More pressure on quarterback leads to climb in wins column
Getting to passer creates turnovers, offensive chances
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Thatthe Raiders season-high three-game winning streak coincides with their league leading plus-5 turnover ratio over that time is no surprise.
Throw in the fact they’ve feasted off the seven turnovers — including five interceptions — by scoring 24 points and it’s no coincidence they are in the race for the AFC West title.
“The pass rush usually plays a big role in that,” coach Jon Gruden said Wednesday. “Pressure on the quarterback. And we’ve had a lot more pressure on the quarterback,and it’s I think helped in gaining turnovers.”
The manner in which the Raiders are forcing turnovers and the synergy and trust being created on the front and back ends of the defense.
The Raiders have increased pressure on the quarterback. The 12 sacks they’ve generated over the last three games — fourth-best in the NFL in that time — reflects how relentlessly they are generating pass-rush heat. They also have the fourth-highest quarterback pressures with 36 and their 19 quarterback hits is tied for 11th in the NFL.
“We have a lot of guys back there that can make plays,” said Raiders rookie defensive end Maxx Crosby, who had a career-high four sacks Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. “And it comes down to us making the quarterback get rid of the ball. That’s what we’ve been doing.”
Even keel
As quarterback Derek Carr takes the temperature in his locker room, he is comforted in how nothing seems out of the ordinary.
In fact, the same vibe he feels now was in place last spring when this group began its offseason program.
“To be honest, no, because we’ve always had great energy,” Carr said. “Whether it was OTA’S or workouts. Meetings. Training camp All of those things. We’ve had great energy all the time. So the fact that there’s still great energy in the locker room does not surprise me.
”The fact that (the energy was the same) when we lost a couple games in a row back at the beginning of the season, it doesn’t surprise me. Because we don’t get into wins and losses. We don’t get into stats and all those things. Player of the Weeks and all that kind of stuff. Because it doesn’t really matter until the end of the season.”
Nevertheless, Carr concedes it is important that the Raiders are seeing a payoff to that positive energy.
“Because then you start to see, like, yeah what we’re doing is right, you know?” Carr said. “And when we do what our coaches say, when we execute our assignments and when everyone just does their job, everyone gets to benefit from it. I guarantee you Maxx Crosby isn’t just sitting there saying, ‘yeah, I got four sacks.’
“There’s good guys next to you. Same thing with Josh (Jacobs) Same thing, always, with myself. There’s 10 other guys on the field with you. The coaches are helping to put a plan together to help us produce and things like that.”
But again, the key creating a balance for which there is recognition of those rewards without being consumed by them to the point of the Raiders getting too far in front of themselves.
“As long as our guys can keep a level head, which they will — and we’ll make sure of that with those young guys — …it’s nice to see our process be rewarded,” Carr said.
Crosby wins league award
Crosby has been recognized by the league for his four sacks against the Bengals.
The rookie fourth-round pick was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday. Crosby had five tackles, including three for a loss, four sacks and a forced fumble in a 17-10 win.
“It’s just a start,” Crosby said Wednesday after practice at the team facility. “It’s awesome to get awards and all that stuff, but we’re in the midst of trying to make the playoffs. That’s what’s important right now and we’re just going to stay focused.”
The former Eastern Michigan standout is just the fourth rookie in league history with four sacks in a game and the first since Brian Orakpo in 2009. It was tied for the most sacks for any player in a game this season and tied the Raiders’ franchise mark.
Crosby was pivotal to the win with three sacks in the fourth quarter, which is tied for the second-most sacks by a player in the final quarter since at least 1991.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal. com. Follow @Vinnybonsignore on Twitter. Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ Adamhilllvrj on Twitter.