The Las Vegas Raiders won all three phases of the game against the New York Giants on Sunday, something they hadn’t done all season. Defensively, the Raiders hit levels not seen in more than a decade, as their eight sacks on Sunday were the most in a game since Week 8 of the 2010 season, when they defeated the Seattle Seahawks 33-3.
Maxx Crosby, the Raiders’ Pro-Bowl pass rusher, led the charge with three sacks on the day. Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler (1.0), safety Tre’von Moehrig (1.0), defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (1.0), defensive end Malcolm Koonce (1.0), linebacker Robert Spillane (1.0), and rookie pass rusher Tyre’von Wilson (0.5) all contributed.
On Sunday, Raiders Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce observed “maximum effort” from the pass rush.
“Me and Maxx [Crosby] joke about it: me trying to maximise his effort [and] vice versa,” Pierce said to reporters on Monday. “But our defence and team, especially our D-line and blitzing guys, did a great job last night of just being relentless.” And we talked about it: struggling to get through the game.”Playing with the whistle on. Not thinking that, ‘Oh, he’s going to make it’ or ‘That guy’s going to make it.’ ‘No, I’m going to make it.’ “If we all think like that, roll call on the ball.”
Crosby has 9.5 sacks on the season. He is tied for second in the NFL in this statistic with Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
Moehrig and Butler both had their second sacks of the season, and Spillane, Nichols, and Wilson now have 1.5 each. On Sunday, Koonce recorded his first sack of the season. The Raiders had previously recorded four sacks in a single game this season when they defeated the New England Patriots, 21-17, at Allegiant Stadium in Week 6.
