The Oakland Raiders were awful to watch during Thursday’s lopsided 34-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara. The loss was probably tougher to swallow for Bruce Irvin, considering how little action he saw on the field against the 49ers, as the veteran defensive end played just nine snaps. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, however, has an explanation for Irvin’s apparent seemingly reduced role in the contest, per Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Gruden on Irvin's decreased snaps: “We're a 4-3 team now, so in the base defense sometimes he doesn't fit the role we need done. …He's an edge rusher, + we haven't had the lead a lot. …His role has been reduced. I know he's frustrated. I'm frustrated. …He's a good player.”
There aren’t a few people left scratching their heads over the frequency of Gruden’s use of Irvin against San Francisco. When the Raiders shockingly traded defensive ace Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears prior to the season, the title as Oakland’s best pass rusher was immediately placed on Irvin, which is also why limiting his snaps in the 49ers game was expected to be noticed and questioned right away.
Prior to Thursday, Irvin had not seen fewer than 24 snaps in a game. Back in Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts, he was on the field for 24 defensive snaps with six together with the special teams. Against the 49ers, he wasn’t able to see any special team snaps, the first time it’s happened this season.
Bruce Irvin is under the Raiders’ payroll until the end of the 2019 season.
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