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Ken Norton Jr. Ruining Oakland Raiders Defense

By Carl Cockerham

Nov 1, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. encourages the defense before the start of the game against the New York Jets at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. encourages the defense before the start of the game against the New York Jets at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 1, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. encourages the defense before the start of the game against the New York Jets. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. encourages the defense before the start of the game against the New York Jets. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Ken Norton Jr. is having the toughest of times with the Oakland Raiders defense this year. He has great personnel but doesn’t put them in position to win.

Oakland Raiders defensive coordinator at Ken Norton Jr. hasn’t done the team any good so far. Last year, his first as a defensive coordinator, he seemed a bit in over his head. So head coach Jack Del Rio, a defensive guy, got involved in the defense and it got better.

In this, his second year, Norton has gotten even worse and Del Rio isn’t as involved. Perhaps he has more leeway because the offense is so good this year. The offense is the main reason why the team is 4-2 and in the lead in the AFC West.

And in the process, the Raiders are putting up historically bad numbers on defense. If you told a Raiders fan before the season they would be 4-2 after six games, he would take it. But after seeing it unfold, Raiders fans know they are underachieving on defense.

The defense is historically bad because Norton is struggling, pressing all the wrong buttons. If something doesn’t change soon, the Raiders will be right around .500 and miss the playoffs. With the talent this team on defense, that would be a crying shame.

Turn the page for a look at what Norton is ruining the Raiders defense.

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