The Oakland Raiders (11-3) received high praise after clinching their first playoff berth since 2002 with their 19-16 win over the San Diego Chargers (5-9) at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday.
With the help of ProFootballFocus.com, we take an in-depth look at who specifically deserves high praise on the Raiders’ roster after the team’s win in Week 15.
Raiders’ inside linebackers step up
Raiders inside linebackers Perry Riley Jr. and Malcolm Smith have struggled to maintain a strong, solid front at the center of Oakland’s defense against some of the better rushing attacks in the NFL, but the two came together and collectively formed a brick wall on Sunday.