Gutierrez: Jeremy Chinn's hits land. His message is louder

Oct 09, 2025 at 02:04 PM

Paul Gutierrez

Raiders Columnist

Jeremy Chinn sat stonefaced.

Even as, right in front of him, highlights of big hits were played on a loop. There was his uncle, Hall of Fame safety Steve Atwater, lowering the boom on Christian Okoye in a grainy-but-classic Monday Night Football blow from 1990.

And there he was, in 4D, Chinn blowing up Ashton Dulin on the sideline, making sure the Colts receiver did not come down with possession inbounds, along with plenty of other pure, adrenaline-rushing sticks from his career.

Yet, Chinn's heart rate barely moved. His pulse, it remained even. He didn't even smile.

After all, Chinn, as a hard-hitting safety himself, is supposed to dole out the big blows. What Chinn and the Raiders are not supposed to do, is give up six straight touchdown drives and end up on the wrong end of a 40-6 score…as they did and were in Indianapolis last weekend.

"I was more angry than anything," Chinn told me of his postgame locker room demeanor on this week's episode of "Upon Further Review."

"I look at myself, first and foremost. I mean, outside of that hit, and a few tackles, I feel like I definitely could have played a lot better and should have played a lot better."

Fair enough.

The Raiders did allow those six straight TDs after authoring a three-and-out to start the game. But Chinn, who signed a two-year free-agent contract with the Raiders this spring, also did more than get "a few tackles" against the Colts; he had a game-high 10 stops in his Indianapolis-area homecoming.

And his 32 tackles on the season rank second on the Raiders.

But riding a four-game losing streak kinda takes the starch out of even the biggest highlight reel hits. Which is why Chinn was more animated talking about what was in front of him and the Raiders this weekend - a home game against the Titans - than about any posterizing hit from the past.

"That's the beauty of the NFL - there's such a quick turnaround and everything can change in a week," he said. "If we go out and handle our business this week at practice and then go out and have a great game on Sunday, everybody's perspective on us and everybody's mentality just changes.

"We just have to continue to take the next step."

So long as it's a positive one.

Because what happened to the Raiders in Indianapolis was anything but good. Sure, there were teaching moments, but as Chinn said, they have to learn from the mistakes so they - hopefully - don't make them again.

The Titans tote with them the No. 1 overall pick of the draft in quarterback Cam Ward, who has not exactly been setting the NFL on its head.

Still, Ward, who has the second-worst passer rating (64.0) in the league and has completed the lowest percentage of passes of any qualified QB (51.8%), might be looking at a reeling Raiders defense as a potential get-right opponent.

"He's very talented," Chinn said. "He can throw the ball. He has the ability to run the ball as well and scramble. But for a young quarterback who has that ability, he does a really good job of sitting in the pocket. And when he scrambles, he's still looking to pass the ball. ... He can make every throw. I'm excited for the matchup.

"We're a hungry team. A team that's not going to stop working."

And that was a big reason Pete Carroll wanted Chinn in Las Vegas after four seasons with the Panthers and another with the Commanders.

His competitiveness. His leadership. His versatility. And, yes, his ability to intimidate as a big hitter.

"I love what Chinn's doing," Carroll said earlier this season. "He gives us all kinds of flexibility. We do a lot of stuff with him. He's got a lot of game. He can really run, and that's to go along with being physical and all the rest."

At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Chinn is a hybrid.

He refers to himself as a "chess piece" for the Raiders defense.

"I can play deep in coverage, post safety, or come down on the line of scrimmage and almost be like a defensive end, or in that linebacker spot," he said. "Whether affecting the run game, the pass game, I take a lot of pride in just being that versatile piece."

Not bad for a guy who played cornerback and running back at Fishers (Ind.) High School, about a 30-minute drive from Lucas Oil Stadium.

And yes, those carrying-the-ball skills translate to defense.

"As a running back, it's pretty similar - just finding those holes," he said. "Same way as a linebacker, a second-level player, you're trying to find that open hole and where that back's going to hit and just try to anticipate."

Just like when measuring up some unlucky soul who's come into your zone outstretched for an incoming pass, right?

No doubt.

So imagine those Thanksgiving dinner conversations and ensuing gatherings around the YouTube highlights of Uncle Steve's greatest hits…literally.

"He's just been a great resource for me," Chinn said of Atwater. "Anytime I can call him and pick his brain about anything, he's always there. I really appreciate that. I feel like I kind of have an advantage that not a lot of guys have - having a Hall of Fame uncle. So it is pretty cool."

Cooler than those highlights that started our conversation?

Well…

"That was pretty cool," Chinn allowed, finally. "Great memories, of course. That's how I like to impact the game - bring my physical dominance to the game.

"It's already ingrained. I feel like the game has changed so much as far as the hits you saw my uncle do, and some of the hits that I have now. It really is a skill, as far as keeping your head out of it and making a clean hit. I feel like back in the day it was a little more encouraged, certain guys making tackles and making certain hits and guys getting knocked out. … It's a combination - the physical, the mental - but also the anticipation and [knowing] what's going on around you."

Chinn smiled.

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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the weight room during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.