Raiders defense: Secondary, underachieving Jones a problem

The Raiders’ defense is surrendering 26 points per game — one more than their offense is averaging — and the fourth most in the NFL. If you want to figure out why the club has lost four of its first five games, that side of the ball is as good a place to start as any.

Here are three observations:

Maxx effort from Crosby

It was fascinating to ponder just how much better Maxx Crosby could becoming off a Pro Bowl season in 2021 and signing a lucrative contract during the offseason. As it turns out, Crosby didn’t plateau with his breakout season. He was just getting started.

His first five games of 2022 reveal a player who continues to improve. Crosby is tied for the league lead with six sacks and is the best in the NFL with 11 tackles for losses.

That is an important distinction. He is on pace for a career high in sacks, but his improved run defense has helped him become a menace behind the line of scrimmage. He is emerging as one of the best all-around defensive ends in the league and the undisputed leader of the Raiders’ defense.

Where’s Jones been?

As high as Crosby has taken his game, the fall-off to Chandler Jones has been just as noticeable.

Granted, Jones put together his two best efforts over the last two games. But nobody envisioned him being the 78th-ranked edge rusher in the NFL, which is how Pro Football Focus is grading him right now. That is reflective of him going sackless over the first five games while generating five quarterback hits and seven hurries.

Those are pedestrian numbers for such a heralded and highly paid player. He’s someone the Raiders were counting on to be the pass-rush equal to Crosby from the opposite side.

Again, Jones has turned it up a notch since the second half of the win over the Broncos. He carried that into the Chiefs game. He and Crosby generated consistent pressure on Patrick Mahomes.

The question is, was that merely a two-game blip or a sign of things to come?

Pass defense a problem

The Raiders rank 25th in the NFL in pass defense, surrendering 256 yards per game. That is up from the 223 yards per game they gave up last season.

As Monday night showed when Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce made four touchdown receptions in the red zone, it’s not just the yards they are giving up. It’s more the impact plays they are surrendering. Kelce amassed just 27 yards receiving Monday night, but he won the night with his TD receptions.

Pinpointing the problem is an exercise in assessing blame. The issues are both blatant and subtle.

Injuries have played a role. The Raiders lost key reserve cornerback Anthony Averett in the season opener — he is eligible to come off the injured list after the bye week. Safety Tre’von Moehrig missed two games with a hip injury and starting cornerback Rock Ya-Sin missed one game with a knee injury.

The resulting patchwork secondary has not been ideal for a defense that had made significant changes on the back end and needed playing time together to develop chemistry.

Meanwhile, outside of Crosby, the Raiders simply haven’t been able to create consistent enough pass rush pressure to complement the work being done in the secondary.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.