up. Nichols has filled in well in Johnathan Hankins’ place as the former Chicago Bear has become a capable run defender who does a good job stringing out runs down the line of scrimmage and occupies blocks to let linebackers run unimpeded to the ball. He’s not much of a pass rusher but plays with a fair amount of effort to push the pocket.
Former Charger No.90 Jerry Tillery played in seven games for the Raiders last season and is taking on a bigger role in 2023. Tillery is a former first-round pick that hasn’t been able to put it all together despite his measurables, struggling against the run and providing an inconsistent pass rush. Still, Tillery already has a sack this season and possesses the length and athleticism to be a problem once he gets his hands on opposing blockers.
Along with Tillery on the DL providing depth are No.94 Matthew Butler, who saw limited action as a rookie last year, as well as No.95 John Jenkins, who has taken Hankins’ role as an early-down run plugger, having the size (6-foot-3, 335 pounds) and strength to eat up double teams. Rookies No.93 Byron Young and No.99 Nesta Jade Silvera also provide depth up front.
EDGE
While the interior of the defensive line may not be that impressive for Las Vegas, the EDGE position is a different story. The Raiders have a couple of dudes on either side with No.98 Maxx Crosby playing left defensive end and No. 55 Chandler Jones on the opposite side. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, Jones was placed on the NFI list as he deals with a personal issue, according to Ian Rapoport. He isn’t expected to play Sunday night against Pittsburgh.
Crosby has made himself one of the best pass rushers in the game as a former fourth-round pick, having impressive size (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) and the athleticism to match coming off the edge. He is a well-versed pass rusher with several moves, like the two-hand swipe, dip/rip, and an inside counter to beat tackles across their face. His condor-like wingspan aids in fending off blocks and batting down passes, making him quite the handful for any offensive tackle he faces.
Starting opposite Crosby with Jones out is No.9 Tyree Wilson. Wilson was drafted seventh overall this spring and is also a physical specimen, standing 6-foot-6, 275 pounds with long arms and freakish athleticism. The rookie has started the last two contests and has flashed at times but hasn’t been consistent in terms of his motor as he is thinking and adjusting to the speed of the game. As the game slows down for Wilson, expect him to play faster. He and Crosby will present a tough battle for Chukwuma Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr. Sunday night. Behind them is No.51 Malcom Koonce, who is smaller in stature and best serves as a rotational rusher to give either starter a breather.
Linebackers
The Raiders have a familiar face starting at inside linebacker as No.41 Robert Spillane will be playing his first game in a different jersey against his former team. Spillane has never been the most athletic linebacker on the field or the most physically imposing, but he is a smart, steady defender who is reliable against the run and can drop into zone coverage. He is an aggressive linebacker, coming downhill while looking to make plays in the backfield. He gets exposed when having to redirect quickly on crossing patterns in zone or cover receivers in man coverage, making him an ideal guy to target over the middle of the field in this one.
Converted safety No.5 Divine Deablo starts opposite of Spillane, having great size and play speed to making plays coming forward and rally to the ball quickly. Still, Deablo isn’t the most well-versed in coverage, lacking the awareness to consistently stick with backs and tight ends. No.59 Luke Masterson got the start last year against Pittsburgh due to injuries to the linebacking corps. He plays the run well when freed up by the defensive line and can cover backs and tight ends in man. No.36 Curtis Bolton primarily serves as a core special teamer as well as rookie No.56 Amari Burney, who is more of that linebacker/safety hybrid.
Cornerbacks
The Raiders signed No.24 Marcus Peters this offseason to help bolster their cornerback room with a proven veteran who is more of a feast-or-famine type of player. Peters is one of the most feared ballhawks in the game, having a knack for jumping the route in off-man or zone coverage for the pick and taking it the other way. However, Peters gets burned a fair amount in coverage and is coming off his worst statistical season of his NFL career in 2022. He will likely see a lot of WR George Pickens on Sunday night, making for quite the matchup between edgy competitors who like to talk a little trash.
Opposite of Peters is rookie No.0 Jakorian Bennett, who is starting on the outside for Las Vegas. A fourth-round pick from this spring, Bennett was thrown into the fire by the Raiders and has taken his lumps, allowing 12 receptions on 13 attempts his way (92.3%) for 134 yards, a touchdown, and a passer rating when targeted of 135.3, according to Pro Football Reference. Bennett has great play speed and is a willing tackler, coming up aggressively in run defense. Still, Pittsburgh would be wise to test the rookie as he has struggled this season, continuing to pick on him until he proves that’s a bad option.
Playing the nickel for Las Vegas is No. 39 Nate Hobbs. Hobbs, a fifth-round pick back in 2021, started nine games as a rookie and hasn’t looked back. The 6-feet, 195-pound cover man is feisty and competitive at the catch point. He is also a physical run defender, willing to put his body out there as a tackler who will roll up close to the line of scrimmage. No. 21 Amik Robertson factors in at the slot as a nickel/dime defender who is physical for his size but lacks the length and frame (5-foot-8, 187 pounds) to excel in man coverage. Las Vegas also has No.23 David Long Jr., who has seen limited action as a coverage defender in dime/quarter coverage looks.
Safeties
Starting at safety for the Raiders is No.25 Tre’von Moehrig. Moehrig was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft as one of the best pure free safeties in the draft, having the size (6-foot-2, 202 pounds), athleticism, and range to cover the back end of the defense and make plays on the football. He shows off that closing speed on tape, be it working from deep centerfield to the sideline in coverage or as a run defender, coming from the top to fill the alley.
Starting opposite of Moehrig at safety is No.1 Marcus Epps, who came over from Philadelphia this offseason. Epps is a versatile defender who can play deep on the back end of the defense as well as mix in near the line of scrimmage as a run defender. He isn’t a flashy player with few splash plays in his career. He is steady when it comes to assignments, although he can be taken advantage of when singled up in man coverage. No.33 Roderic Teamer also factors in for Las Vegas at safety, making three starts last season as he sees more action in sub-packages and three-safety looks. No.40 Isaiah Pola-Mao is primarily a special teamer along with rookie No.29 Christopher Smith.
