A lot went wrong for the Raiders in 2018. Their offense struggled for most of the season, the team couldn’t create a pass-rush, and they struggled to generate turnovers. For the Raiders to improve in 2019, they must get better in those three areas.
However, the key to success in 2019 for the Raiders is their red zone defense. In 2018, Oakland allowed 38 touchdowns inside the 20s, tied for fourth-most in the league. According to Team Rankings, the Raiders allowed a touchdown on nearly 60 percent of opponent’s drives inside the red zone.
With hopefully an improved pass-rush, linebacker corps and more talent in the secondary, the Raiders shouldn’t struggle as much holding teams to field goals. If this unit can even become close to league average in the red zone, that should result in a few more wins.
Look for the Raiders’ red zone defense to take a few massive steps forward in 2019.
