What the Raiders’ Rod Marinelli wants to see from the defense for rest of the season
Rod Marinelli accomplished a lot when he was the defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys and other teams.
He relied on a simple formula.
“I want to see discipline, knowing what we’re doing. It takes no talent,” he said Tuesday. “I keep saying that. I want to see great energy, tackling and gang tackling. Guys that are hustling to the ball and I think when you see that, they will enjoy it.
“I just want to see that part of it that we really enjoy this game. You can’t enjoy it with one or two guys. It has to be a team defense. Defense is about a team, quick, fast and physical. That’s why I keep preaching it.”
He’ll see what they will do in a short week when the Las Vegas Raiders (7-6) play host to the Los Angeles Chargers (4-9) on Thursday night.
A “new voice,” as coach Jon Gruden said Monday, could be the spark the team is looking for.
The 25-year coach was tapped as the defensive coordinator after the Raiders fired Paul Guenther following a 44-27 loss Sunday to the Indianapolis Colts at Allegiant Stadium.
Marinelli’s history as a defensive coordinator is a successful one. He was with the Cowboys from 2013-19 and guided the defense to top 10 finishes from 2017-19 in total yards.
Here is a closer look at those stats:
▪ In 2016, the Cowboys rush defense was tops in the NFL, allowing 83.5 yards per game.
▪ In 2017, the Cowboys total defense ranked eighth at 318.1 yards per game.
▪ In 2018, the defense ranked seventh (329.3).
Last season, the defense ranked ninth (327.0). The team improved its pass defense ranking to 10th from 13th in 2018, allowing just 223.5 yards per game.
Marinelli was also the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator from 2010-2012 and led the team to force a league-best 59 fumbles and record 65 interceptions, third-most in the NFL over that span, while returning a league-high 13 interceptions for touchdowns.
His defense also allowed just 904 points during that time frame, the fourth-fewest in the NFL.
Marinelli said he wants the Raiders’ defense to have an identity in the next three games.
“A bunch of men working together in terms of knowing what exactly what we’re supposed to do,” he said. “Our discipline and all those things. Something we’ve been striving on.
“You have to hit like a Raider and got to have great tempo and great pursuit and gang tackle. That takes no talent. None. It’s having an attitude and a will to do that.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 2:32 PM.
