If you have watched even just a few games of the Raiders this season, it’s pretty clear who their best player has been. Maxx Crosby has dominated each and every week and is coming off another strong game against the Broncos.
Crosby earned the first Pro Bowl nomination of his career earlier this month and the selection couldn’t have been more obvious. He leads the NFL in pressures and hurries while seeing a ton of double teams.
In a recent article by ESPN’s 32 beat writers, they were asked to name each team’s most valuable non-quarterback this season. For the Raiders, that is none other than Crosby. Here is what the site had to say about the Pro Bowl defensive end this season:
“The first-time Pro Bowler might not have eye-popping stats — six sacks in 15 games — but he is more than affecting games as the spiritual leader of a reimagined and much-improved defense. Plus, Crosby is a Pro Football Focus favorite, ranking in its top two among all edge rushers in pressures and pass rush grade for most of the season. As interim coach Rich Bisaccia said, Crosby, who was in rehab for alcoholism in 2020, is bringing the “power of example” both on and off the field to his teammate.”
The duo of Yannick Ngakoue and Maxx Crosby is one of the best EDGE pairings in the NFL. With those two players on the field, the Raiders have a chance in every single game.
Crosby has established himself as one of the league’s best pass rushers. And if he can start to convert more pressures into sacks, he’ll have a legitimate chance to win the Defensive Player of the Year award at some point in his career. He’s been a stud for the Raiders in 2021 and his arrow continues to point up.
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