Las Vegas Raiders: 3 keys to make a run to the playoffs after the 2023 Bye Week

Raiders defense needs to get healthy and continue to grow

The big storyline going into the Raiders matchup against the Chiefs was the health of star edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who had a pretty significant knee injury going into the game. Crosby was listed as doubtful, but despite the fact that the designation usually means the player won't play, Madd Maxx was out there against Patrick Mahomes and company.

It was pretty clear that Crosby was not playing at full strength, and really limited what the Raiders wanted to do in the pass rush. The hope is that the extra week off will help Crosby's knee get somewhat back to 100 percent, as they are going to need him down the stretch if they hope to make a run.

Outside of Crosby, the Raiders defense needs to continue to trend in the right direction, and they have gotten better play from the linebacker and defensive backfield groups so far this season. They are going to have to continue to get better on that side of the ball if they hope to make a run, as matchups against Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Justin Herbert are still on the horizon as they round out their 2023 NFL season.