5 Stats That Show the Raiders' Defense is Vastly Improved

Sports admin September 22, 2026 0 Comments

5 Stats That Show the Raiders’ Defense is Vastly Improved

Under first-year defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, the Raiders have shown improvement. The defense has shut down two opponents on the way to a 2-0 start to the season.

The Raiders have played the Dolphins, who may be the worst team in the NFL, and the Chargers, who could be looking at a top 10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The schedule will certainly provide better tests.

But for now the defense is flying.

8 Sacks

The Raiders are tied for the NFL lead in sacks with eight. Incredibly it has not just been the Maxx Crosby show.

Crosby has 1.5 sacks this year, but six different Raiders have been involved in the eight sacks. Kwity Paye is the team leader with 2 sacks. Nakobe Dean, Malcolm Koonce, Eric Stokes and Foley Fatukasi have all gotten to the quarterback this season.

The secondary also deserves credit for the pass rush getting home. The Raiders are averaging 4.44 seconds per sack, the sixth-longest time in the NFL. Preventing wide receivers from breaking open is giving opposing quarterbacks nowhere to throw before being swallowed up.

27 Points Allowed

The most important stat for any defense is simply points allowed. So far, the Las Vegas defense is keeping teams out of the end zone.

The Raiders currently sit sixth in points allowed at 27. Last season the Raiders surrendered 25.4 points per game, good for 25th-best in the NFL. The most impressive part of the Raiders’ defense has been shutting games down. Las Vegas has not allowed any fourth-quarter points this season.

Even with problems popping up on offense in the first two weeks, the Raiders will win plenty of games if they only need to put up 20 points.

-0.275 EPA per Play

The Raiders defense has been the most efficient in the NFL this season. They lead the entire league in expected points added per play after two weeks (with Monday night’s game still to come).

By EPA per play, the Raiders have the best run defense in the NFL. Chargers running back Omarion Hampton did run for 94 yards and a touchdown, but he also fumbled in a one-possession game in the fourth quarter.

The Raiders rank slightly worse against the pass, as Las Vegas is fourth in EPA per play on opponent dropbacks. Rookie Hezekiah Masses picked off two of Justin Herbert’s passes in Week 2 to bring the team total up to three.

20.8 Percent Turnover Rate

The Raiders are forcing a turnover on 20.8 percent of opponent drives, the third highest mark in the NFL. But that is an even more impressive stat when you compare it to the percentage of drives that the Raiders give up points.

That is the same number: 20.8 percent.

Through two games it is just as likely the Raiders allow points as it is they take the ball away.

8.5 Missed Tackles

The Raiders are not whiffing as much when they have a chance to bring the ball carrier down. Las Vegas has missed 17 tackles on the season. That average of 8.5 per game is down from last season.

The Raiders missed 10.2 tackles per game in 2025. According to Pro Football Focus, Las Vegas was the fourth-worst tackling team in the NFL. This season the Raiders aren’t near the league leaders, but they have improved to the 15th-best tackling team.

General manager John Spytek signed two linebackers in the offseason to improve the defense. So far Nakobe Dean leads the team with nine run stops, while Quay Walker has missed just 1 of his 14 tackle attempts.

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This story was originally published September 22, 2026 at 9:00 AM.