OAKLAND – Defense was supposed to be the Oakland Raiders’ calling card this season with the free-agent additions of pass rusher Bruce Irvin, cornerback Sean Smith and free safety Reggie Nelson.
Instead, the defense should have its ID checked at the door.
Because for the second week in a row, the Raiders were absolutely torched by an NFC South offense. This time, though, Oakland did not have enough firepower to answer as the Raiders did last week in New Orleans.
The Raiders fell, 35-28, to the Atlanta Falcons and gave up an unseemly 528 yards of offense, 396 through the air to quarterback Matt Ryan, who also had three touchdown passes, and 139 on the ground.