HENDERSON, Nev. – The Las Vegas Raiders will run out of four defensive starters for their crucial Thursday night home game against the Los Angeles Chargers, a less-than-optimal start for new interim defense coordinator Rod Marinelli.
Defensive end Clelin Ferrell (shoulder), linebacker Nicholas Morrow (concussion), cornerback Damon Arnette (concussion) and safety Johnathan Abram (concussion) will all sit outside, Raiders coach Jon Gruden announced Wednesday.
With rookie receiver Henry Ruggs on the reserve / COVID-19 list, four of the Raiders’ five first-round picks from the past two years will be unavailable to Las Vegas (7-6) as it tries its mark keep playoff hopes alive against the chargers (4-9). The fifth first-rounder, running back Josh Jacobs, has to deal with an injured right ankle.
“We just need boys,” Gruden said. Carl Nassib will be back in the line-up [at defensive end]. I’m sure he will play well. We are curious [safety] Play Dallin Leavitt. [Defensive back] Daryl Worley is back; he has been a quick study.
“So it’s next guy’s mindset. I know you’ve heard it a lot from me and a lot of coaches in this league, but that’s the truth.”
Gruden said Takk McKinley, recently drawn on defense, would not be raised for the Chargers game. Gruden hopes to have him active for the Raiders’ game against the Miami Dolphins on December 26.
Marinelli, who replaced the firings of Paul Guenther, said on Tuesday that he wanted to see “discipline” from his defense.
“Knowing exactly what we’re doing,” Marinelli said. “… I want to see a lot of energy and great tackling. And gang tackling. Guys run to the ball, and I think when you see that, they enjoy it. And I just want to see that part of it – that we really enjoy it. of this game and you can’t enjoy it, just one or two guys, it must be team defense.
“And defense is about team – fast, fast and physical. Fast, fast and physical. That’s what I keep preaching, and we’ll see.”
In Sunday’s 44-27 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders defense was only able to yield one QB hit – no sacks – on Philip Rivers, who was dealing with peat toe.
Getting a pass rush against Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert and keeping him in the pocket is paramount to the Raiders. Herbert passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 24 yards against the Raiders in the Las Vegas 31-26 victory in Inglewood, California, on November 8.
“Everyone is responding well to Rod,” Gruden said of Marinelli, who was raised from the line of defense. “They’ve done that before. It’s not like he’s a new man coming in here. He gets the right response, a lot of respect. I think people trust him. He will do well. It will be quite a challenge for him, in defense of course, but I know we look forward to the challenge and we have a lot of respect for the Chargers.
“We’re not going into the tank. We’re going to stay mentally strong here, and we’ll keep getting better and better and doing the best we can every time.”
Marinelli, 71, brushed aside questions about his age and whether he wanted the job of defensive coordinator in Las Vegas after this season.
“I’m just working now,” he said. “I coach, people bring up this age. … I want to see them step into my shoes and drink my juice, okay? And I love it so I never look past it. I just want to go do a great job now and it’s our job to help these men. That’s my job. That’s what we commit to and go. “