The Raiders dropped their fourth consecutive game Sunday, surrendering at least 30 points for the fourth straight week in a 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Allegiant Stadium. It marked the fifth straight game the defense has allowed at least 27 points.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean, who tied for the team lead with 12 tackles and added an interception, delivered a blunt assessment afterward. "We have to be real with each other," Dean said. "Coaches have to be real with the players, players have to be real with the coaches. But players have to be real with each other. It's going to come down to us. We have to make plays."
Dean said accountability will be a major emphasis moving forward. "I'm probably going to start holding guys way more accountable," he said. "I feel like I already do that, but I guess there's another level to it that we need to take it to because it's not working right now." He added the unit can no longer overlook small errors: "We can't look past anything. No matter how small it is."
Safety Jeremy Chinn echoed the sentiment, saying, "This game comes down to details. We have to be sharp on those details every day." Cornerback Taron Johnson said hard conversations took place at halftime after the Rams scored touchdowns on four straight first-half possessions. The Raiders forced two turnovers and allowed just seven points after the break, but the early deficit proved too large.
Dean noted penalties hurt the defense and stressed the unit is paid to stop opponents. The Rams finished all five of their red-zone drives with touchdowns.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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