Raiders Defense Still Has Another Level to Reach

The Las Vegas Raiders have continued to find ways to improve on defense. They plan to continue doing so with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense has been their calling card this season, with multiple dominant performances. 

Still, Super Bowl-winning linebacker and Interim Coach Antonio Pierce sees many ways the unit can improve over the next two weeks.

"There are a lot of ways," Pierce said. "We don't use the word great yet. We're getting better and better each and every day. When you talk about great, that's a different category, and I know we're striving for that, and we'll know at the end of the season how far we've come."

Pierce says the defense has fully bought into the idea of being at its  best.

"What do I contribute that to? Guys who are really buying in and believing," Pierce said. "Remember day one when I first stood here, I said my goal and what my challenge was to match Maxx's [Crosby] energy.

The Las Vegas Raiders still have room for improvement on an already improved defense.  / © Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

"Well, now, I think you've seen our defense match Maxx's energy and effort, and now his production, and you're seeing that. At first, it was linebacker Robert Spillane. OK, now it's a couple of other guys. Now you're seeing 11 bad boys hunting on each and every play.

"Now it's a race to the ball. I call it roll calling the ball, get 11 hats to the ball, and everybody gets in the family picture. So, for me, it's very satisfying to see them buy into that of what we talked about: the effort and matching of oour best players."

"Maxx's job is to bring all those guys along and to keep striving to stay in front. That's what we want. And when we get that, you get the product that we've gotten on the field."

Las Vegas needs various results in other games around the NFL to make it to the playoffs, but Pierce says the Raiders aren't focused on the possibilities, and are only focused on controlling what they can control.

"We know what's in front of us," Pierce said. "We know what we're all chasing, we want to play in the month of January. We want to get a ticket to the dance as well, but how do we do that? We've got to handle business this week in Indy and handle these Colts, and that's our main goal. 

"We're not going to scoreboard watch. We're not going to do it. We're not even talking about it. And I get it. I appreciate everybody informing us, but that's not our focus." 

The Raiders have at least two games remaining in their season to continue displaying their growth as a team. 

Las Vegas' defense has the opportunity to show everyone, including future free agents on other teams, that their success isn't a fluke and that their success is sustainable beyond this season. 

The Silver and Black continue the season on New Year's Eve versus the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Don't miss it on Sunday, December 31, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

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