With a few personnel moves this offseason, the Raiders now have the parts necessary to get that defense back on track after being ranked among the leagues worst units the last few years. Defensive coordinator John Marshall appears to have earned the trust of Al Davis and should be able to use his blitzes and multiple fronts.
Marshall is a 4-3 hybrid coordinator with use of the elephant. (stand up end) Davis does not like to blitz and do too much out of the norm but Marshall got through to Davis in week six against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Marshall dialed up blitz after blitz and got outstanding results. Then Eagles quarterback Dovavan McNabb was sacked six times as the potent Eagle offense was held to 283 yards and a 2-16 third down conversion rate. Add two turnovers to the mix and you have a 13-9 Raider win.
We all know about the philosophy of Davis, but at the end of the day it's "Just win baby". Any coach that wishes to show him there is a better way to do something better be successful when doing it. Davis is now behind his man.
Evidence of this is in offseason moves. Davis actually went out and got the personnel to fit the scheme that John Marshall wants to run. Kameron Wimbly and Quenton Groves are just the hybrid defensive end outside linebackers that fit.
Kameron Wimbly is a 2006 first round pick that had 11 sacks in his first year. His pass rush numbers have since dipped but he has become a much better all around linebacker. He has made drastic improvements in both pass coverage and setting the perimeter in the run game.
Last year, Wimbley was labled as a man with "warning track po...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
