The Raiders 2021 season ended a little over a week ago with their Wild Card loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. So, now it’s time to tally up the scores and name out Season Ballers and Season Busters.
Ballers
DE Maxx Crosby
Ten times, Crosby was named a Baller and five of those times he was Top Baller. He consistently got pressure on the quarterback, finishing the regular season with over 100 pressures (101). Then, as you might expect, he was a Baller one more time in the team’s playoff game. He finished with eight sacks, 30 QB hits and 13 tackles for loss.
WR Hunter Renfrow
Eight times Renfrow was a Baller and three of those times he was Top Baller. He started strong and ended strong being named a Baller for the first four games and the last two with a couple in-between. He finished with 103 catches for 1038 yards and nine touchdowns.
P AJ Cole
Six times Cole was a Baller. Though being the punter, he was never Top Baller, he consistently did his job at the highest level and earned the team’s only First-Team All-Pro nod because of it.
K Daniel Carlson
Seven times a Baller and twice a Buster. Carlson was clutch late in the season when the Raiders needed him most. The Raiders were playing some close games. From the start of the Raiders’ four-game win streak to end the season along with their Wild Card matchup in Cincinnati, he didn’t miss. And had he missed any of his field goals, the Raiders wouldn’t have made the playoffs.
DT Quinton Jefferson
Six times a Baller, twice a Top Baller. Jefferson was part of a rotation at the defensive tackle spot. He distinguished himself more and more as the season went on to be named a Baller three times in the team’s final four games including the Wild Card game.
RB Josh Jacobs
A Baller eight times this season, with seven of them coming down the stretch. That’s what we call a strong finish. And to think he did much of it while suffering from a rib injury.
LB Denzel Perryman
A Baller six times and a Top Baller once. For most of the season, he led the league in tackles. He was even among the league leaders despite missing two weeks to injury.
DE Yannick Ngakoue
Six times a Baller and once a Top Baller. Though he seemed to fade down the stretch, including being rendered invisible in the Wild Card loss to the Bengals, he still finished with a team-leading ten sacks and his presence on the left side helped keep opposing offense honest, leading to better pressure numbers across the line.
CB Nate Hobbs
Hobbs was a Baller four times this season, including being named Top Baller in the team’s Wild Card matchup. The fifth-round rookie came in immediately and solved the Raiders’ issue with finding a slot cornerback.
Honorable Mention
CB Casey Hayward — Though he just missed the cut as a Season Baller, he was a solid starter for the Raiders at outside corner. He was named a Baller four times and a Buster twice.