Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Trayvon Mullen (27) chases after Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman (11) during a game at Allegiant Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020.
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020 | 2 a.m.
Nick Kwiatkoski and Johnathan Hankins, the two Raiders defensive players who spoke to media following the team’s 44-27 loss to the Colts, didn’t see a need for sweeping changes in the final three games of the season. They expressed a desire to have the opportunity for the defense to address what’s gone wrong the past couple of weeks, adjust it and move forward.
Despite a defensive coordinator change in the wake of the Colts’ loss, it sounds like they’ll get their wish. Interim defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said nothing would be different schematically when the Raiders face the Chargers on Thursday Night Football at Allegiant Stadium in their first game since the dismissal of Paul Guenther.
“We’ve got our package established, so it’s really hard within a day or two, in a few walkthroughs, to get everything done,” Marinelli said. “So, we’ve got our system, and we are constantly working on refining certain things we do well and things that we believe in. Paul left a great base here, now we’ve just got to be able to make sure we’re on top of it.”
The Raiders sit a game out of a playoff spot largely because of an inability to get stops on defense, an inability that’s been exacerbated over the last month. Las Vegas has fallen to last place in the league in defending against the run, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA, and it’s not much better against the pass (21st).
The Raiders also have the second-worst sack rate in the league at 3.08%.
Those expecting Marinelli to dial up more exotic pass-rush stunts and disguise coverages should temper their expectations though. He’s emphasizing more intangible improvements — such as discipline, toughness and selflessness.
“You’ve just got to rely on your rules,” Marinelli said. “And whatever happens, you want to make sure guys have rules to take care of everything, which allows you to play fast. One thing I really believe in, in defense, is chemistry and speed and guys working together. And the star of the defense is the defense — nobody else.”
From the outside looking in, it might be tough tell that the Raiders just fired Guenther. Players and staff, including Marinelli, have spoken of him with reverence.
That’s in great contrast to the fan base, frustrated after three seasons where the Raiders have either stagnated or gotten worse on Guenther’s watch. Gruden, who ultimately decided to make the move, said Guenther would always be “a good friend of mine” and that the switch was made out of needing “a new voice.”
Marinelli, who’s worked with Gruden dating all the way back to 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has the type of voice the coach sought.
“I think he’s one of the great teachers and great motivators and great people that I’ve met in this business,” Gruden said. “He looks forward to adversity; he thrives in it. I think he looks forward to these challenges of building this defense and putting it all together. That’s why we brought him here in the first place.”
Quarterback Derek Carr said team felt “bad personally” for Guenther. That doesn’t mean they won’t respond to Marinelli.
“No one wants anything bad or negative said about (Guenther),” Carr said. “I don’t want that for anybody … You feel for him, but at the same time, we have a job to do. As we do feel for him and love the man, we wish him the very best, but as a team you have to compartmentalize your feelings and your emotions with the job and the task at hand.”
The Raiders mark the third franchise with which Marinelli has served as defensive coordinator. He was an assistant head coach to Gruden in Tampa, a role that elevated him to landing the head-coaching job with the Detroit Lions from 2006-2008.
He only became a coordinator after that, heading the Chicago Bears’ defense from 2010-2012 and, most recently, the Dallas Cowboys’ from 2014-2019. After coaching out his contract with the Cowboys through last season, many expected the 71-year-old Marinelli to retire.
But Marinelli wasn’t ready and even took the suggestion as an affront.
“People bring this age up, like I tell you what now — I want to see them step up in my shoes and have my juice,” Marinelli said. “I love it, so don’t ever look past it right there. I just want to do a great job right now and our job is to help these men.”
Marinelli didn’t answer explicitly whether he wanted to be considered for the full-time position at the end of the season and instead said he was focused on the current task. Just like his descriptions of how he plans to fix the Raiders’ defense, it was a typical, cliché football answer.
The platitudes may not give much insight at the moment, but if they work in helping the Raiders combat opposing offense, no one will be too concerned about their depth.
“Defense is about team — quick, fast and physical,” Marinelli said. “That’s what I keep preaching and we’ll see.”
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
