Linemen no longer a bunch of sad sacks

ALAMEDA » Johnathan Hankins split into a wide grin when asked about the formerly infamous number 13.

“I’d forgotten all about that,” Hankins said.

Hankins, nor any one else connected with the Raiders defensive line, has not forgotten about the meager 13 sacks that were accumulated in 2018. How could they? It was a consistent topic of conversation, starting with the offseason program, through voluntary and mandatory minicamps and then on a neardaily basis during training camp in Napa.

Coach Jon Gruden mentioned it one or a hundred times. So did defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and defensive line coach Brentson Buckner. Reporters asked about it with regularity.

With the Raiders at 6- 4 heading in to Sunday’s road game against the New York Jets (3-7), coaches rarely mention it any more.

Ten games into the regular season, the team that had 13 sacks a year ago stands at 25 — going from 32nd in the NFL to a sevenway tie for 15th. Even more impressive, after 13 sacks in 64 quarters, the Raiders have 12 sacks in their last 12 quarters in home wins over Detroit (two), the Los Angeles Chargers (five) and Cincinnati (five).

Rookie defensive end Maxx Crosby is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week with a four- sack game against the Bengals. Clelin Ferrell had 2 ½ against the Chargers. Benson Mayowa leads the Raiders with seven sacks.

“We took a lot of pride in that in the offseason and wanted to change things,” Hankins said. “We definitely wanted to show the NFL we could rush and be one of the best D-line groups in the AFC, to put it on film, show the NFL that we’re not a team to be messed with.”

The Raiders are suddenly healthy and deep along the defensive line. Veteran Josh Mauro, a base end whose forte is run defense, returned against Cincinnati after missing two games with a groin injury. Dion Jordan, signed when Arden Key was lost to a broken foot, had a sack in his first game. His presence will lessen Ferrell’s snaps as a 266-pound inside player. The inside rotation with Hankins, Maurice Hurst and P. J. Hall is doing solid work.

“Everyone’s kind of got their role and they’ve really embraced it,” Mauro said. “Guys have gotten better, gotten healthier. I think we’re really clicking at the right time. We’re playing meaningful football in November, which is what you aim for all year. It’s a blessing to be a part of it and I want to keep it going.”

Jordan’s addition adds intrigue in that he is a former No. 3 overall draft pick who has been beset by personal issues which have resulted in suspensions under NFL policies for both substance abuse and performance enhancing drugs. His 16 snaps against in his debut were encouraging.

“I was excited, probably overly excited,” Jordan said. “I had a lot of fun. It was just good to be out there with the guys and come out with a win. I was absolutely a little rusty. They took care of me as far as what they wanted and the play- count. My teammates did a good job making sure I was evenkeel, making sure I was good to go.”

• Linebacker Preston Brown is looking forward to seeing the Raiders play up close and personal, and perhaps even participating against the Jets.

After a late-week workout following his release by Cincinnati, Brown stayed at an Oakland hotel at the urging of the Raiders and watched what he hoped would be his new team beating his old team.

“They said they didn’t know exactly what was going to happen but to stay around and we’ll see,” Brown said. “My mom, my sister and my cousins were all out here because they were flying out for the game. Then I got cut on Tuesday, and I told ‘ em, ‘I got no tickets.’ They still came out.”

Brown said he watched the game alone, however.

“It was weird, but I didn’t want them there because I’d be yelling and cussing at the TV,” Brown said.

It remains to be seen where Brown fits in. Gruden said Wednesday Will Compton, another recent acquisition, wasn’t going to be easy to move aside at middle linebacker. And the fact is the Raiders seldom use a true middle linebacker anyway, having played mostly nickel defense with Tahir Whitehead and Nicholas Morrow.

And next week, another linebacker, Marquel Lee is eligible to be activated against the Chiefs. He’s currently in a practice window after coming off injured reserve.

Since Brown played two seasons in Cincinnati, the first under Marvin Lewis (who was head coach when Guenther was defensive coordinator), there is some familiarity with the Raiders system.

“He’ll get caught up quick and hopefully he can help us in the short term,” Guenther said.

• Don’t bother to tell the Raiders that Jets running back Le’Veon Bell, averaging 3.2 yards per carry after sitting out the 2018 season, isn’t the same as the guy in Pittsburgh who was one of the NFL’s top yardage producers. Bell has 161 carries for 508 yards and 46 catches for 309 yards.

“That’s the best running back in the NFL,” Hankins said. “If he’s not, he’s definitely up there. You could put (Christian) McCaffrey up there. His numbers might not show it this year but he’s definitely one of the best.”

Mauro cited quarterback Sam Darnold’s illness which sidelined the Jets quarterback for the first three games as a factor.

“I mean, you look at the quarterbacks when Darnold was out, and who wouldn’t put nine or 10 guys in the box?,” Mauro said. “That’s a little bit deceiving. He’s still got all the talent he’s had in years past when he’s led the league in scrimmage yards.”

• The Raiders played well in the secondary even with the addition of newcomer D. J. Swearinger at safety to help replace Karl Joseph, having rookie Trayvon Mullen in his second start and Nevin Lawson replacing the injured Lamarcus Joyner at slot corner.

Part of the reason, according to Guenther, was the presence of veteran safety Erik Harris.

“He’s like a coach out there,” Guenther said. “He can see the formations, the leverages, what may be coming, alerting guys. D. J. is new and playing the snaps he did, maybe wasn’t sure about something and Erik can correct him. He does an excellent job back there.”

• The Raiders had hoped to see slot corner LaMarcus Joyner at practice, but the veteran was still not ready with a hamstring strain, increasing the likelihood Nevin Lawson will fill that role against the Jets as he did against Cincinnati.

The only other player who didn’t practice was swing tackle David Sharpe (calf). Tackle Trent Brown (knee), center Rodney Hudson (ankle) and running back Josh Jacobs (shoulder) were all limited and have been for the most part for the last three weeks.

Gruden, meanwhile, received some drops for his left eye which has begun to clear up a gland which he said had swollen to the size of a pea.