How the Raiders' Defense Plans to Handle the Jaguars

The Las Vegas Raiders will face a Jacksonville Jaguars team that nearly scored a season-high last week. Las Vegas is preparing to face a formidable Jaguars' offense.

Dec 16, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Amari Burney (56) looks to sack Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders enter their matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars with many on-the-field disadvantages. However, because of their game on Monday night, the Raiders will also enter with less preparation time than the Jaguars as well.

The Raiders will face the Jaguars on a short week of work, which has forced Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to fully tap into the resources that are available to him. With the short week and the rarity in which the Raiders play the Jaguars, Graham has reached out to multiple departments within the organization for extra help.

"Everything in the building is connected," Graham said. "And I think, from top down, Tom [Telesco], AP [Antonio Pierce], hopefully myself, but probably not - sometimes I could be a little in an ornery mood sometimes when they come down to give me some information. But everything's connected in terms of what they saw from the advanced scouting, taking the information, especially when you got an unfamiliar opponent, getting that information, whether it's that or the analytics.

"Kade [Rannings] does a good job for us in terms of the analytics and then studying the players, thankfully gone against Mac [Jones] a few times. So the players, similar. We played against [Doug] Pederson's system before, so there's some crossover there. But everything's connected, so we rely on everybody. So to go out there on Sunday and try to win a game in this league is hard obviously, and we've had our struggles this year, but it's all hands on deck. So that means whether it's in the building, on the field, that's what we're trying to accomplish here, and everything's connected.

Graham noted that although the players do not, he as the defensive coordinator generally works ahead, learning about future opponents well before the Raiders are scheduled to play them.

"It's different for different coordinators, but I work ahead," Graham said. "I work way ahead. So, like my thoughts ahead on whoever the opponent is - again, it might fluctuate based on injuries and the quarterback changes and stuff like that, but just keep remembering I don't have any hobbies, so downtime is football time, and I have the ability to compartmentalize.

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