From what it currently looks like, the Las Vegas Raiders' stat sheet reads like two different teams sharing one locker room. Some numbers belong to a contender, others look like they came from a rebuilding team, and almost nothing sits in the middle.
Here is where the Raiders rank in the categories that tell their story best ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Rams.
Where the Raiders rank near the top
- Passing EPA: 57.6 (3rd)
- Pressure rate: 30.9% (3rd)
- Average starting field position: Own 34.6-yard line (1st)
- Snaps in 12 personnel: 43.5% (2nd)
- Scoring percentage: 46.3% of drives (10th)
EPA (Expected points added) measures how much each play improves a team's chances of scoring, and the passing game carries this offense by that measure. The EPA through the air backs up what fans have seen from quarterback Kirk Cousins every week. Coach Klint Kubiak also loves 12 personnel, which means one running back and two tight ends on the field, which makes sense when tight ends Brock
Bowers and Michael Mayerare the two best pass catchers on the roster.
The pressure rate deserves a footnote, though. The Raiders have only 15 sacks, which ranks 12th, so defensive end Maxx Crosby and co. are getting home without always finishing the job.
Where the Raiders rank near the bottom
- Rushing EPA: -33.9 (29th)
- Yards per rush compared to opponents: 1.9 fewer (32nd)
- Yards per play allowed: 6.0 (29th)
- Touchdown rate allowed on pass attempts: 6.7% (29th)
- Pass attempts allowed that go for a first down or touchdown: 37.3% (27th)
- Yards per completion allowed: 12.4 (29th)
The run game is the sore spot that won't heal. No team in the league has a bigger gap between what it gains per carry and what it gives up, and the defense hasn't been much better against the pass. Opponents are picking up big chunks when they complete passes against this secondary, which puts even more pressure on the pass rush to finish plays.
The defense is the major issue. The Raiders allowed 1.54 points per drive over the first three weeks, fourth-best in the league, and that number has jumped to a league-high 3.27 during the three-game skid.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Where the Raiders rank statistically ahead of Week 7
