There was a lot of controversy for the Raiders prior to their week 9 matchup versus the New York Giants. From a new coach making his debut, to more details coming out about former head coach, Josh Mcdaniels, all eyes were on the Raiders at home and the silver and black showed up.

The Las Vegas Raiders looked night and day better under interim head coach Antonio Pierce. The silver and black played with a newfound energy that seemed to have the team firing on all cylinders. The offense which couldn’t crack 20 points all year scored 21 points in the first half alone. Rookie quarterback, Aidan O’Connell, may not have thrown for a touchdown pass, but he also didn’t put the ball in harm’s way either. The offense really relied on Josh Jacobs who looked unstoppable in the running game. For an offense which was struggling all year up to this point, this was by far their best performance so far.

The defense also had a strong showing all game long. Not only did the Raiders put constant pressure on the Giants Quarterbacks, but they also led to forcing multiple interceptions. Defensive End, Maxx Crosby, continued to show why he’s one of the best defensive players in the league by getting 3 sacks despite getting double and triple teamed. Crosby’s leadership and input is becoming more evident to this raiders team, the defensive side especially. So much so that the Raiders tallied up 8 total sacks for the game.

Who knows where this revamped Raiders energy will take the Raiders for the remainder of the season or beyond that, but this was a much-needed win for the Raiders and its fanbase. Not just for their regular season record, but for everything this team has been through for the last year and a half with former head coach, Josh Mcdaniels. There’s still more to prove for this team against tougher competition, so we’ll see how the silver and black will respond and where it’ll take them for the rest of the year, but this was an ideal starting point for interim head coach, Antonio Pierce.