The Raiders were highly competitive in 2022 despite their 6-11 record. They were in just about every game, but their 4-9 record in one-score games is ultimately what sealed their fate.
So how do the Raiders start winning these close games? They have one of the best special teams units in the league, so that helps. But they’ve got to start finding a way to win the turnover battle. That’s still the most predictive stat when it comes to winning and losing in the NFL.
In a recent article by ESPN, they wrote about the biggest weaknesses and keys to success for each team heading into the 2023 season. For the Raiders, they have to get more turnovers on defense if they want to have any chance of contending this season.
The Raiders were last in the league with 13 takeaways last season, including an NFL-low six interceptions. So forcing turnovers has been a point of emphasis throughout camp and the exhibition season.
Case in point — safety Isaiah Pola-Mao’s 50-yard pick-six against the Rams. “I always tell my D-linemen, ‘Go eat. It’s our job to clean you up,’” linebacker Robert Spillane said. “I get safeties behind me, ‘Go fly around, we’ll make you right.’ So, it’s that three levels of trust throughout a defense that really has been coming together.
If the Raiders can create 20+ turnovers this season, they are a near lock to finish better than 6-11. And if they can get to 25+ turnovers, they’ll likely be a playoff team, even in the AFC. That has to be the No. 1 goal of the defense, as their success (or lack thereof) will determine their fate in 2023.
