What Raiders Defense Must Do To Get Back on Track Against Seattle

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense started the season flying high. The unit showed a remarkable turnaround from last season in its first three games. Then, Las Vegas had a string of games against several of the league's best offenses, and the unit suddenly looked much different.

The talent gap between the opponents the Raiders beat and the teams they lost to couldn't be greater. Las Vegas went from playing the league's worst to the league's best, and won more games in half a season than in all of 2025. Perspective matters, but so does progress.

The conundrum in gauging the Raiders' defense is that in each of their wins, no matter how they looked, the unit made multiple critical plays that won the game or put Las Vegas' offense in an excellent position to do so.

This cannot be discounted, as the Raiders' offense struggled at times in each of their four wins. On the other hand, the unit has had more than a few forgettable performances this season. Across the board, Las Vegas' 4-5 record is accurate for where they stand at this point in the season.

Leonard's Defense Must Help Themselves

Las Vegas' defense has struggled to get off the field on third down this season, allowing opponents to convert on several critical third-and-long situations. The Raiders' defense has allowed opponents to convert nearly half of their third-down attempts this season.

Through nine games, opposing offenses have gained nearly 30 more first downs against the Raiders' defense than Las Vegas' offense has gained this season. This has naturally left Las Vegas' struggling defense on the field longer than is ideal.

The third-down conversions the unit has allowed have hurt them just as much as their inability to stop the run or the pass for extended periods each week. The unit must correct all three things as soon as possible, as they have been the difference between winning and losing.

“When you’re stacking inconsistent plays, it’s always multiple things. But I’d say fatigue makes cowards of us all. When you’re on the field a long time, mistakes tend to happen more often. We’ll just put it that way," Leonard said earlier this week.

November 8, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The defense's inability to stop the run, especially in the first half, is another thing the unit has to focus on moving forward. There must be added emphasis on not just stopping the run, but doing so early. If they do so early, it may make teams reconsider running against them.

Las Vegas' cornerbacks were already known to be the unit's weakness. It has been for years. Opposing offenses were always expected to have success through the air against the unit. That is not a surprise.

What is surprising has been the unit's inexplicable first-half performances against the run. There is no way to explain allowing multiple teams to rush for 100 or over 100 yards in the first half alone. Literally any progress against the run, early in games, would be more than the unit has done lately.

Roster-wise, the Raiders' defense is unquestionably an unfinished product. This offseason was the first significant addition of talent. It will likely not be its last. Las Vegas is vulnerable on the interior of its defensive line, but if it can stop the run early, offenses won't be able to attack that weakness.

But the Unit Also Needs Help

The Raiders' defense has had its issues this season, most of which were expected when analyzing the roster during the offseason. Yet for a front office that did its due diligence this offseason, the need for development was always a part of the plan for the unit.

Entering the season, the Raiders' defensive needs were largely a gamble the front office knew it was taking. It has not been pretty, but the front office is likely okay with where things stand entering Week 10.

Moving forward, the unit will need all hands on deck to help get things going in the right direction. The roster is what it is right now. It will be up to Leonard and the rest of the coaching staff to find the right buttons to press and plays to call.

“No, all I think about is the guys. I want them to play fast. If anything messes with that,
I’m like, ‘Take it out. We won’t do it.’ I want their confidence to be extremely high at all times, so just
having conversations in and out with them, and the ultimate vision of what I have we'll get there in
time.”

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