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The Las Vegas Raiders’ defense was, schematically, the most predictable unit in the NFL in 2021 under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
Considering what went down last season, don’t expect that to change much under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Based on the below chart, Graham’s New York Giants were the eighth-most predictable defense in the NFL last season.
Based on their coverage scheme usage we can identify which defenses were the most and least predictable during the regular season. Aaron Glenn consistently mixed up his coverages (future HC), while Gus Bradley and Belichick were more predictable this year pic.twitter.com/TPDIO44JW3
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) February 20, 2022
So, does that mean Raiders fans should be leery of Graham’s impact on the upcoming season? No, not necessarily. Being predictable on defense isn’t really a good thing or a bad thing. It’s just a commitment to scheme. It’s an approach. It’s a belief in a system, which all aren’t bad things.
The truth is that the Raiders’ defense made strides under Bradley (who is now in Indianapolis) whether he was predictable or not. So I wouldn’t be worried that Graham’s unit was predictable as well.
In other Raiders’ links:
- Inside the Graham defense: The Athletic examines the new Las Vegas defense.
- Wild Carr trade proposal: PFF thinks the Steelers to swing big for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in a trade.
- Funny guy: Raiders Pro Bowl punter A.J. Cole showed off his fabulous personality in a ride along with the team’s website.
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