Danny Clark Warren Sapp Ted Washington

: Despite facing running backs Corey Dillon, Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, and Brian Westbrook, the 0-3 have held their opponents to a combined 281 yards rushing in three games. This mark is good for twelfth in the NFL and sixth in the AFC; despite being run at 85 times - a number that only one 43 Polamalu white jersey
team in the top 16 rush defenses has exceeded (Chicago).Attribute this consistent ability to stop the run to the strong play of the defensive line, rookie linebacker Kirk Morrison, and defensive leader Danny Clark. Statistics give little justice to the enormous presence that both veterans Warren Sapp and Ted Washington display on the front line. In week one, these mammoth linemen helped to hold last year's 1635-yard rusher, Corey Dillon, to just 63 yards on 23 carries. In that game, linebackers Clark and Morrison each tallied six tackles. Morrison and Clark are currently ranked sixth and eighth, respectively, in the NFL with a combined 40 tackles.Conversely, the Oakland pass defense has nothing to show for itself thus far in the 2005 NFL season. The are currently positioned second to last in the NFL in total pass defense, behind a 49ers team that allowed for 42 points and five passing touchdowns in week two at Philadelphia. The Oakland secondary has allowed quarterbacks Tom Brady, Trent Green, and Donovan McNabb to throw for exactly 900 yards and four touchdowns.How is this possible for a team whose interception leader is 300-pound Warren Sapp? It's a combination of both a young Raiders secondary and a weak pass rush. Charles Woodson is the oldest starter in the Oakland secondary at the age of 28. Fellow cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is just 24, while strong safety Stuart Schweigert is also 24 and free safety Derrick Gibson is 26. The only member of the Raiders secondary older than 28 is backup cornerback Denard Walker, who has nine years of NFL experience.One way to compensate for a weak secondary: rush the passer. This is something that Oakland has had a problem doing for the last several years. This year is no different. Only Baltimore, who has played one less game, is below Oakland in total sacks thus far this season. The Raiders have reached the quarterback only two times through three games for a total loss of 43 Polamalu black jersey
eight yards. Allowing the opponent's quarterback to sit comfortably in the pocket is only going to make things that much more difficult for Oakland's young secondary.Head coach Norv Turner must mesh together Oakland's pass rush with its secondary in order to keep the Raiders defense off the field and number 18 Randy Moss on the field.