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.
Today, scouting the Las Vegas Raiders’ defense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
Raiders’ Run Defense
The run defense has been below-average this year. The Raiders are allowing 131.8 yards per game on the ground, 23rd in the NFL, and 4.9 yards per carry (27th) through five games. Their leading tackler is a familiar name in ex-Steeler Robert Spillane, who paces the group with 54 stops.
Not only does that lead the Raiders, it’s tied with the Colts’ E.J. Speed and Bills’ Dorian Williams for the NFL lead in total tackles. The next-closest Raider has 28 tackles and unsurprisingly, Spillane hasn’t come off the field for a single snap this season. He has double-digit tackles in every single game this year.
They are, on paper, a 4-3 front, something that hasn’t changed for years. But they often play a 5-2 front on early downs. Really try to put a man in each gap and make it hard for the run game to get up to speed and downhill. Like this.
The Raiders are generally a two-gap team that wants to hold the line of scrimmage, key the ball, get off blocks, and swarm and rally.
But out of their actual 4-3/4-2-5 front, they one-gap far more often.
So understand that broadly speaking, 5-2 equals two-gap. A 4-2-5 front equals one-gapping. Their run defense in the games I watched looked better than the stats indicate, and it seems like they wane more in the second half. They did a nice job in short yardage last week, stuffing a QB sneak attempt against Bo Nix by literally putting two players in one gap and the Broncos had to use play-action to find the end zone on the goal line. In short yardage, more perimeter/off-tackle runs are more likely to succeed, though the Raiders not having Christian Wilkins is a huge loss that Jonathan touches on below.
They have allowed 16 runs of 10-plus yards this year, tied for 15th across the league.
Some other stats. They’re 28th in points per game (26.2), allowing 34-plus in two games and 22-plus in four of five games this year. They’ve forced only two turnovers this season, tied-last coming into the week with the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans. Situationally, they’re great on third down (30 percent, fourth-best) but poor in the red zone (61.1 percent, 21st).
One other key stat. The Raiders have missed a league-high 56 tackles this season, more than 10 per game. RB Najee Harris, TE Pat Freiermuth, and those receivers should be able to get yards after contact.
Raiders’ Pass Defense
They’ve been about average defending the pass. Middle of the pack in pass yards per game allowed at 201.4 while allowing a high completion rate (68.6 percent, 22nd) and average in yards per completion (7.0, 16th). They’ve allowed eight passing scores, tied-22nd. So a lot of baseline average/bottom third numbers. Las Vegas is slightly better in limiting explosive plays, allowing 13 of them for 20-plus yards, tied for 13th.
The Raiders are a high-blitz team, 31.3 percent ranking sixth, but they are on the low-end of pressure. Just 19.6 percent, which is 24th. Not the ratio you want.
They have 11 sacks this season. Despite missing time, Maxx Crosby leads the charge with five sacks while Wilkins was responsible for two. Only six players have even a half-sack this season, a fairly small number (Pittsburgh, by comparison, has eight). Crosby also leads the way with 7 TFL. Wilkins had six while journeyman Charles Snowden (here’s our 2021 scouting report) has found a home with the Raiders and has five TFL.
In the secondary, DB Nate Hobbs still rarely leaves the field and has logged 88 percent of the snaps. A top, underrated nickel very involved in fitting the run. Only two picks this year from the defense, one by Spillane and one by S Tre’von Moehrig. Watch out for those d-linemen getting involved in throwing lanes. Combined, their d-line has five pass deflections. The defense hasn’t forced a fumble this year, one reason why the Raiders don’t have many takeaways. Not a super splashy defense.
They’re primarily a zone defense. Cover 3, Cover 2, and Cover 6 are evident. Cover 6 comes on early downs against different formations (2×2, 3×1, empty) and they’ll cloud the boundary and play quarters to the field.
They play Cover 2 against two/split-back formations and try to hold and disguise the coverage.
And they man up on third downs because they’re more likely to bring pressure, playing Cover 1/Cover 1 Lurk with a “Robber” down in the hole.
Blitz tendencies. They’re a big second-down blitz team, counting seven across the 100-ish plays I charted. Of the six DB blitzes, four came from the field, though the other two came in Week 5 against Denver. So they may have a game plan of field or boundary blitzes where the first may tell you the rest. Alert No. 7, the safety Moehrig, coming from the field. No. 20 S Isaiah Pola-Mao can also blitz, doing so from the boundary.
The Raiders have taken a page from the Cleveland Browns/Myles Garrett playbook, once aligning Crosby standing up over the A gap in a “00 technique” complete with the pre-snap crossover Garrett did last year. He rushed over the A gap. As a right end, he can loop and stunt through the A-gap, too.
They defend and swarm the screen game well and I wouldn’t run many of them against the Raiders.
Last note. They’re a strong QB-contain team. Some of that is spy and mush rushes but they don’t let the QB break the edges, containing Deshaun Watson and Bo Nix well. We’ll see how Justin Fields fares.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers will look to get back into the win column this weekend after a two-game skid as they are set to travel to Las Vegas to battle the Raiders. The Raiders rank near the bottom of the league in points allowed (28th) but have fared better when it comes to yards allowed on the season (17th). They are 16th in the league against the pass and 23rd against the run with only two turnovers forced through five games.
Defensive Line
Las Vegas made a splash in free agency this offseason, signing No. 94 Christian Wilkins from the Miami Dolphins. But the star interior defender suffered a Jones fracture and is heading to injured reserve and will miss the contest. Starting in place of Wilkins will be No. 69 Adam Butler and No.95 John Jenkins. Butler played well last season as a rotational player for Las Vegas and has assumed a role in the starting lineup, bringing more speed and pass-rush upside. Jenkins operates best as an early-down run plugger, having the size (6-3, 335 pounds) and strength to eat up double teams.
No.99 Nesta Jade Silvera and No. 96 Jonah Laulu provide depth up front with Silvera playing about 20 percent of the defensive snaps as a rotational piece for Jenkins in the middle.
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 one of the best pass rushers in football in No.98 Maxx Crosby. The former fourth-round pick has made himself one of the best in the game, having impressive size (6-5, 255 pounds) and the athleticism to match coming off the edge. Crosby is a well-versed pass rusher, having 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 is No.9 Tyree Wilson. Wilson was drafted seventh overall in 2023 and is also a physical specimen, standing 6-6, 275 pounds with long arms and freakish athleticism. The second-year pro hasn’t lived up to his draft billing yet, posting just 3.5 sacks last season and none so far in 2024. He flashes his upside at times but needs to be more consistent at putting the whole package together. Behind the starters are No. 44 K’Lavon Chaisson, an athletic former first-round pick who hasn’t panned out, as well as No. 49 Charles Snowden. He has split reps with Wilson and has been the more productive player, posting 1.5 sacks as a long, athletic defender.
No. 97 Janarius Robinson also provides depth for Las Vegas up front as another long (6-5, 260 pounds), athletic pass rusher who rotates in on occasion.
Linebackers
The Raiders have a familiar face starting at inside linebacker as No.41 Robert Spillane will be playing his second game 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 looking to make plays in the backfield. Spillane had a great first season with Las Vegas las year, posting 148 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions. Look for him to be around the ball a lot on Sunday.
The Raiders have converted safety No.5 Divine Deablo starting alongside of Spillane, but he has missed the last three games due to an oblique injury and is questionable to return for this game. Rookie No. 45 Tommy Eichenberg has stepped up in his place, seeing action in Las Vegas’ last three games as a capable run defender who also can be taken advantage of in coverage. No.56 Amari Burney sees more action on passing downs as a converted safety from college. No. 43 Kana’i Mauga and No. 53 Amari Gainer are backups who primarily play on special teams.
Cornerbacks
No.0 Jakorian Bennett earned the starting job as a rookie in 2023 and is holding down the outside for Las Vegas in Year 2. A former fourth-round pick, Bennett was thrown into the fire by the Raiders last season, but has been playing better in his second season, allowing a 50% completion rate for 154 yards and zero touchdowns through five games, according to Pro Football Reference. Bennett has great play speed and is a willing tackler, coming up aggressively in run defense. He can be beaten with size and length, meaning George Pickens will have his chances against him in this matchup.
Starting opposite of Bennett is No. 18 Jack Jones, who came over from New England last season and has enjoyed his time in the Silver and Black, most notably picking off QB Patrick Mahomes twice for two touchdowns in 2023. Jones is a ball hawk who is aggressive in playing the football in the air. He can be a little feast or famine, having allowed a 121.1 passing rating against and three passing touchdowns so far in 2024.
Playing the nickel for Las Vegas is No. 39 Nate Hobbs. Hobbs, a former fifth-round pick, started nine games as a rookie in 2021 and hasn’t looked back. The 6-0, 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. 30 Darnay Holmes and No. 27 Sam Webb provide depth for Las Vegas at cornerback.
Safeties
Starting at safety for the Raiders is No.7 Tre’von Moehrig, who was selected in the second round in 2021 as one of the best pure free safeties in the draft. He has the size (6-2, 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, whether it is working from deep centerfield to the sideline in coverage or as a run defender, coming from the top to fill the alley. He’s played all over the Raiders’ defense this season, coming into the box as well as splitting out wide at cornerback, making him their chess piece.
Starting opposite of Moehrig at safety is No.20 Isaiah Pola-Mao. The former undrafted free agent played his first two seasons as a special teamer and rotational defender, earning more snaps in his third season. The nephew of Steelers legend Troy Polamalu has fantastic size and length (6-4, 205 pounds), allowing him to play in the box and near the line of scrimmage as a strong safety. He can be a liability when it comes to pass coverage. No.29 Christopher Smith also sees some action as a backup safety and on special teams as well as No. 34 Thomas Harper, who made the team as a rookie UDFA this offseason.
