LAS VEGAS (AP) — It was Devin White and Maxx Crosby and Jonah Laulu and seemingly every defender wearing Raiders silver and black. Las Vegas’ defense, which allowed at least 40 points in two of the past three games, came at Tennessee in droves on Sunday. The result was a suffocating 20-10 victory over the […]
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The Raiders end a 4-game skid by dominating on defense to beat the Titans 20-10
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — It was Devin White and Maxx Crosby and Jonah Laulu and seemingly every defender wearing Raiders silver and black.
Las Vegas’ defense, which allowed at least 40 points in two of the past three games, came at Tennessee in droves on Sunday.
The result was a suffocating 20-10 victory over the Titans.
The Raiders (2-4) ended a four-game skid, and the Titans (1-5) missed an opportunity to win consecutive games for the first time since November of 2022, a 47-game stretch.
“We’ve been talking like we want to play good football for a long time,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “It just hasn’t come together yet. The last time we won was such a long time ago, we can’t even remember it, but (the victory is) really important for us. These guys deserve to feel like they feel right now.”
Neither of the struggling teams did much on offense. They combined for 451 yards.
Las Vegas won fairly easily despite pedestrian numbers from Geno Smith (174 yards and one touchdown passing) and Ashton Jeanty (75 yards and a TD on a 3.3-yards-per-play average).
Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the top overall pick in the NFL draft, was 26 of 38 for 222 yards. He connected with David Martin-Robinson for the second-year tight end’s first career TD.
The Raiders set the tone in the first half, when they shut out the Titans. It was the first time Las Vegas has blanked an opponent in a half since the second half against New Orleans last Dec. 29.
The teams combined for 2.39 yards per play in the first half, the lowest since Baltimore and Jacksonville combined to average 1.80 on Oct. 24, 2011.
It didn’t help the Titans that they lost wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the second quarter to a hamstring injury. He was coming off a five-catch, 131-yard performance a week ago at Arizona.
The day belonged to defense, at least on the Raiders’ side.
White resembled the player who was a top defender for Tampa Bay earlier this decade, finishing with nine tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble. He joins Khalil Mack in 2016 and Trace Armstrong in 2002 as the only Raiders players since 1999 with a sack, forced fumble and interception.
“I don’t know anybody could put up more numbers than Devin White did today,” Carroll said. “Geez, it’s a stat line.”
The Raiders pressured Ward consistently and sacked him six times, tying the QB’s season high. Las Vegas sent pressure on 36.4% of dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats, a season high.
That strategy seemed to surprise the Titans.
“They did a good job mixing up some coverages,” Tennessee coach Brian Callahan said. “They pressured a lot more this game than they had going into it. They zero blitzed us (with no deep safety) a few times, which is not something they had done a lot of.”
Crosby had two sacks. He has a nine-game streak with at least one tackle for loss, the longest for a Raiders player since 2008. Laulu recorded his fourth sack in six games, the first Raiders defensive tackle to accomplish that since Bill Pickel in 1986.
“This is a good feeling knowing we go to work every day and we practice really hard,” Laulu said. “You guys should see the stuff we do out there as a D-line. It’s just us coming together collectively and pushing each other. Our mindset is to be the heartbeat of the team.”
Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons picked up another sack, extending his streak to three games.
Carroll won his 171st game, moving him into a tie for 17th with Bill Parcells.
The Las Vegas Aces, who won their third WNBA championship in four years on Friday when they completed a four-game sweep of Phoenix, were honored before the game. They received a video tribute and lit the Al Davis memorial torch as fans roared. Davis’ son, Mark, owns the Aces and Raiders.
Titans: K Joey Slye (calf) did not play. He was replaced by Matthew Wright, who was signed to the practice squad this week. … OLB Femi Oladejo (calf) was injured in the third quarter.
Raiders: TE Brock Bowers (knee) missed his second game in a row. … P AJ Cole (ankle) played after getting injured the week before. … RB Dylan Laube (hamstring) was hurt in the second half.
Titans: Host New England on Sunday.
Raiders: Visit AFC West rival Kansas City on Sunday.
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