Raiders' Maxx Crosby trying to do what no one has in 2023
The Las Vegas Raiders are 5-6 and have entered a crucial stretch in their season, so of course, their immediate opponent is the much-hated Kansas City Chiefs (7-3).Raiders star Maxx Crosby, who is currently dealing with a knee injury, knows how important the Week 12 matchup is and that's why, according to NFL Network's Ian […]
The Las Vegas Raiders are 5-6 and have entered a crucial stretch in their season, so of course, their immediate opponent is the much-hated Kansas City Chiefs (7-3).
Raiders star Maxx Crosby, who is currently dealing with a knee injury, knows how important the Week 12 matchup is and that's why, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, there's a "realistic chance" Crosby plays. If he does, he'd be the first player listed as "doubtful" to play in a game in 2023.
ESPN's Adam Schefter added a layer of his own and said Crosby started pushing to play on Saturday and he doesn't care if Week 13 is the Raiders' bye week. Apparently, Crosby has also been sick all week long, which would only make the situation even more impressive.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how big this would be for the Raiders – even if Crosby is limited. The Chiefs offense isn't anywhere close to living up to its reputation and having the two-time Pro Bowler coming after Patrick Mahomes would go a very long way in helping Antonio Pierce and co. get to .500 on the season.
The key, obviously, is how much Crosby actually plays in this game. Even having him on the field as a decoy would help because the Chiefs would be forced to adjust their protection in the early going, until they figure out his effectiveness. Who knows, the Raiders defense could make something big happen before the Chiefs figure the hypothetical out and that could ultimately make the difference in a win.
The other side of the hypothetical, however, is Crosby makes the injury worse and ends up missing more time than he would've if he just sat this one out.
Crosby recorded just 1.0 sack in his first six games against the Chiefs, but has 3.0 sacks in his last two matchups, including a 2.0 sack performance in 2022's 30-29 loss. With the Chiefs' questionable tackle play, Crosby could certainly find some opportunities to make something happen.
Regardless, it'll be interesting to see how the Raiders handle the situation and what Crosby's impact is if he does end up playing.
