Ken Norton Jr. took the stand, er podium, Thursday and pleaded guilty to the Raiders’ defense being terrible the first two games. But the defensive coordinator plans on himself, the players and even head coach Jack Del Rio being exonerated as the season progresses.

Norton expects to call plays Sunday in Nashville, a week after Del Rio took over the duties late in the fourth quarter of a 35-28 loss to Atlanta.

“The whole staff, we sit in there and we go over the game plan, over the plays. We have a good idea of what plays should be called at certain times,” Norton said Thursday. “It’s a collective effort, but I do call them on game day.”

Norton had no problem with Del Rio taking charge, largely because that’s how it goes when someone is your boss.

“He’s the head coach,” Norton said. “He can do what he wants to do. That’s up to him.”

Norton didn’t have a lot of answers as to why the Raiders (1-1) have allowed 1,035 yards, an NFL record for the first two games.

“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “I mean, there are a lot of things that we’re looking at. ... We all had high expectations at the same time. We’re a work in progress. ... I’m accountable for it. We have to work harder, work better and we expect to come out of this.”

There are five new starters on defense, and Norton still thinks the players will meet the expectations soon enough.

“I’ve been around a lot of good defenses, a lot of good coaches, a lot of good players and this fits right up there with the good ones,” Norton said. “Again, no one said it was going to be easy. You’re going to have adverse times and those adverse times really reveal us, reveal who you are, and I think that the team has come together, come close.

“You can tell the guys really care. No one wants to play as bad as we’ve played.”

Two newcomers — safety Karl Joseph and inside linebacker Cory James, both rookies — will see some action. Joseph, the team’s first-round pick, had offseason knee surgery but played in the preseason before sitting out on defense the first two games.

Joseph has said he needs to get better at knowing where to look on the field.

Norton was asked what was holding back Joseph.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “You really can’t tell. It’s just a matter of being sure about what you’re doing, really understanding the details and just kind of putting it all together. Pro football is a big deal.”

It is, and Del Rio acknowledged that the calls need to get out sooner to help players line up in the right spot faster. Opposing receivers — especially tight ends — are running free, and it’s not because the Raiders are getting outmuscled or outrun.

Cornerback David Amerson said the Raiders need to “play chess against chess.”

Not checkers, Connect-4, CandyLand or Hungry Hungry Hippo. Chess.

And Norton is expecting to hold the pieces again Sunday.

Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vtafur@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VicTafur