How the Oakland Raiders can win the AFC West

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 18: Gareon Conley #21 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates an interception in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Maurice Hurst #73 and Marquel Lee #55 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates after Hurst sacked and stripped the ball from quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter of their NFL football game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 30, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Finally find the right answers on defense

If anyone believes the Raiders are simply a respectful pass rush away from getting this side of the football back on track, well …

In each of the last eight seasons, the Silver and Black has finished in the bottom half of the league in total yards allowed per game. In 2016, despite a spectacular year from Mack, who was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the Raiders surrendered the seventh-most total yards in the league, finished 23rd vs. the run, 24th vs. the pass and allowed 45 offensive touchdowns.

This past season, without Mack, the problems continued. Oakland allowed a league-high 467 points and a whopping 52 TDs (16 rushing, 36 passing). The team managed a disappointing 17 takeaways and the aforementioned pass rush produced an NFL-low 13 sacks. The next fewest in the league came courtesy of the Patriots and Giants (30).

A year ago, the team used three of its nine draft choices on defensive linemen P.J. Hall, Arden Key and Maurice Hurst. The latter led the club with four sacks. But this was also a team that was No. 30 in rushing yards allowed in the league in 2018. With the fourth overall pick in April, the Raiders opted for Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell. It’s a young defensive front that must evolve quickly.

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Linebackers Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall and free safety Lamarcus Joyner headline the team’s free agent haul on defense. Coordinator Paul Guenther now has a nice mix of veterans and youth to work with and there needs to be a dramatic reversal of fortune for this group.

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