Raiders' pass rush helping to drive 2-0 start

Miami Dolphins backmost Malik Willis (2) passes nether unit from Las Vegas Raiders antiaircraft extremity Maxx Crosby (98) during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled astatine Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. Photo by: Steve Marcus / Las Vegas Sun

The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2-0 commencement has been powered by an discourtesy uncovering the extremity portion and a defence making quarterbacks progressively uncomfortable.

Through 2 weeks, the Raiders are tied for the NFL pb with 8 sacks, including 5 successful their season-opening triumph implicit Miami and 3 much during Sunday’s 26-14 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Chargers. Even much encouraging for antiaircraft enactment manager Travis Smith is however Las Vegas has created that disruption without relying heavy connected blitzes.

The accumulation extends beyond perennial Pro Bowl borderline rusher Maxx Crosby. For Crosby, that reflects the enactment of the full antiaircraft enactment and its coach.

“I deliberation the champion feeling that we person arsenic a portion is conscionable by playing together, trusting Coach,” Crosby said. “Trav’s been amazing. For our D enactment group, he’s an unthinkable coach. ... He’s holding everyone accountable. We person a definite benignant of play that we privation to play, and that’s the modular and what we do. And however we attack everything is astatine an elite modular of dominance, and that’s what we signifier each azygous day."

While unit estimates alteration by analytics provider, the Raiders applied unit connected 38.7% of Chargers drop-backs and fertile archetypal successful the NFL astatine 45.6% done 2 games, per Pro Football Reference.

“Numbers and sacks and TFL, worldly similar that, they travel successful bunches; you enactment the enactment in, and those come,” Crosby added. “And for me, seeing my teammates ball-out and bash our happening and helping america play truly efficiently connected defense, that’s each that matters.”

The quality to make unit without sending other defenders has strengthened each level of the defense. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard tin support 7 players successful coverage, assemblage throwing windows and unit quarterbacks to clasp the shot portion Crosby, Kwity Paye and the remainder of the antiaircraft beforehand onslaught with four.

Against Justin Herbert, that look produced much than sacks. The unit disrupted timing and complemented a sum effort successful which rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses had 2 interceptions. Masses, the archetypal Raiders rookie with aggregate interceptions successful 1 crippled since Henry Williams successful 1979, allowed lone 2 receptions for 16 yards connected six targets and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

“It’s been a immense portion to the archetypal portion of the season, these victories, these squad victories,” manager Klint Kubiak said astir the walk rush. “They person the attraction of the different broadside of the ball. We conscionable got to support moving to get better, and each week is simply a full caller game.”

Crosby remains the centerpiece due to the fact that his relentless centrifugal and estimation bid other attention. But these Raiders are nary longer asking him to manufacture each disruptive play. Paye’s arrival, Leonard’s strategy and contributions passim the beforehand person fixed Las Vegas thing it has lacked successful caller seasons: a walk unreserved susceptible of attacking successful waves.

Two games correspond a tiny sample, and an upcoming roadworthy crippled against the New Orleans Saints volition supply different test. But 8 sacks and a beardown unit complaint supply tangible evidence. The Raiders are unbeaten successful portion due to the fact that their defence is dictating presumption without sending other defenders to make pressure.

“We play a definite benignant of play that we privation to play, and that’s the modular and what we do, and however we attack everything — an elite modular of dominance,” Crosby said. “That’s what’s translated truthful far, but it hasn’t been our best. We cognize there’s a batch of country to improve, and we got a batch of shot to play.”