Bills, Josh Allen could throw latest wrench in Raiders quick rebuild
The Raiders need to catch their breath.Josh Allen is coming to take it away.A week after Drake Maye and the Patriots exposed their defense, the Raiders welcome a quarterback who can punish their mistakes and turn otherwise sound defensive possessions into exhausting exercises in frustration.Cover his receivers and Allen can run.Pressure him without keeping him contained and he can escape.
Commit too many defenders to stopping his legs and he can throw over their heads.For a team trying to stop a two-game losing streak, Sunday at Allegiant Stadium presents arguably Las Vegas’ most daunting challenge yet.The Bills arrive at 4-1 after a 37-34 overtime victory over the Rams on Monday night.Allen rushed for 121 yards, while running back James Cook added 111.
Together, they scored three rushing touchdowns, offering another reminder that defending Buffalo requires much more than disrupting its passing game.That is an uncomfortable assignment for a Raiders defense coming off its worst performance of the season.New England piled up 536 yards in a 45-17 victory, with Maye accounting for five touchdowns.The Raiders cannot afford another afternoon of missed assignments, poor pursuit angles and receivers running behind their secondary.
Against Allen, those breakdowns can quickly turn a competitive game into a long afternoon.The challenge begins with discipline.Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ pass rush must affect Allen without creating escape routes.Interior defenders have to maintain their rush lanes.
The secondary must stay attached to receivers when Allen extends plays, resisting the temptation to abandon coverage as he moves toward the line of scrimmage.Getting him to third down is only part of the job.Finishing the possession is where the real work begins.Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard also must account for Cook, whose presence makes loading up against Allen a dangerous proposition.If Buffalo establishes its conventional running game, the Raiders will face an even ...