Raiders hope D can shut down Brady.
Stats predict long day for Silver & Black pass defense
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will be waiting in Mexico City when the Raiders travel across the border for a Sunday afternoon kickoff. The numbers indicate it will be a bloodbath for Oakland’s defense.
New England (7-2) owns the best offense in the NFL, with more than 409 yards per game, and Brady leads the league with 2,807 passing yards. Oakland (4-5), on the other hand, has
been far below average defending the pass. In their last game, the Raiders allowed 311 passing yards and three touchdowns to the quarterback of the league’s worst offense.
Despite all signs pointing to a shootout on Sunday, Oakland’s beleaguered defensive backs want to write their own narrative.
“I just think that we all put on our
shoes the same way,” Raiders cornerback TJ Carrie said. “If you put somebody on a bigger pedestal than what it may seem, then you’re already losing that battle . ... Of course we respect the Patriots, but at the same time they suit up just like we suit up.”
Starting cornerback David Amerson is working his way back from a foot injury that sidelined him for the Raiders’ game in Miami.
His return would benefit a secondary now without rookie cornerback Gareon Conley for the rest of the season after he was placed on injured reserve Monday because of a lingering
shin injury.
Oakland utilized a mixture of Carrie, Dexter McDonald and Sean Smith at cornerback in a 27-24 win against the Dolphins. Rookie Obi Melifonwu saw his first regular-season action, mainly covering tight ends, and Karl Joseph and Reggie Nelson handled the safety duties, per usual.
This Sunday, however, will be a far greater test than Jay Cutler.
And it hasn’t only been the veteran Miami quarterback exposing Oakland’s pass defense when he presumably shouldn’t be able to. There hasn’t been a quarterback who has looked all that bad against the Raiders this season. Oakland is the only team in NFL history without an interception through Week 10.
Brady doesn’t exactly seem like a prime contender for Oakland’s pass defense to have a breakout performance against, either.
“He’s the best,” Nelson said. “He’s the best at what he does. Who’s trying to argue that?”
When coach Jack Del Rio, quarterback Derek Carr, coordinators and others speak later in the week, we’ll see if anyone objects to Nelson’s claim. After a slow start to this regular season following his fifth Super Bowl title, Brady has led the Patriots to five straight wins ahead of their bout with sub-.500 Oakland south of the border.
If the Raiders can miraculously grab their first interception of the season or
limit Brady to under 300 yards or even pull off an upset against New England, it just may be the statement this defense needs to spark a second-half run.
“Tom is Tom, man. He’s a veteran guy. His resume speaks for itself,” Carrie said. “He’s been able to do a tremendous, tremendous thing, him and the coaching staff there. They’ve been together for so long, so you know they’re always going to be on rhythm and on point with what they’re doing, how they attack you as a defense, special teams and offensively.
“We just go in and prepare fixing us first. I think that’s the biggest thing, is making sure we’re sound in what we do in all facets, and then you worry about how they gameplan well.”