Pete Carroll knows the weight of expectation. A Super Bowl ring glints from his Seattle legacy, proof of transforming potential into pinnacle success. But in the neon glow of Las Vegas, that alchemy feels frustratingly distant. The Raiders, under his new command, are a puzzle where key defensive pieces just won’t click – and the centerpiece, the $106.5 million man Maxx Crosby, finds his unit stuck in preseason purgatory. Carroll’s grand reboot, envisioned with Tom Brady‘s backing, is hitting an early snag where it hurts most: getting after the quarterback.

The plan sounded innovative, born from necessity after Christian Wilkins’ absence. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is throwing rotations at the wall like spaghetti. Against the 49ers, it looked like a defensive hydra: Crosby and Adam Butler started at defensive end, with Thomas Booker and Jonah Laulu inside.

Then Butler slid in, and Tyree Wilson jumped out. Wilson then moved inside, and Malcolm Koonce took the edge. Booker logged a hefty 26 snaps, Wilson 22, Koonce 16, Butler and Laulu 15. Crosby himself? Just 12 snaps across three starter series. Graham was constantly shifting, hunting the right combo for down-and-distance – run stuff, pass rush, balanced front. It’s a committee approach, heavy on movement but worryingly light on results where it counts.

Because here’s the rub: while the run defense stiffened admirably after a Seattle shellacking, holding the Niners starters to just 2.7 yards per carry, the pass rush remains a ghost town. Zero sacks. One solitary quarterback hit. Against a San Francisco line missing key pieces, that’s not just concerning; it’s a flashing red siren.

Carroll acknowledged the run D improvement, crediting quick coaching adjustments: “We played the running game with much more impact than we did in the (joint) practice. The adjustments that the coaching staff made worked out well… Against a really formidable running team… I thought we did that really well.” But the lack of pressure? That hangs heavy.

“They’re really battling,” Carroll offered, the frustration simmering beneath his trademark optimism. “It’s not settled yet. (DL coach) Robbie (Leonard) did a really nice job of making sure we got a lot of film on everybody… But we like the guys. It’s a good group. They’re very active. They’re athletic. They move well. They play hard. So, now we just need to see how we’re going to zero in on it. The competition goes on.” Translation: effort isn’t the issue, but the disruptive production expected from a unit anchored by Crosby – one of only two players with 7+ sacks every season since 2019 – is glaringly absent.

Bright spots can’t mask Carroll’s glaring gap

This defensive uncertainty casts a long shadow, especially juxtaposed against genuine progress elsewhere. The offensive line, a major question mark after Seattle, found its footing. Geno Smith worked from a clean pocket all week, completing 6-of-8 passes for 55 yards in his brief preseason appearance.

More impressively, rookie RB Ashton Jeanty shook off his Week 1 struggles (-1 yard on 3 carries) to flash his potential, grinding out 33 yards and a TD on 7 carries. Coach Carroll singled out Jordan Meredith’s emergence: “I think he’s really taken that thing over and done a fine job.” Undrafted rookie Laki Tasi, the 373-pound Aussie rugby convert, continues his raw but fascinating journey on the O-line, echoing Jordan Mailata’s path.

Even in the secondary, a bright spot emerged. Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, a journeyman finding his stride, earned first-team reps and a start. “He’s just been really active,” Carroll noted. “Seems like he’s really settling in, and his aggressive style of play has really shown up.” Kelly credits his father, an 11-year NFL CB, and renewed confidence: “The game’s really slowed down for me… I can see concepts more easily now.”

But these stories, however encouraging, feel like deck chairs rearranged while the defensive engine sputters. Crosby’s 59.5 career sacks and relentless motor are the Raiders’ defensive identity. His historic extension demands dominance. Yet, the early preseason shows a unit in flux, struggling to generate the pressure vital in a division housing Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Carroll, the eternal competitor with his 170-120-1 plus 11-11-0 career record, knows time is tightening. The regular season looms on September 7th in New England. His Raiders reboot promised fireworks. Right now, the fuse on Maxx Crosby’s pass rush feels dangerously damp. The woes aren’t just growing; they’re crystallizing around the defense’s struggle to hunt.