The Las Vegas Raiders' defense added to its reputation as one of the best units in the league when it went toe to toe with perhaps the NFL's most dominant offense on Sunday.
The Raiders held the Miami Dolphins to 20 points, including just six in the second half, while also having forced three turnovers.
The outing could not have come at a better time for the Silver and Black's defense, as it will turn around to face their biggest rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, who have another one of the top offenses in the league.
Raiders Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce has managed to get the most out of his defense in his first three weeks in his new role. On Sunday, he will have to do it again when his team hosts the defending Super Bowl champions.
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"We know what we did really well, we know what we didn't do well, especially against an elite receiver like [Tyreke] Hill," Pierce said when he addressed the media on Monday. "But we're going to deal with that with [Travis] Kelce and probably one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Patrick Mahomes, who we have ultimate respect for. And Andy Reid as a play caller.
"It's a good thing for our defense over the last three weeks to do what they've been doing. It's just getting better and better; we're healthy, guys are flying around, they're having fun, they're not blinking. The turnovers has been really critical for us.
"The guys [are] just attacking the football. You saw that with Nate Hobbs, you see Maxx [Crosby] do it every play. Robert Spillane almost had another interception.
"So just, like I told you guys last week, defense travels. I thought they did a good job last week of bringing their lunch pail and getting ready to work, and we're going to have to do that here at home."
The Silver and Black will return home next week to celebrate Thanksgiving and take on their AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Sunday, Nov. 26, at 4:25 p.m. EST/1:25 p.m. PST.
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