The Las Vegas Raiders may not be that of the 60s,70s,80s, or even 90s when it comes to being the rebels of the league and playing hard-nosed football, but they have some guys on the team who embody that style on and off the field.
We all know about Maxx Crosby being the guy who represents the Raiders, who they are, what their identity is, etc. However, another guy on the team hasn't been on the team long, which is the same way.
Robert Spillane, who the Raiders signed this offseason, is a Raider through and through. And, this last week, he did the most Raider thing ever. He broke his hand against the Detroit Lions, got it fixed immediately, and played against the Giants the next game.
"Every week, we get six days, maybe seven days, to recover," Spillane said in the locker room. "That happened to be a short week playing Monday night against Detroit. I was able to get surgery on Tuesday morning; it was a successful surgery.
"And, they said if you're able to play through the pain, then you could play. So we cast it up and went to work. My friends and I always joke about the hand; it's a long way from the heart... Broken bone, shattered bone. Doc repaired it, put a cast on it, and we are good to go."
Spillane signed with the Raiders on a two-year, $7 million deal this offseason. As of right now, that signing is looking like an offseason steal. It may be safe to say Spillane is one of the best players on the defense this year. Playing through a broken hand the very next game is such a "Raider" thing. This is what the golden era of Raiders football was all about. The fans love Spillane for doing this, too, and for him, he's got to keep playing.
Spillane is second on the Raiders in tackles and also has 1.5 sacks and two interceptions to go along with it. The Pittsburgh Steelers liked who they had on their team more than Spillane, so they let him walk. That's good for the Raiders, though, as he is playing one of his best seasons yet.
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