Getty Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones.
It’s make-or-break time for the Las Vegas Raiders. They’ve dug themselves into a 2-5 hole and need to be almost perfect the rest of the way if they hope to make the playoffs. If they’re going to turn things around, they need their big-name offseason additions to step up.
Chandler Jones was the most notable free agency signing the team made. They traded away Yannick Ngakoue to the Indianapolis Colts and then handed Jones a $51 million contract. Despite being third among active players in career sacks, he’s only had 0.5 sacks this season. Fans have grown quite frustrated with his performance as the Raiders have the least amount of sacks in the NFL.
Jones has kept quiet for most of the season but he finally had a chance to address his early season struggles.
“I understand that as of right now, my numbers aren’t the best,” Jones said, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “I don’t have any of the sexy numbers, but what matters the most to me are the coaches’ grades at the end of the games. And every game that we have played this season, I have graded out extremely high — my assignments, my alignment, doing my job — so that makes me happy, doing my job.
“Do I want the stats? Of course. I would like to have more stats, and hopefully they come. The season is not over yet.”
Jones Confident That Defense Will Turn Things Around
Everybody knew the Raiders had holes on the defense heading into the season but the pass rush duo of Jones and Maxx Crosby was supposed to hide those issues. Crosby has done his part and has 6.0 sacks this season but Jones hasn’t made an impact yet. Though the Raiders have one of the weaker defenses in the league right now, the four-time Pro Bowler is confident that they’ll eventually figure things out.
“Because of the work that we put in,” Jones said. “That gives any player and team confidence. That’s all we have been doing, working and correcting errors. That’s all you can ask from your teammates.”
🏴☠️🏈Juxtaposition of big name pass rush signing
Yannick Ngakoue Chandler Jones
Current Age: 27 / 32
Sacks: 10 in 2021 / 0.5 in 2022
💰$26,000,000 guaranteed / $32,000,000 guaranteed
Duron Harmon Explains Why It’s Taking Time for Defense to Click
When Gus Bradley came in last season, he had some quick success and the Raiders don’t make the playoffs if his defense doesn’t step up. However, Bradley’s system is one of the simplest in the NFL and is more about players making plays than him trying to out-scheme an offense. Patrick Graham’s defense is much more complicated, which is likely why it’s taking time for the group to adjust.
Safety Duron Harmon is familiar with the style of defense Graham runs and stressed that it just takes time.
“Anytime you have a new system and new coaches and new players, it takes a while for everything to get in sync,” Harmon said. “It’s one thing practicing against your offense in training camp, seeing the same looks over and over again, but when you go against a new opponent each week, schemes are different and offenses attack you differently.
“So, we’re just trying to figure out how everyone is attacking us and learn from that, so eventually we can build our catalog up and we’ll know what to anticipate.”