But that wasn’t the case.

The defensive teams that came in for Crosby made a big leap forward. Their play helped Silver and Black get the win.

So, how did the Raiders’ defensive end rotation help them pull off an impressive win?

It starts with the identity Pierce has created for this team. The Raiders are a next-man-up team and aren’t worried about who will suit up for them. The Raiders play the same way no matter who is on the other side of the field.

And that’s exactly what they did today.

The Raiders defensive ends accounted for one and a half sacks against the Browns’ depleted offensive line. The other sack and a half came from safety Isaiah Pola-Mao and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.

Charles Snowden came up with the biggest play of the game. It was fourth-and-3 for the Browns in Raiders territory, and Snowden and several other Raiders defenders were running after Deshaun Watson with reckless abandon. Snowden won the race to the quarterback, causing him to fall and ending the game.

The other half-sack came from Janarius Robinson, whose athletic profile was on display all game as he consistently entered the backfield. The Raiders’ defensive depth came through for Pierce when the team needed it most.

Although Crosby will look to return for next week’s game against the Denver Broncos, it should feel good for the Raiders to win this game without their strong defensive end.

If Crosby can return next week, the Robbers confidence could go through the roof as they try to reach 3-2 this season.

Make sure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss a breaking news story.

Let us know your thoughts if you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK HERE.