Raiders defense stands tall again in 2nd straight win

PITTSBURGH — Jon Gruden hearkened backmost to immoderate superior Raiders past Sunday afternoon: “George and Jack would beryllium arrogant of immoderate of those hits — the ineligible hits,” helium said.

George Atkinson. The precocious Jack Tatum. Some beauteous intimidating company.

Gruden was answering a question regarding his team’s defense, which again played a large relation successful an early-season victory.

The Raiders bushed Pittsburgh 26-17 earlier 63,707 astatine Heinz Field to statesman the play with consecutive victories.

“I thought we flew astir and made immoderate tremendous plays,” Gruden said. “The unreserved was beauteous good. For the astir part, we got them disconnected the tract successful cardinal moments.”

This is what the Raiders envisioned erstwhile hiring Gus Bradley arsenic their antiaircraft coordinator — a broadside that attacked from the beforehand and tackled with wantonness and covered up connected the backmost end.

This is what they deemed imaginable erstwhile signing respective players coached by Bradley astatine erstwhile stops. New faces. New scheme. New attitude.

“It feels good, but we cognize we person to support going and decorativeness and conscionable support getting better,” said cornerback Trayvon Mullen, who had six tackles and an interception Sunday. “We person guys who emotion the crippled and person a consciousness of urgency.

“Guys who amusement up astatine 5 a.m. each time erstwhile signifier begins astatine 7:30.”

Guys similar tackle Solomon Thomas.

He was a first-round prime by the 49ers successful 2017 who tore his ACL successful Week 2 of past season. San Francisco declined to prime up his fifth-year option, truthful Thomas signed with the Raiders successful March.

He besides had the archetypal two-sack crippled of his vocation Sunday, a needed effort with extremity Yannick Ngakoue (hamstring) hobbling.

“It felt astonishing and bully to beryllium backmost coming disconnected the ACL,” Thomas said. “I deliberation we person been moving toward this since OTAs — grinding away, getting adjacent to each other, gathering things up. Starting a play 2-0 is huge. Just privation to support stacking those wins.”

Pittsburgh totaled 331 yards connected 56 plays. It rushed for lone 39.

The Steelers became truthful frustrated with not moving the shot consistently, defender Trai Turner was ejected for spitting astatine a Raiders player. In response, Thoms stepped successful and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I’m going to support my guys,” helium said.

The Steelers were 5-of-12 connected 3rd down and gained much than 5 yards per snap, but the deficiency of immoderate moving crippled made it casual for the Raiders to unit Pittsburgh backmost Ben Roethlisberger (27-of-40, 295 yards, touchdown, interception) from the outset.

“I emotion erstwhile our defence is connected the field,” said Raiders choky extremity Foster Moreau. “Rally tackling, and a spot and content successful each other. I’ve played with immoderate bully defenses successful assemblage (at Louisiana State) and we’ve had immoderate bully spots here. But it’s awesome to spot these guys close now. They travel retired and shine.”

Just similar Atkinson — who was astatine the crippled — and Tatum erstwhile did.

Not adjacent that level, of course. But 1 not seen from the Raiders successful immoderate time

Sports columnist Ed Graney tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.