Maxx Crosby Is the Best Player on the Field Every Single Sunday
The numbers don't lie. Neither does the film. Crosby is making a case for Defensive Player of the Year before October.
Diana Reyes
Defense Analyst
There is a moment in every Maxx Crosby game where the offensive lineman across from him simply gives up. You can see it in the body language — the slight drop of the shoulders, the subtle step back. It happens around the third quarter, when the legs are heavy and Crosby is still running like it's the first snap of the game.
Through three weeks, Crosby has 3.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and a pressure rate that leads the entire NFL. He has forced two fumbles. He has batted down a pass. He has done all of this while drawing double teams on nearly 40 percent of his snaps.
"There is a moment in every Maxx Crosby game where the offensive lineman across from him simply gives up."
The Defensive Player of the Year conversation starts now. It has to. Because what Crosby is doing is not normal, and the rest of the league needs to start paying attention.
DJ Durkin's defense has been built around Crosby's ability to wreck a game plan, and so far it is working to perfection. The Raiders have held three straight opponents under 28 points. In today's NFL, that is a remarkable achievement.
Diana Reyes
Defense Analyst