Antonio Pierce's days as an NFL linebacker are going to be crucial to help the Raiders stop Lamar Jackson

The Las Vegas Raiders are gearing up to play the Baltimore Ravens on the road after a tough loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. And, it will only get harder this weekend. Sure, the Ravens have the same schedule as the Raiders, but they're a team vying for a spot in the Super Bowl by the end of the year.

They have one of the best players in the league Lamar Jackson, who just won the MVP award. As wide receiver Davante Adams said, Jackson could be one of the best ball carriers ever, at any position. And, that's exactly why the Raiders' defense on Sunday could use all the help they can get.

Luckily, Antonio Pierce, a former player, has a bit of experience. He was selected in the 3rd round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the New York Giants with the 88th overall pick. Pierce quickly established himself as a reliable linebacker. His role grew over the years, becoming a key component of the Giants' defense.

Known for his leadership, Pierce was named a team captain. His most memorable season was arguably 2006 when he led the team in tackles and was a pivotal part of the defense that helped the Giants reach Super Bowl XLII. One of the highlights of his career was winning Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots in a historic upset, where the Giants defeated the undefeated Patriots 17-14. After his stint with the Giants, Pierce signed with the Washington Redskins. However, injuries began to take a toll, and he played in a limited capacity.

Playing for the Giants, he played some great players, some very similar to Jackson.

“The division I played in, we went up against Donovan McNabb each and every year, and that was always difficult. And Vick ends up with the [Philadelphia] Eagles towards the end of my career," Pierce said on Wednesday. "So, we talked about that in depth in the defensive staff room. I've had my conversation with the players. The good part about it is some of these guys have gone up against a player like this just a few years ago when the Raiders played the Ravens in 2021, I believe.

"The key thing, like I said, is being disciplined. We're talking about one of the best football players in the National Football League. It's not going to take one guy; it’s going to take all 11. It's going to take 60 minutes to do it. I mean, we might do it right just like the other day the entire game, and last two minutes we blow it. Nobody's going to talk about the other 58 minutes.”

The Raiders have the best defense in the league, and if you don't believe that, you can't argue they aren't a top-five defense in the league. They are a team that can shut down some of the best offenses in the league, but they haven't played a guy near like Jackson in some time. It's not going to be easy, but it can be done. And, even if they don't shut him down, they can still win. The Kansas City Chiefs just did it.

"It's going to take all 11 guys to do their job," Pierce continued. "You hear this all the time, but it's true. If you see our guys run up the field, running past the quarterback, just pack your bags, it's going to be a long day for the Raiders. We have to do a good job. When I played, we played against [Michael] Vick, and we called it a cage rush, kind of keeping him in. You see Lamar, he has the ability to slither his way out of it, but it's very difficult.

"Think about the second-level defenders and your DBs, right? They're 12-14 yards deep, and all of a sudden, he steps up at the A and B gap, what do you do? Do you stay back in coverage, or do you go attack the quarterback? So, really critical up front that we are detailed and do our job and our assignment, and what's actually in the game plan. More importantly, linebackers have vision and feel the routes around them. And our secondary, everybody's eyes have to be on eight, but also feeling the routes around us."

The Raiders need this win badly. Sure, the offense is bad, very bad, but the defense has just as much pressure eon themselves this week as the offense does. Antonio Pierce may have this defense in tip-top shape for Jackson.

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