Raiders can’t believe empty pickoff results

Defense confident, says interceptions will come

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Between the meetings and practices and games and recovery and having a personal life beyond the two-story, silver and black building on Harbor Bay Parkway, it is unrealistic to expect Raiders players to follow every statistic that relates to their season.

Even an astounding, historical datum can fly under the radar. Until told.

“Really?” defensive end James Cowser said. “That’s crazy. It’s shocking. It’s weird because I thought we did. … I did not realize that because in my head it’s like, ‘Of course we have interceptions because look who’s back there. We’ve got beasts.’ That’s weird, but we’ll be all right.”

“Dang. Wow,” linebacker Nicholas Morrow said. “That’s a long time. That shocked me. I didn’t know we didn’t have an interception yet. We don’t have a pick?”

“Oh, man,” safety Reggie Nelson said. “Yeah, it’s an issue around here right now.”

It’s late October, and the Raiders have yet to record an interception. Here’s the historical part: Dating back at least to the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, they are the only defense in NFL history without an interception through its first seven games of a season. The team hopes to start seizing its opportunities Sunday against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field.

Last week, the Raiders came comically close to their first interception. It was a dark comedy. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith chucked a deep throw toward wide receiver Albert Wilson. Safety Keith McGill II reacted instinctively to the third-and-12 heave, closing in on the football before it reached Wilson. McGill, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall, scaled over the 5-9 Wilson to pluck the pass.

The ball tipped off McGill’s hands and straight into Wilson’s. Off he sprinted, a 63-yard touchdown.

That sequence was fairly unique for its disastrous consequence, but there have been other 50-50 balls this season that, instead of interceptions, resulted in long receptions or touchdowns. They’ve surfaced in each of the team’s three victories and in losses like in Week 4 when Washington Redskins wide receiver Josh Doctson climbed over cornerback David Amerson for a 52-yard TD catch.

Last week, safety Karl Joseph missed his own chance during the 31-30 win over the Chiefs, albeit a far more difficult one. A ball glanced off tight end Travis Kelce and, a few feet behind, then off Joseph’s hands.

“I think we’ve had multiple opportunities this year that we should have had at least one pick in each of the games, these first seven games we played in,” Joseph said Wednesday before a groin injury forced him to be a limited participant in practice and put his status for Sunday’s game in doubt. “We just haven’t been able to come up with them. I’ve had a couple opportunities myself that I haven’t been able to come up with. …

“I think Coach Jack (Del Rio) says it all the time after we drop picks: ‘You guys gotta get on the JUGS (machine).’ We’ve got to make the plays. We’ve been catching the ball and playing football all of our lives. It’s just about making the plays. Hopefully, this drought comes to an end this Sunday.”

The Raiders had seven interceptions, a plus-eight turnover differential and 27 points off turnovers seven games into the 2016 campaign.

They have a minus-two turnover margin and a league-low 10 points off turnovers this season.

“You can’t force it, especially at cornerback,” cornerback Sean Smith said. “I can’t go out there like, ‘You know what? I’m going to sit on every route today, just so I can get an interception.’ I might get one or two. But I’m going to give up a lot. Is it really worth it? You’ve got to catch the ones that come to you. Every DB might have one play a game where they could’ve made that interception or have a chance.”

“I just think timing is everything,” cornerback Dexter McDonald said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, coming into practice, working hard, doing the little things to get better and put us in position to make those plays, they’ll come. When they do come, they come in bunches. They come in bubbles. It’s only a matter of time.”

Maybe, that time is Sunday.

Cary Edmondson USA TODAY Raiders safety Keith McGill leaps to deflect a pass that eventually makes its way into the hands of Albert Wilson (12) for a Kansas City touchdown.