Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham believes he pinpointed a key area where his group can improve during its bye week.

The team needs to do more on early downs to prevent opponents from getting to third-and-short so often. It’s made it difficult for the Raiders to get off the field. They’re allowing opponents to convert 44.9 percent of their third downs, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL.

“This league and just throughout my career, you spend so much time on third downs, spend so much time in the red area, which is warranted, but it’s the first- and second-down plays,” Graham said. “You think about some of the long drives we’ve given up and sometimes they don’t even get to third down or they’ve got to third-and-2 or third-and-3. That’s not even really third down right there. I d

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