The Oakland Raiders are looking to shake things up after a 34-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 that dropped them to 1-2 on the season. Although the score would not indicate it, the Raiders defense has been their biggest strength so far this season.
However, after allowing 34 points last Sunday, the Raiders are focusing on changing their scheme involving free safety Lamarcus Joyner.
The change comes after the Vikings played more tight ends than wide receivers on Sunday, relegating Joyner to the bench. With Joyner off the field for 73% of the game, he tried doing his best to support the team from the bench, via Scott Blair of NBC Sports Bay Area:
“I tried to do a good job coaching the guys on the sideline and doing my job on the field,” Joyner said. “I think I handled it well, but I think coaches are going to handle it well in the near future with making sure things like that don’t happen.”
Along those lines, it does seem that Joyner is going to be on the field as long as the Raiders can have him there. In their upcoming matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders are even preparing Joyner to match up with their tight ends and in the slot, where he has excelled throughout the course of his career.
Playing multiple positions will not be anything new for Joyner and with the change on the horizon, he feels comfortable having so much experience:
“That’s what I signed up for,” Joyner said. “I came here to make the defense better. We’re in Week 4 in the season, the first quarter, and things are going to start getting picked up with the creativity and the way they use me. And you see it now, with this week in practice. I’m very excited for the challenge.”
Joyner has emerged as the clear leader of the Raiders defense. Head coach Jon Gruden has called on the veteran defender to bring his energy day in and day out. Joyner is currently tied with Karl Joseph for the second-most solo tackles on the team with 12.
He and the rest of the Raiders defense will need to show up against the Colts to get things back on track. The Colts currently have the 12th-best offense in the league, so things might be easier said than done.
