The 2025 season hasn’t been kind to the Las Vegas Raiders - that much is clear. Wins have been scarce, offensive consistency even scarcer, and the flashes of promise have mostly fizzled before they could catch fire. But buried beneath the frustration and the losses, there’s a part of this team that’s quietly been grinding, showing resilience week after week: Patrick Graham’s defense.
Now, let’s not sugarcoat it - the Raiders’ defense hasn’t been perfect. In recent weeks, it looked like the wear and tear of carrying the load was finally catching up.
After spending far too much time on the field - thanks in large part to an offense that’s struggled to stay on schedule - the unit began to show cracks. They bent early in the season, and lately, they’ve started to break.
But in Week 16, something shifted. Facing a high-powered Houston Texans offense, the Raiders’ defense didn’t just hold its own - it delivered one of its most complete performances of the year. And it didn’t go unnoticed.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, one of the most respected young defensive minds in the game, made a point to call out the work of Graham and his defensive crew after the game.
“I feel like the Raiders are a good defensive unit. They haven't gotten enough credit for how good this unit is,” Ryans said.
“Coach Graham has done a great job of coaching this defense. And really good players.
We knew it would be a challenge all week.”
That’s not just coach-speak. That’s a head coach who game-planned all week against this unit and came away impressed. Ryans emphasized that records don’t tell the whole story - and when it comes to this Raiders defense, he’s absolutely right.
This isn’t an elite unit by any stretch, but it’s a group that’s played tough, disciplined football despite being put in tough spots week after week. And they’ve done it against some quality offenses. Houston, Denver, New England, the Chargers - all have had stretches where the Raiders’ defense made life difficult, especially early in games.
What makes this more notable is the context. This defense was essentially rebuilt in the offseason.
General manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll made major changes, and Graham was tasked with molding it into a cohesive, competitive group. That’s no small job, especially when the offense isn’t helping you out with sustained drives or favorable field position.
Sure, there are still problems - the pass rush, in particular, has been inconsistent. But what Graham has done with this group, under these circumstances, deserves recognition.
And when a guy like DeMeco Ryans gives you that kind of public praise, it carries weight. Around the league, those words matter.
For Graham, it’s a nod to the work he’s put in - often in the shadows, often without much fanfare. The Raiders haven’t been a headline team this season unless it’s about what’s gone wrong. But if you’ve been watching closely, you’ve seen a defense that refuses to quit, even when the odds are stacked.
And in a season where wins have been hard to come by, that kind of fight matters.