Defense is built on cornerstones
It’s all going to start up front for the Raiders this season. And we’re not talking about pass rushers Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith.
We’re talking about the 700 pounds Oakland will throw out there at defensive tackle in Dan Williams and Justin Ellis. Williams was one of the Raiders’ prime free-agent targets: First-year head coach Jack Del Rio likes the “big boys” or “the anchor points” up front, like when he had Marcus Stroud and John Henderson his first goaround in Jacksonville 12 years ago.
“Guys that eat up blocks and make plays in there and can disrupt the middle,” Del Rio said. “Those are the cornerstone of any good defense. That’s going to start in the trenches, and I feel like we have a couple of good ones up front.”
Williams knows his main job is to stop the run, and he and the rest of the Raiders defense will have their hands full with talented Bengals running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard. But he also has to get a push up the middle when Cincinnati tries to pass.
“If I can help Khalil get 12 sacks, or 20, this year, I am fine with doing the dirty work,” Williams said. “Make sure the quarterback doesn’t baby-step up in the pocket. If Khalil gets a sack, the Raiders get a sack and I get a sack. I am cool with that.”
The Raiders gave up a league-high 452 points in finishing 3-13 last season, but Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. are confident this is a different, tougher team. They have seven new starters, all who have had Norton in their ear every day.
“You have to tackle,” he said. “It’s a way to let people know and yourself know what type of defense you are. So tackling is something we really emphasize, work on, talk about, illustrate, diagram it, everything.
“They catch the ball, they’re going down. No yards after touches. No yards after catches. They catch the ball for three, it’s a 3-yard gain, no misses.”