Standout Players from the Raiders’ Regular Season Finale

Week 18 in Las Vegas has been called the best game of the season, the best regular-season game since 2018, and a million other things, but one thing is for sure, the Las Vegas Raiders came out on top. In a wild 35-32 overtime win, these Raiders stood out the most.

DE Maxx Crosby

Since Week 1, DE Maxx Crosby has been dominant on the field. As a first-time pro-bowler, he played his best football of the season as the regular season concluded and the stats are there to prove it. Crosby ended the season with 101 pressures, the most of any defensive player this season. He is the only player since at least 2002 to finish the regular season with over 100 QB pressures.

In Week 18, Crosby dominated the Los Angeles Chargers offensive line with two sacks, five QB hits, 11 pressures, three pass breakups, and three tackles for loss. It appeared that as the Chargers’ offensive line got more tired, Crosby found more energy.

“My mentality is, they’re tired too,” Crosby said after the game. “So, either he’s going to quit or I’m going to quit.”

The Raiders’ impressive defensive captain had eight pressures in the fourth quarter alone, proving to the world he was not going to be the one to quit.

Crosby topped off his regular season by being awarded two separate awards on Monday. The Las Vegas Raiders players voted for Crosby to receive the Raiders’ Commitment to Excellence Award. This award is given to the player who most embodies leadership, excellence, and hard work throughout the year. Crosby received the award after former Raiders C Rodney Hudson took home the award the previous four seasons.

Mad Maxx was also given the Craig Long award by the local Las Vegas media.

K Daniel Carlson

The Raiders’ offense has struggled since the bye week. Their red zone offense fails to get touchdowns often. This leaves many needed-points off the board, but has also given kicker Daniel Carlson many field goal opportunities.

Carlson was one of the most reliable players on the roster this season, and Week 18 was no different. Carlson was a perfect 5 for 5 on field goals with a long of 52 yards. If his perfect percentage wasn’t enough, Carlson hit the game-winning field goal for the fifth time this season. As the clock ran down to zero, Carlson nailed his fifth field goal of the night. Through two seasons in Las Vegas, Carlson has never missed a kick in Allegiant Stadium.

Carlson holds many records for the Raiders already, but now he holds another one. With his impressive performance on Sunday night, Carlson has broken the Raiders franchise record for most field goals made in a single season. Carlson made 40 of 43 field goals in the 2021 regular season.