Perhaps forgotten in the joy of back-to-back wins is the fact that the Raiders rank dead last in the NFL in total defense, allowing 414.7 yards per game.

The Raiders will have an important cog back in the lineup this week when defensive tackle Justin Ellis returns from an ankle injury.

“I’m finally to the point where I really can go,” Ellis said Thursday.

Ellis injured himself in the season opener and sat out of practice the past two weeks, missing from action as the Raiders won two straight games. The team’s success with him out made his absence even tougher on Ellis.

“Really, it’s harder because you really want to be out there with them,” Ellis said. “It feels good to be a part of something, but it feels even better when you’re really a part of it. It was tough for me, but I’m back now.”

The defensive line is the clear strength of this defense. The front four of Ellis and Dan Williams at tackle and Khalil Mack and Justin Tuck was already solid before adding Aldon Smith to the group.

It finally manifested in some pressure on the quarterback last week with five sacks, although three were by linebackers. Ellis is a big part of their run defense, which is 13th in the league and coming off a stout performance against Cleveland.

That’s going to be a tougher task against the Bears’ Matt Forte, the NFL’s second leading rusher. But having Ellis back helps immensely and he’s thrilled to be back.

“As soon as I figured out I should be able to play this week, it brought a smile to my face,” Ellis said.