The Las Vegas Raiders’ first two preseason games highlighted
a potential problem for the 2026 regular season: the defense struggles to stop the run.The Arizona Cardinals totaled 156 rushing yards and 4.3 yards per carry as a team, while Houston Texans expected second-string running back Woody Marks marched right down the field with four carries for 37 yards (9.3 ypc) and a touchdown on the opening drive last week. A big reason for that is the Raiders have a significant talent issue at defensive tackle.
For example, the team has had 10 defensive tackles record a snap against the run in the preseason and only one has earned a run defense grade from Pro Football Focus above 70: Folorunso “Foley” Fatukasi, who was signed on Aug. 15 and recorded an 81.6 mark just five days later against the Texans.
The 31-year-old may not be a part of the long-term plan in Las Vegas, but he provided a glimmer of hope that the team can at least get by for a year with his performance in Houston. Also, The Athletic’s Sam Warren reported on Aug. 23, the Sunday after the Texans game, that Fatukasi was getting reps with the first-team defense. So, let’s flip on the tape and break it down.
First, apologies for the shaky camera, especially if you get motion sickness easily. I guess it’s preseason for the Texans’ intern who’s responsible for the end zone camera, too. Or maybe he/she had a few before the game.
Anyway, the first aspect of Fatukasi’s game that stood out last Thursday was his get-off. Here, he’s lined up as a shade nose tackle or a 1-technique and gets a great jump on the snap to beat the center, get penetration immediately and use a swim move to defeat the block. So, when the Texans try to run mid zone and attack the weakside b-gap, Fatukasi manages to cut the field in half by forcing the running back to cut backside as the back is getting the ball.
That’s where defensive end Patrick Johnson (No. 93), who beats a backside cut-off block from a wide receiver, is waiting for an opportunity to make a tackle for loss. On top of that, the defensive tackle manages to escape from the center just enough to get a hand on the back and help Johnson make the play.
This time, Fatukasi is on the backside of an outside zone run but is still lined up as a shade nose and gets another great jump on the snap. With the center working away from him and using a post arm to help the left guard, this isn’t a full-on combo block. However, the defender treats it like one by attacking the center and using his get-off to help split the two linemen, effectively beating the guard’s block and getting penetration into the backfield.
Had any of the frontside defenders managed to get off a block or set the edge, Fatukasi would be in a decent position to make a tackle for loss. In other words, he’s cutting the field in half by taking away the cutback lane.
That being said, this clip does highlight a concern with the nine-year pro when the competition level rises next month. You might have noticed this on the previous play too; he plays with high pad level and struggles to sink his hips.
In this instance, that leads to him overrunning the running back and is part of the reason why he doesn’t make the tackle here. The other part (and the bigger issue, to be honest) is the frontside defenders mentioned above.
If Fatukasi drops his butt and works flat down the 40-yard-line after beating the guard on this play, he might be able to save the day and bail out his teammates by making the tackle for a short gain. Again, the first down isn’t his fault, but there is a missed opportunity on what was otherwise a good rep.
Here, we’ll see some grown-man strength from the well-tenured veteran!
Houston comes out in 12 personnel, so Las Vegas matches with base personnel and an odd front for a 3-4 look. With the offense in an unbalanced line by having both tight ends on the same side of the formation, Fatukasi bumps over from his typical nose tackle position and lines up as a 3-technique defensive tackle. However, with the two inside linebackers stepping downhill and being fairly aggressive against the run, Fatukasi plays more like a 4i-technique defensive end by attacking the left tackle’s inside shoulder off the snap.
Meanwhile, the Texans run duo, where the left guard and tackle are responsible for combo blocking the 3-technique before working up to the MIKE linebacker (Cody Lindenberg, No. 55). But Fatukasi does a great job of attacking and beating the tackle at the point of attack, and then using a knee drop or corkscrew technique with his inside leg to absorb contact from the guard.
All of that allows him to avoid getting washed out of the playside B-gap and maintain control of the block. Now, the defensive tackle does end up getting square and chest-to-chest with the offensive linemen. He could afford to keep his hands tighter to take advantage of his long, over 34-inch arms and stay on an edge to have a better presence in his gap. However, that’s where the impressive strength comes into play to make up for it.
Fatukasi perfectly executes a hump move to “close the gap with the man” and force the running back to cut backside. Additionally, he’s able to escape the block and make a tackle for about a one-yard gain. Defensive coordinators can’t ask for more than that from a defensive tackle taking on a combo block.
This is another example of the recent signing’s impressive strength as he effectively executes a gap-and-a-half technique.
Fatukasi is back at the shade nose tackle spot where his primary responsibility is the weakside A-gap. Meanwhile, the Texans run halfback dive into the opposite A-gap, which puts the center on a downblock against the one-technique.
Post-snap, Fatukasi wins at the point of attack to gain control of the center’s block. He stays in the weakside A-gap initially since that’s his primary responsibility while simultaneously peeking into the backfield to see where the running back is going. Since the defensive tackle has control of the block, he’s able to cross the center’s face and show color in the opposite A-gap, where the play is designed to hit.
As a result, the back has to bounce outside and into the edge defender (Johnson, again) for a short gain. While Fatukasi doesn’t make the tackle here, he’s the difference between this being a roughly three-yard run and an explosive gain up the middle because there was a lot of open field down the right hashmarks with the linebacker getting sealed outside by the right guard.
Of course, it was only one preseason game where he primarily played against the Texans’ backups. However, given the lack of talent the Raiders have at defensive tackle and that they’ve had issues stopping the run so far, Fatuaski likely earned himself a spot on the 53-man roster. I’d argue that the 31-year-old is the best run defender the team has at the position, and he was signed about a week ago.
