The Las Vegas Raiders made a statement in their 20-14 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs: they will fight to stay alive in the AFC playoff race.
The Raiders caused problems for the Chiefs’ talented offense all day, scoring two defensive touchdowns and holding quarterback Patrick Mahomes to his lowest yards per completion output of the season.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham have done an excellent job with this Raiders defense. That side of the ball has kept them competitive all season, and they were the catalysts for their upset win.
Right in the middle of the action for the Raiders was linebacker Robert Spillane. Spillane and cornerback Nate Hobbs tied for the team lead in tackles with 11. Both Spillane and Hobbs had tackles for loss as well.
Spillane has had a career season with the Raiders in 2023, as his two-year, $9 million contract looks more and more like a free agency steal with every passing week.
After letting Denzel Perryman walk in free agency, the Raiders needed to find a replacement at middle linebacker. They found that in Spillane, who has posted a career-best 130 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three and a half sacks, a forced fumble, four passes defended, and three interceptions.
Spillane has provided a stabilizing presence at linebacker next to Divine Deablo. He is constantly making plays around the football and has held his own in coverage this season. Spillane is an undersized linebacker but has played much bigger than his 6-foot-1, 229-pound frame.
Spillane has been consistent all season for the Raiders, posting his fifth double-digit tackle game of the year and fourth in five weeks. He has been a massive reason for the Raiders’ defensive turnaround in 2023.
The Chiefs could not get the run game going, and Spillane was a significant factor in that. According to Pro Football Focus, Spillane has been credited with 44 run stops this season.
The Raiders have been a hard-nosed, hard-working defense all season, which continued in their upset victory against the Chiefs. Spillane’s presence at middle linebacker has been everything the Raiders hoped it would be when they added him to the team in March.
The Silver and Black continue the season on New Year's Eve versus the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis. Don't miss it on Sunday, December 31, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.
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