A speedy glimpse astatine the stat expanse from the play opener won’t uncover a large woody astir the Raiders’ defence successful their overtime triumph implicit the Ravens.
Baltimore amassed much than 400 yards of full discourtesy and scored 27 points successful the loss, accepted metrics that would enactment the Raiders squarely successful the bottommost fractional of the league, wherever they are accustomed to finishing the past fewer years.
But it doesn’t instrumentality overmuch digging into the numbers to find wherefore determination is truthful overmuch optimism astir however the defence played.
New antiaircraft coordinator Gus Bradley’s portion generated unit connected 54.5 percent of dropbacks portion seldom sending much than 4 walk rushers. The Ravens were 3-for-12 connected 3rd down, and the Raiders forced 2 fumbles successful cardinal situations to springiness their discourtesy opportunities.
Over the past fewer seasons, the astir fatal flaws of the defence were an inability to unit turnovers and the recurring nonaccomplishment to marque large plays with the crippled connected the line. There was contiguous advancement successful some of those departments.
The Raiders besides boast the ninth-ranked defence done 1 game, according to Football Outsiders, aft finishing 28th past season.
Bradley has his ain mode of measuring the occurrence of his defense, and helium issued a passing people for the debut.
“I deliberation missed tackles, busts connected the field, missed assignments, blatant things similar that (is however you justice success),” helium said. “When guys are near moving wide open, things similar that. I didn’t spot galore of those. There mightiness beryllium a single-digit fig of those which leads successful the close direction.”
Now comes the hard task of pursuing up the promising show with different connected the roadworthy successful Pittsburgh, wherever the Raiders play the Steelers astatine 10 a.m. Sunday.
While the crippled program volition beryllium antithetic for a antithetic benignant of offense, the fundamentals of Bradley’s strategy volition stay successful place. The onus volition beryllium connected the beforehand 4 to make unit without blitzing, which is simply a hallmark of the scheme.
Behind them, the remainder of the roles are elemental but vital. Bradley believed everyone was processing a bully knowing of what to bash and recovered retired Monday helium was right.
“They look to beryllium picking it up,” helium said. “I emotion the connection that takes spot connected the field. They look to instrumentality ownership of it more. They’ve done a large occupation knowing the crippled program and going retired determination and executing it.”
Bradley knows determination volition beryllium increasing pains. The antiaircraft civilization can’t alteration overnight. Despite the seasoned additions, determination are inactive immoderate young players being counted connected successful important roles.
Still, passing their archetypal trial was a tremendous measurement successful the close absorption for what Bradley hopes to build.
“I deliberation archetypal and foremost we privation a defence that plays fast, and that’s conscionable knowing the game, knowing what we’re asking of them,” helium said. “We got a mates fumbles that we caused, truthful it appeared we played fast.
“I thought we played precise bully duty football. They got immoderate yards and points, but I deliberation the wide taxable is that we played with truly bully effort.”
Even the atrocious moments the squad experienced tin beryllium spun successful a affirmative direction. Baltimore’s Ty’Son Williams burst done the spread for a agelong touchdown connected a fourth-and-1 play that saw respective defenders, including Tre’von Moehrig, instrumentality atrocious angles.
“I deliberation erstwhile you look astatine those, it’s banked experience,” Bradley said. “Part of that information successful the mediate is the eraser tackler, and he’s got to marque that play. And conscionable by his alignment and his space helium took, good there’s a banked acquisition for him. You’d similar to person it beryllium a affirmative banked experience, but they tin larn from that too.”
There were much successes than failures successful Week 1. If that continues, the defence whitethorn nary longer clasp backmost the remainder of the squad from accomplishing its goals.
Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected Twitter.