Young Las Vegas Raiders Defense Grows Up in Fourth Quarter
If the Las Vegas Raiders needed to make a statement on their first game of the season, they sure did it with a young defense.
As the Raiders opened their season in Carolina, concerns arose of how the defense would respond against All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
The defense came up big when it mattered the most, and the last stop showed the maturity of a young defense learning to become winners.
“At the end of the day, when the game is on the line, you gotta block that out and just line up and go and hats off to myself and my teammates to go out there and make that play, to hold it down for the team,” said Clelin Ferrell, the former first-rounder who enters his second-year as Raiders.
Despite giving up 30 points, the Raiders held the Panthers to 388 total yards.
The only big play the Raiders gave up was a 75-yard touchdown reception to Robby Anderson, who finished the game with 155 yards. Aside from that one big play, the Raiders kept their ground and limited the Panthers offense from really rolling.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater finished the day with 270 passing yards and one touchdown.
McCaffrey was held to 96 rushing yards, although scoring two touchdowns on the ground, and he was also limited to only three receptions for 38 yards.
Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden was expecting his secondary unit to get most of the action. The defense collectively stuck together and closed out the game with a critical turnover on downs that would ultimately end the game.
The young defense held their own in crucial situations, and while they didn’t play their best, improvements were shown on their first game of the season.
The Raiders decided to rely on their young players over veterans this offseason, and so far, it has paid off.
There is plenty of time for them to grow together, but after this win, it would surely help this young defense build momentum as the Raiders return home to host the New Orleans Saints in their home opener in Las Vegas next Monday night.
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