Oakland Raiders v. Miami Dolphins: Four Things That Must Happen

Put the Pressure On

With the talent the Raiders have on their roster, specifically in their defensive front – Khalil Mack, Mario Edwards Jr., and Bruce Irvin, among others – it seems absurd that as a unit, Oakland’s defense has just 12 sacks on the year.

That’s tied for twenty-ninth in the league, in case you were wondering. The only teams with fewer sacks than Oakland are Tennessee (11) and Tampa Bay (7).

Part of the problem is that Ken Norton Jr.’s defense isn’t nearly aggressive enough. They don’t blitz often and don’t do a good enough job of scheming to get all-defensive-everything Khalil Mack into favorable one-on-one situations. You get Mack in some one-on-one’s, and you’re going to see him putting some sacks up on the board.

The defense is more passive, sitting back, and reacts to what the offense does. And, as we’ve seen throughout Norton’s tenure as the DC, that is not getting the job done. It’s not coming close to getting the job done.

This defense needs to be aggressive. They need to come out fired up and looking for a fight. And they absolutely, positively need to get in Jay Cutler‘s face early and often. Cutler isn’t the most fleet of foot to begin with. And with him not being 100 percent after his rib injury, the onus is on the Raiders to really dial up the pressure and the heat.

And because the Raiders will only have three healthy corners – and possibly rookie Obi Melifonwu in certain sets – it’s even more imperative that Oakland’s defensive front put consistent pressure on Cutler. They cannot afford to let him sit back and get comfortable in the pocket.

Oakland’s defense needs to come out strong, come out hitting, and avoid letting Cutler get into any sort of a rhythm. With all of the problems they’re having on the back end of the defense, that could be an absolute recipe for disaster.