Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season was a chaotic one for the Raiders. They had to sift through the Davante Adams trade drama while preparing for their second divisional contest and benched quarterback Gardner Minshew in their 34-18 loss to the Denver Broncos.
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Moving forward, nobody can be sure who will be throwing – or catching – passes for the Raiders. But if there’s one thing fans can be sure about, it’s defensive end Maxx Crosby’s commitment to the team.
In the disappointing 34-18 loss against Denver, Crosby came out as one of the impactful players from the Raiders unit. He recorded two sacks and 3 tackles. Post the game, the DE took a flamethrower to analysts who were saying that he might be itching to get out of Sin City. He said:
“These clowns are sitting on a couch, talking about what I should be doing… I gotta hear from these clowns on the Pat McAfee show…Everybody knows my intentions… These guys know I’ll take a bullet for them…You think I wanna be anywhere else?”
These words showcase Crosby’s commitment to the team, despite them struggling this season at 2-3. It is a clear indication that the season isn’t over yet and they have time to turn things around, especially with Crosby‘s defensive presence.
Crosby seemed to have taken pointed shots at Michael Lombardi, who appeared on the Pat McAfee show last week to address the Davante Adams situation, but conjectured about Crosby’s absence due to injury:
“Maxx Crosby didn’t go to the game on Sunday with a hamstring. That, to me, bothers me. That tells me there’s something going on in that locker room.”
His absence from team practice, much like Adams’, sparked rumors of a trade, with multiple people, including Lombardi, speculating about Crosby’s intentions to leave the Raiders camp. However, the DE has dispelled all the rumors, telling people to “not talk for him.”
Crosby has five sacks in four games but had to sit out Las Vegas’ Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns with an ankle injury. The absence ended an 86-game active streak for Crosby to begin his career. Another testament to his commitment to “Silver and Black.”
He has expressed that he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. However, it is salient to note that Crosby has only two years remaining on his contract with an “out” following the 2024 NFL season.
Given the player’s prowess, it wouldn’t be a surprise if other teams try to acquire him but for now, Crosby is more than happy where he is. His usual aura and actions during the clash against the Broncos provided a testament to the same.
Maxx Crosby teased Bo Nix pre-snap on Sunday
In the later stages of the second quarter during the Raiders-Broncos game, quarterback Bo Nix stepped up to the offensive line and called an audible.
It took a minute for the Broncos‘ offense to get on the same page as Nix barked commands, leading Crosby to have some fun with the rookie signal-caller. Luckily for fans at home, the FOX broadcast’s crowd mics caught Crosby’s not-so-kind words.
@CrosbyMaxx pic.twitter.com/pMs1o8Jy7H
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024
He said, “Bo, Speak Up. They don’t f**king know.” Las Vegas ended up having the last laugh on the play, tackling Broncos’ running back Javonte Williams for just a gain of two yards. Denver punted on the next snap.
While the Raiders’ defense won that series, the Broncos’ offense had a good day at the office. Nix threw two passing touchdowns and ran for another in his fifth-ever start, improving Denver’s record to 3-2 in the process.
The Broncos play the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 and the Raiders host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been rumored to be involved in Devante Adams’ trade talks.
