The Las Vegas Raiders meticulously built their roster with many players who had raw talent but needed development.
Those players not only had the potential to be serviceable players, but some, such as defensive end Malcolm Koonce, had the opportunity to play an essential role for Las Vegas heading into this season.
Koonce has had eight solo tackles in the last three weeks, including one sack in the previous two games. Last Sunday, Koonce finished with a 91.0 grade against the New York Jets. That was second-best amongst all edge defenders in the National Football League.
Interim Coach Antonio Pierce spoke about the importance of Koonce's continued development to the Raiders' defense.
"[He's] really critical to the defense and Maxx Crosby," Pierce said. "Somebody on the other side who can make some plays. You saw that last week. He's a very dynamic and explosive player. We figured out, as a staff too, what he does well."
"Here's a guy who can really turn the corner and bend, is great with his hands, and can finish around the quarterback. Hopefully, last week was just a little snippet of what's going to come for him."
The veteran defensive end has seen his playing time increase since he was drafted two seasons ago. Koonce already has more tackles this season than his previous two seasons combined.
Throughout this season, Koonce has continually come close to making impactful plays, but would come up a little short. His sacks in the last two games show how much he has developed since his rookie season.
"It felt amazing," Koonce said. "It felt great and it was probably one of the best feelings in the world. It was a little frustrating [not completing sacks], but you have to keep rushing and finally get home. It felt great."
Las Vegas' defense, once thought to be the weaker unit of the team, has carried the Silver and Black this season. This has led to the defense trusting each other no matter the situation.
"We trust our defense," Koonce said. "We trust our guys who are on the defensive side of the ball. It's always a great feeling when the coaches are backing you."
As things stand, the Raiders still have a shot at the playoffs, but Koonce says the defense is focused on continuing to play the way it has in the last few weeks.
"We're not really thinking about that [the playoffs]; we're just trying to take it one day at a time," Koonce said. "We're trying to be ourselves, stick to what we know, and stick to how we've been playing."
As the Raiders travel to Florida to face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, they still control their destiny. It will be up to Koonce and the rest of the Raiders' defense to contain one of the best offenses in the NFL.
The Silver and Black will head out on the road to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, November. 19, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.
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