Oakland Raiders Building A Defense That Would Make Buddy Ryan Smile

The Oakland Raiders are putting together a defense that is going to terrorize opposing quarterback – a defense that the late, great Buddy Ryan could appreciate.

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After an encouraging season in which they finished in the middle of the pack for team sacks – rather than right near the bottom as they did in 2014 – the Oakland Raiders have made a concerted effort to bolster that pass rush this offseason. Reggie McKenzie and Jack Del Rio have managed to put some real teeth into this Oakland pass rush through smart drafting and savvy free agent moves. And with an emphasis on better play in the secondary, this Oakland pass rush could wind up being one of the better ones in the league this season.

By adding players like Bruce Irvin via free agency and drafting the likes of Jihad Ward and Shilique Calhoun, and teaming them with veteran players like Mario Edwards Jr., Dan Williams, Malcolm Smith, Justin Ellis, and of course, Khalil Mack, the Raiders are building an absolute defensive bully in Oakland – one that the late, great defensive mastermind Buddy Ryan would be able to appreciate.

The world of professional football is mourning the loss of Buddy Ryan, the colorful and cantankerous old coach, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. Ryan, coached an aggressive, punch you in the mouth style of defense. It was that style of defensive play that led the Chicago Bears to a 15-1 record and an overwhelming victory in Super Bowl XX.

This is not to say that the Raiders are going to employ the old 46 defense that made Ryan famous. Del Rio and DC Ken Norton Jr. have some different and exotic – though no less aggressive schemes – in place already.

But based on the personnel they’ve been acquiring and their oft-repeated emphasis on getting to the quarterback, it could be argued that Oakland’s defensive philosophy under Del Rio and Norton echoes that of Ryan, who once famously wrote in one of his playbooks:

"“A quarterback has never completed a pass when he was flat on his back. We must hit the QB hard and often. QBs are overpaid, overrated, pompous bastards and must be punished. Great pass coverage is a direct result of a great pass rush, and a great pass rush is simply a relentless desire to get to the QB. Never miss an opportunity to punish the opponent. We must dominate and intimidate the enemy. If the opponent is worried about you, he is not thinking about carrying out his offensive assignment. If you play aggressive, physical, and smart–you cannot be beaten.”"

It’s believed that Ryan had such a hatred of quarterbacks that he didn’t even like those on his own team. That likely isn’t going to be the case in Oakland where the team – offense and defense – seem to get along and nobody thinks that Derek Carr is an overrated, pompous bastard.

But you get the gist of it. Ryan’s defensive philosophy was simple – create havoc in the backfield and at all costs, put the quarterback down like a mad dog. That’s it. Boiled down to its most basic element, that was Ryan’s philosophy and the legacy he leaves behind.

And it’s a philosophy that the Raiders seem to be eager to incorporate into their own defensive mindset. With pass rushers coming from all over the field, opposing offensive lines are going to have their hands full.

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Helping with that pass rush is a rebuilt secondary that features David Amerson, Sean Smith, Reggie Nelson, and rookie Karl Joseph. It’s a group of hard hitting ballhawks who will be able to lock up opposing receivers, forcing the quarterback to hold the ball a moment or two longer than he’d like, giving the pass rushers a few more beats to get there.

Those were all features of Ryan’s best defenses – features that the Raiders now possess.

Some believe that Ryan and his defensive philosophy couldn’t exist in today’s NFL. They say he’s a bully and his hard nosed tactics would get him fined and/or suspended, often citing Gregg Williams and Bountygate as proof of that belief – even though that’s a completely apples and oranges comparison.

Though Ryan’s defenses were rough, gritty, and brutal, they weren’t dirty. And that is the exact style of defense the Raiders are trying to build – rough, gritty, and brutal. Del Rio and Norton are coaching these guys up to be a formidable, intimidating unit. One who puts the fear of the gods into the other team. In other words, the sort of defensive unit that Buddy himself would be proud of.

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The Raiders are loaded with guys who can get after the quarterback. They have pass rushers galore. This is a team that, if they play to their potential, could be one of the best quarterback killing units in the league – they’re a unit looking to hit the quarterback hard, and often.

After all, a quarterback never completed a pass when he was flat on his back.

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