The Las Vegas Raiders got their biggest win of the season on Sunday when they handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss. This brought the Raiders to 3-2, just one game back of the Chiefs in the AFC West. However, defensive end Carl Nassib suffered a potentially long-term injury in the process.
Nassib is yet another on a growing list of Raiders defenders to suffer injuries this year. Backing up Maxx Crosby on the right side of the defensive line, he has been a solid part of the Raiders defense, despite the unit’s struggles in the first five weeks.
Now, it is unclear when he’ll be back and just how severe his broken toe injury is, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network:
#Raiders veteran DE Carl Nassib suffered a broken big toe in Sunday's win over the #Chiefs, sources say. Unclear at this point how much time he'll miss.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 14, 2020
Given the uncertainty surrounding the injury at the moment, it’s possible that Nassib is back in the lineup shortly. However, if it turns out to be severe, Nassib could miss several weeks, meaning the third-string defensive end Kendal Vickers would see more action in his place.
On the season, Nassib has 10 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass deflected. What he does have going for him is that the Raiders have a bye in Week 6, so he will have an extra week to rest up.
Maxx Crosby credits defense for getting pressure on Patrick Mahomes
The Raiders’ best defensive performance of the season came on Sunday against the Chiefs, despite the loss of Nassib. Three sacks and a season-low 51% completion rate for Mahomes stood out despite allowing 32 points.
Crosby credited the defense for staying confident and cutting it loose, leading to a more complete performance in all phases.
With how the offense has been rolling, if the defense can do its part as well then the Raiders can be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.
