Raiders defense: Replicating sack-happy Week 13 performance a must against Buccaneers

Tampa Bay is 5th in scoring and boasts third-best red zone group heading into Week 14 matchup

Antonio Pierce is no stranger to Baker Mayfield’s moxie.

As the linebacker’s coach on Josh McDaniels’ Las Vegas Raiders staff, Pierce saw Mayfield Magic up close and personal when the quarterback took the reins for the Los Angeles Rams offense on short notice and guided the team past the Silver & Black in a 17-16 comeback win back in December of 2022.

It was a game where the Raiders led 16-3 in the fourth quarter, too.

Pierce, now Las Vegas’ head coach, gets reacquainted with Mayfield, now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting signal caller, this Sunday within the confines of Raymond James Stadium. And it was only natural for Pierce to be asked about that prior matchup.

“I mean, first of all, that game could have ended twice. We had a sack; we had an interception. But he’s just a guy that’s very resilient as well,” Pierce noted.

Which makes the Raiders replicating a sack-happy Week 13 a must-repeat in Week 14. That’ll entail another eye-opening performance from defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson (who had a single-game high of 1.5 sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs) and the other pass rushers to be on point in Tampa Bay.

Despite not seeing Mayfield for two seasons, Pierce is all too aware of the 29-year-old’s capabilities.

“I mean, he’s the number one pick that’s kind of bounced around a little bit and found his home at Tampa Bay. He plays the game kind of like Brett Favre, who I played against in league. He’s very fiery, he’ll do whatever it takes to make a play. The play’s never dead with him,” Pierce said of Mayfield. “You’ve got to keep your eyes on him and then stay in coverage. So, that’ll be a challenge. But, I mean obviously he has the arm talent, very talented player. And then look, he has some really good players on his team, right?

“Mike Evans is there, and that’s going to be a big challenge for us as well. And these two running backs, seven (Bucky Irving) and one (Rachaad White), are doing a really good job for him as well in pass protection and running routes.”

Las Vegas’ defensive effort in the loss at Kansas City showcased a group that went hunting down quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Whether it was Chaisson, Crosby, or a slew of defenders going wolfpack, the Raiders five-sack total was a shimmer of light in another wise dark season.

Las Vegas needs a similar performance to stymie a Bucs offense that’s ranked fifth in scoring and third in red zone conversions (touchdowns). The Raiders must be ready to make life uncomfortable for Mayfield in the pocket and when he’s on the run trying to evade pressure.

“We’re not the most patient people in the world, but there is a trust factor that goes into and it’s going to be imperative this week, because Baker can make something out of nothing with those loose plays, because he’s pretty good in the pocket too in terms of how he steps into the pocket, avoids the rush,” Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said of Mayfield. “You see a bunch of free runners at him at times, and he makes them miss and gets his eyes down field and throws the ball. So, that’s going to be important. We have to eliminate the explosive plays, and that’s one way quarterbacks can get that.”

Quote of Note:

“It’s real important for guys to buy into their role. I think AP (Antonio Pierce) talked about it last week. You’ve got buy into your role. So if your role is to get five snaps, those have got to be your best five snaps. You’ve got to take advantage of that. So, the guys that aren’t playing that much and they get in there on the package, you’ve got to own your role right there. And then as far as putting more D-Ends out there, it’s just the league’s just different, man. They all can scramble. I mean, I remember when I first got into the league, you’re talking about maybe four or five quarterbacks, everybody else you throw the orange dot out there, that’s where they were standing. And it’s a headache, man. I mean, it’s every week. You see how my whole demeanor changes, it’s every week you’ve got to deal with these dudes, man. And it’s not getting any better, because all the dudes in college I see when I watch five minutes of college football, they can all run too, so yeah fun.” —Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham on using the NASCAR package of four defensive ends on the field at the same time and defenders embracing niche roles