The Raiders didn’t have to wait long for Hezekiah Masses to announce himself.
Pressed into action after the foot injury to Darien Porter, the fifth-round rookie cornerback out of California stepped into the lineup and immediately made his presence felt. He logged a pass breakup against the Miami Dolphins, then raised the bar even higher when the matchup got tougher against Justin Herbert. In his first start, Masses came away with two interceptions and earned both AFC Defensive Player of the Week and AFC Rookie of the Week honors.
For the Raiders, though, none of it came out of nowhere.
“They’re making plays all offseason, then during training camp, so nobody was surprised at all,” said linebacker Nakobe Dean about Masses’s play.
“It’s confidence. When you’re a cornerback, it’s always great to have confidence.”
Masses had been one of the standouts of camp, showing up around the ball again and again and stacking steady practices. The preseason was uneven, but the trajectory was obvious. Game by game, he looked sharper, and when his chance finally arrived, he made it count.
“Proud of him. Anybody that puts in the work, you’re happy to see them get the fruits of their labor on game day,” said Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. “My hope now is that he sticks to the same process and staying on them about what got him there in the first place.”
That breakout also fits neatly into the bigger picture of what Leonard has been trying to build. Early in camp, the defensive coordinator put a premium on takeaways and attacking the ball, and the results have followed. Through two games, the Raiders are tied for the league lead with eight sacks with the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings, second with five total takeaways behind the Carolina Panthers’ six, and tied for second with three interceptions alongside the Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, who lead with four.
“You get what you emphasize. You choose what to focus on,” said Leonard.
“There’s a million things in this profession, in life, taken away from the focus of taking away the ball. Can’t just be empty words. I think these guys have taken it to heart; being consistent with it will be the challenge.”
Thomas Booker IV said the defense’s approach comes down to repetition and discipline.
“I think you practice it,” said defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV on what goes into the mentality of the Raiders defense.
“When it comes to punching the ball out and just being ball-minded, and also just executing your one-eleventh, being able to get home, rush windows and rush off-schedule throws and all the rest of it, and people just rallying to the ball. I think that pursuit erases a lot of mistakes when it comes to defense. Those are things that we drill every single day and it’s showing up in the tape, but there’s always more on the bone.”
The next test comes quickly, with a high-octane Saints offense waiting. If Masses and the rest of the Raiders defense can keep producing, it will do more than just extend a strong start. It will keep pushing the Silver and Black toward something real.
In Other News...
Raiders Cornerback Battle Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Klint Kubiak had plenty to say about the Raiders young cornerbacks after Week 2, and the conversation around the secondary only got more interesting. Hezekiah Masses turned heads with two interceptions, giving the rookie a real case to keep climbing the depth chart, while Jermod McCoy remains in the middle of his development plan and Darien Porters return gives the staff another evaluation point as the defense keeps sorting out its pieces.
For a Raiders team that is still trying to define roles on the back end, the cornerback battle now has some real texture beyond simple training-camp speculation. Kubiaks praise for Masses suggests the door is open for a bigger opportunity, but the staff is clearly weighing more than just one hot game as it looks at how McCoy grows and how Porter fits back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Depth Chart Is Revealing A Few Big Week 3 Questions
The Raiders have spent the first two weeks giving themselves a little breathing room, and now the depth chart is starting to tell a more interesting story as they prepare for New Orleans. At 2-0 after the win over the Chargers, Las Vegas is no longer just living off early momentum. The discussion has shifted to who is locking down bigger roles, which contributors are driving the offense and defense, and how much the teams improved play on that side of the ball is changing the shape of the roster.
Week 3 brings a few questions that should help clarify the picture, especially as the Raiders continue to sort out player performance and health. Some names are pushing for more responsibility, others are being monitored closely, and the way those pieces fit against the Saints could say plenty about where this team is headed next. For a club that has already shown real progress, the next step is less about the record and more about which depth-chart decisions end up holding when the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Look Deeper Than Anyone Expected
The Raiders offseason overhaul is starting to show up in the sort of way that gets attention early in the year. A new coaching staff and a series of roster upgrades have given Las Vegas a sturdier look on both sides of the ball, and the defensive line in particular has been disruptive enough to sit tied for the league lead in sacks. Even with the usual caveats that come with a fresh setup, the group looks deeper and more complete than it did a year ago.
There is still room for the offense to grow, especially with Brock Bowers sidelined for now, though his return should give the unit another useful piece. Kirk Cousins has kept things moving at quarterback and the early signs have been encouraging, but the bigger long-term question is how much better the group can look once Fernando Mendoza eventually takes over under center. For a team that spent the offseason trying to change its outlook, the early returns suggest the ceiling may be higher than many expected. [Read more 🡒]