The Raiders’ offensive line had its rough patches in Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Chiefs, but a couple of names still stood out in a game where the run game never really found life and Klint Kubiak made it clear afterward he’s not pleased with where that part of the offense sits right now.
Pass protection, at least in spots, held together. Pro Football Focus gave Tyler Linderbaum, D.J.
Glaze and Spencer Burford above-average pass-blocking marks against Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, and PFF analytics credited that trio with allowing a combined five quarterback pressures. Caleb Rogers and Kolton Miller, by comparison, were charged with 11 combined pressures.
Burford, in particular, turned in his best outing of the season. That was a welcome rebound after he became a talking point following a rough pass-blocking day against the Saints, when there was real chatter about whether Caleb Rogers could take his spot.
Raider Nation Radio host ‘JT the Brick’ said last week, “Burford, I don’t think is playing elite. I think his job is in jeopardy for another opportunity for a guard situation,”
Against Kansas City, though, Burford answered. He was the Raiders’ highest-graded offensive lineman by PFF, backing that up with an 81.0 run-blocking grade and a 68.8 pass-blocking grade. After posting a brutal run-blocking grade of 4.0 in New Orleans in Week 3, he gave up just one quarterback pressure on 57 pass plays against the Chiefs.
Glaze’s start to the season has been just as notable, and maybe even more surprising given the offseason noise around Trey Zuhn. There was buzz that the third-round pick could force his way into the lineup quickly, especially after the Raiders reportedly considered trading up for him in this year’s draft, according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter. During OTAs and training camp, the staff moved Zuhn around the line, including work at Glaze’s right tackle spot.
But Glaze won the job and hasn’t given it back. Through four games, the third-year tackle has allowed only four quarterback pressures and one sack. If there’s been an offensive line overachiever for the Raiders in the opening month, Glaze is right in the center of that conversation.
In Other News...
Maxx Crosby Just Took The Mahomes Rivalry Somewhere Personal
Maxx Crosby has never been shy about the Patrick Mahomes matchup, but he took the familiar Raiders-Chiefs edge in a more personal direction during an episode of his podcast, The Rush. Crosby talked about the ongoing physical and psychological chess match he and Mahomes seem to play every time they line up across from each other, a rivalry built as much on stubbornness and feel as it is on pass-rush production.
Crosby also pointed to one of the stranger details of the matchup, saying Mahomes makes unusual vocal sounds when he gets tackled. It is the kind of observation that only comes from repeated collisions and plenty of time spent trying to get inside an opponents head, and Crosby has done plenty of both, piling up 6.5 sacks and 49 quarterback pressures against Mahomes in his career. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Loss Put A Few Veterans On Notice Fast
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Kwity Paye did not make much of an imprint on the defensive side, and Dareke Youngs fumble on a kickoff return became the kind of mistake that can swing momentum before a team has settled in. In a loss that doubled as an evaluation game, the Raiders found enough positives to keep building on, but the individual letdowns also made clear which players will have to answer quickly the next time they take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Catch A Break As Patriots Defense Enters Week 5 Shorthanded
The Raiders Week 5 prep got a little more interesting when the Patriots opened the week with a long injury list on defense, including eight players who were absent from the first practice. For a Las Vegas offense looking to build momentum, the timing matters, because New Englands depth chart is already being tested before the game even gets into full swing.
Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore were among the most notable names, with Gonzalez expected to remain out and Barmore possibly limited to some activities. The Patriots do have a few players on injured reserve who are eligible to return, but coach Mike Vrabel said it does not sound like any of them are likely to be activated this week, leaving the Raiders with a clearer path to attack a defense that may be piecing things together on the fly. [Read more 🡒]