The Las Vegas Raiders will have one of their better players back on the field for their Week 5 showdown against the Denver Broncos. Star pass rusher Maxx Crosby will play against Denver, giving Las Vegas another strong weapon on the defensive end of the field.
#Raiders inactives at Denver: WR Davante Adams, RB Zamir White, RT Thayer Munford, TE Michael Mayer, LB Divine Deablo, WR Tyreik McAllister, CB Decamerion Richardson…meaning, DE Maxx Crosby is active.
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) October 6, 2024
There was some doubt about Crosby for this week but he pushed through the injury to recover enough. Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce knows that his team is banged up but has been proud of the way Las Vegas has battled so far.
“With the injuries, it’s Week 5 in the National Football League,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “Just like everybody else, we’re battling, and we’ll see come Sunday who’s ready to go.”
Crosby missed the Raiders’ game last week against the Cleveland Browns, but it seems that he has healed up enough. Although his presence was missed, the team was able to grab the win without him.
However, the Raiders will be elated that Crosby is returning to the field. He has become one of the more dominant pass rushers in the entire NFL over the past few seasons.
Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images
Through three games, Crosby has posted 14 total tackles with three sacks. He has already made his presence known this year and will look to do more in this contest against Denver.
Last season, Crosby had 90 total tackles and 14.5 sacks. The veteran consistently draws double teams from opposing squads yet still finds a way to make his impact felt on the game.
With Crosby back in the mix, the Raiders will once again have one of the best defensive fronts in football. Alongside star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Las Vegas is very confident in their ability to disrupt other teams in the backfield.
Having Crosby could make all the difference against a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix. Nix has looked a little better in recent weeks, but he is still a rookie, and rookies tend to have major ups and downs throughout their first season.
Las Vegas and Denver are both 2-2 on the season, so this game becomes even more crucial to win. The AFC West will likely be won by the Kansas City Chiefs, but whoever wins this matchup will leapfrog the other in the standings, and that could play a role in seeding down the line.
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