Raiders' Malcolm Smith shows he's much more than an MVP title
Malcolm Smith earned some kindhearted ribbing when his interception return ended two yards shy of the end zone.
It was the only play Smith didn't make on Sunday. The former Super Bowl MVP linebacker played a starring role in Oakland's dominant defensive outing over the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.
“Malcolm has been tremendous since the day he got here,” head coach Jack Del Rio told Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area. “He’s just a great young man. We can count on him to do a lot.
Smith came through for Del Rio in spades. His 11 tackles were a team high and threw in a Philip Rivers sack. That first-quarter interception set up a point-blank touchdown, too.
That's not bad for a player who, despite his Super Bowl fame as a Seahawk, wasn't guaranteed a starting job when he first arrived in Oakland.
He joined the Raiders anyway -- and the Raiders are plenty thankful for it.
“There are a lot of guys in the league like that, guys who haven’t gotten their opportunity,” Smith said. “If you stick around, hopefully you’re ready to take advantage of a chance to play a big role."