Koonce is now an Established Staple in Raiders' Defense
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce was still in his groove following his career outing against the Los Angeles Chargers, as he once again dominated up front in Las Vegas' 20-14 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Koonce finished the game with three sacks and six combined tackles, one game after posting two sacks against the Chargers. His three sacks paired him with Raiders Pro-Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby as the only two members of the team to record three single-game sacks this season.
"We talk about it every week," Raiders Interim Coach Antonio Pierce told our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. after Monday's game. "You've got No. 98 (Maxx Crosby) on the left -- when someone shows up on the right or up the middle, it's going to be a problem. And it's starting to become a problem, and Malcolm is really making a name for himself.
"That's now, what, three weeks in a row where he's really just kind of really just like, wow. And it's good to see. And just the effort, fighting through a lot of stuff.
"But these guys, when I ask them to do things by any means necessary at all accounts, they just find a way to get it done, and we did that."
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce is now an established staple in his team's defense.
© Denny Medley | 2023 Dec 25
Koonce's defensive effort in Monday's game helped lead the Raiders to their first win over their No. 1 rivals since 2020.
"It feels great," Koonce said. "If you can contribute in any way, it's an amazing feeling."
Koonce is in his third year with the Raiders, although he has never reached the status of a frequent starter. After not making a single start in his first two seasons, the former third-round pick has started nine games for the Silver and Black this season.
In total, Koonce has recorded seven sacks, 38 combined tackles and three tackles for losses this season.
The Silver and Black continue the season on New Year's Eve versus the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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