The Las Vegas Raiders brought in Pete Carroll and John Spytek this offseason to lead the franchise out of the gutter of the NFL. They weren’t in town for even two months before they showed Maxx Crosby the money, as they gave him a three-year, $106.5 million extension.
Crosby has dealt with so much chaos during his seven-year NFL career that it is almost impossible to figure out why he has so much loyalty to the Silver and Black. But he does, and Raider Nation loves him more than any other player in recent memory because of it.
While he is a fan favorite in Las Vegas, he has not necessarily been held in the same esteem throughout the league during his NFL tenure. He has been snubbed from several major awards, but Crosby made a case in Week 4 that he is in the running once again, and he cannot be ignored.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby looked like the NFL’s best defender vs. the Bears
On Sunday, the Raiders fell to the Chicago Bears by a score of 25-24, thanks in large part to Geno Smith’s three interceptions. One of the worst aspects of his poor performance, however, is that he wasted a hallmark game from Crosby.
Crosby was a one-man wrecking crew for the Raiders on Sunday despite the loss, and he made a major statement of why he should be in the running for the 2025 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
His impressive stats of five solo tackles, including three for a loss, as well as three passes defended and his first career interception, are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Crosby’s impact. He single-handedly halted several of the Bears’ drives in their tracks despite the unbelievable attention directed his way.
According to Pro Football Focus, he had a total of five pressures and four run stops, and he forced an incompletion the only time that he was targeted. His 91.5 overall grade was simply elite, and it led the Raiders’ defense in Week 4.
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One of the knocks on Crosby, and the chief reason he did not win the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year or 2022 and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year awards, is that he does not make enough big plays like sack fumbles or interceptions.
Well, he did just that on Sunday, as he jarred the ball loose from Caleb Williams on one occasion and had the aforementioned interception, which he returned 19 yards. Good Morning Football‘s Kyle Brant even said that Crosby looked like the best player in the sport on Sunday.
If that does not serve as enough evidence, Williams himself had high praise for Crosby after the game. Williams went so far as to say that Crosby is likely the best player that he has ever played in his career.
Analysts and opposing quarterbacks are already seeing what Raider Nation has had the privilege of viewing for the last few years. It won’t be long until the rest of the NFL catches on, as Crosby made a terrifying statement that they couldn’t ignore on Sunday.
