Las Vegas Raiders DE Malcolm Koonce spoke ahead of the Silver and Black's Christmas Day showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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00:00 >> You're gonna get through here now, huh?
00:02 >> [LAUGH] >> I'm just kidding.
00:04 >> I'm gonna pick it up for the good players on the team, so
00:06 we're gonna look out for that.
00:07 >> Is this defense playing with more confidence every week?
00:10 >> I don't think it's that, I just think that we're playing our game.
00:13 You know how good we are, so we know the blueprint and
00:16 if we just stick to that, we show up every time.
00:19 >> And it's not just Max, it's a bunch of guys playing well.
00:22 How important is that, that it's more of a team effort?
00:25 >> I mean, when you're chasing that guy around, you kinda have to match his energy.
00:29 But I don't even think that's possible, so you just gotta do the best you can.
00:33 >> I remember your rookie season, you were getting sporadic opportunities and
00:37 you were making the most of it.
00:38 Now that you're out there every snap, how much different is it?
00:41 >> Definitely a different vibe, like being in shape wise.
00:46 So, and you gotta deal with pain, pain management, stuff like that.
00:50 So, definitely a different vibe.
00:52 >> And now getting all these sacks, getting these big plays for the team,
00:55 how much does that raise your confidence?
00:57 >> It raised my confidence tremendously.
00:59 There's still more to be done, so it's not like I'm settling just on that.
01:03 I kinda fleshed that game, so I'm ready to get on to Kansas City.
01:07 >> You said it's different being in shape wise.
01:08 Do you feel like are you in a different level of shape at this time of season than
01:11 ever before, and what went into that?
01:13 >> I wouldn't say that.
01:13 I would just say it's more like you didn't expect how physically tight it was
01:18 when you're getting a whole bunch of reps and stuff like that.
01:20 Well, I didn't expect that.
01:21 So now, I definitely feel it.
01:24 >> Going from the beginning of the season to your role then to where you are now,
01:28 what were some things that you had to do in the whole process of mentally staying
01:31 sharp and staying ready for your moment?
01:33 >> Just, I think overall, just making the best of my opportunities.
01:36 When you know you got a certain play that he draws up, don't mess it up.
01:41 Or simple things, things that take no talent,
01:43 just make sure you don't mess those up.
01:45 >> You talk about things that take no talent.
01:47 What are those things that you feel are required for you to be as good as you are?
01:51 >> Lining up, knowing what the call is, little stuff like that.
01:55 Rush angles, little things that can help you tremendously that you don't really
01:59 realize that until you do it consistently.
02:01 >> You went from a bye week to then a short week to now pretty much a mini bye.
02:07 How difficult is that managing all those changes to a usual NFL week?
02:11 >> I don't think it's super duper difficult.
02:13 I think it's just, if you have your routine, once you get back in the mode of
02:17 football, just get right back to your routine and I don't think you lose the stuff.
02:22 >> Raider Nation, they really want this one.
02:24 You guys, what are you expecting from this game against Kansas City,
02:27 a team that since 2020 the Raiders haven't beat?
02:29 >> Just play our game, that's it.
02:31 That's all we're really focused on.
02:33 >> Going back to your rookie year, your first sack of your NFL career was actually
02:37 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
02:38 Can you just talk about kind of like what that-
02:40 >> What was it?
02:41 What was it?
02:42 I think it might have been the, was it Washington?
02:47 I'm not sure, but what was the question?
02:48 I'm sorry.
02:49 >> Can you take us back to that moment with your sack and
02:52 your rookie year against the Chiefs?
02:54 >> I mean, I just knew I had a good long arm, so I got off the ball, put it in, and
02:58 then I felt him kind of soft and just swam inside and that was it.
03:04 >> You remember every sack, how it happened?
03:07 >> In the NFL, yeah, so far, it's not many, so it's not bad to remember all.
03:13 >> Do you always hear about the Raiders-Chiefs rivalry?
03:14 Does it feel different when you're out there?
03:16 You kind of feel the intensity?
03:17 >> Yeah, you definitely do feel it, especially when you go over there and
03:19 play, you definitely feel kind of like the, I don't know,
03:22 like not pressure, but like tension.
03:25 >> Yeah. >> Good word.
03:27 What are some of the more difficult things about facing
03:29 the Chiefs offense in general?
03:30 There's a lot going on there.
03:32 >> You know, the whole offense is kind of made of playmakers, so
03:37 at any time we just gotta be consistent.
03:39 We get up, we can't just lull ourselves to sleep, so
03:43 we gotta just kind of stay on our P's and Q's.
03:45 Thank you.