The Las Vegas Raiders haven’t had a consistently good defense for a very long time, but the group has been particularly bad this season. They have allowed over 30 points in six straight games, which tied an NFL record.
The Raiders have a top-10 scoring offense, but can’t win games because they have the worst scoring defense. Rob Leonard was promoted from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator this offseason.
That was a surprise hire, as the Raiders were expected to go with somebody more experienced. So far, the early returns on Leonard haven’t been great. Many expected Leonard to get fired after giving up 38 points to the San Francisco 49ers. However, head coach Klint Kubiak is standing behind the coach and isn’t planning to make sweeping changes yet.
“No, I don’t,” Kubiak told reporters when asked if he is going to make changes on defense. “In fact, I see us doing the things we said we’re going to do better. I stand behind Rob. I stand behind our defensive staff. I stand behind our players.
“I think the world wants someone’s head on a platter every time things don’t go right. But the way that I see it is that we brought people here for a reason: to get a job done and develop players for the long haul.”
Leonard On Hot Seat
This is a pretty big vote of confidence for Leonard from Kubiak, but he can only stay confident in the coach for so long. The Raiders don’t have the most talented defense ever, but they do have good players.
There should be enough pieces for the defense to not be historically bad. The Raiders play a lackluster Seattle Seahawks offense in Week 10 that will be without starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
Drew Lock will be starting, and while he’s capable of making plays, there’s a reason he has been a backup for most of his career. If Leonard and the Raiders’ defense can’t keep Seattle from scoring over 30 points in Week 10, it might be time to really consider making a change. The team may choose to give Leonard the entire season no matter how bad things get, but it’s looking like a long shot that he’ll be back next season.
Jeremy Chinn Addresses What Needs to Change
The Raiders’ first half defense has been particularly bad. They just haven’t been ready to play. The 49ers had 21 points in the first half. If it weren’t for a pick-six in the third quarter, the Raiders would’ve only given up 10 points in the second half.
Safety Jeremy Chinn thinks the team needs to change their mentality coming into games.
“I know we’ve come in and it kind of feels like a mindset shift in the second half, and it’s ‘pissed off,’” Chinn said. “But we’ve got to come into the game pissed off. So, just finding that edge.”
The Raiders offense is legit and would’ve scored a lot more points against the 49ers if it weren’t for five turnovers. Kubiak is hoping the team can start playing more balanced football.
“We have to find balance on our team,” Kubiak said. “That is not a new topic.”
Klint Kubiak Announces Decision on Rob Leonard Amid Defensive Struggles