Coach Pierce Advocates For Maxx Crosby's DPOY Case

Las Vegas Raiders Interim Coach Antonio Pierce has sung the praises of his top defender, Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby, several times this season.

Not only has Pierce continuously admired Crosby's top-tier work ethic and his desire to win, but the Raiders' coach believes the mentality has translated onto the field in what has been a stellar season for the fifth-year Raider.

On Monday, Crosby will be Pierce's No. 1 defensive weapon against the Kansas City Chiefs, an advantage that will certainly help in the effort to limit the success of two future Hall of Famers, tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"Health-wise, Maxx is going to be Maxx, he's going to play," Pierce told reporters on Saturday. "We'll be fine. In a game, it's 'Mad Maxx,' right? So you know -- since I've been here, at least -- you're just watching him play, he's had a play or two where he's gotten to that quarterback, and we're going to need more of that. But not just even that, simply impacting the game from a run standpoint to disrupting the quarterback, disrupting Kelce, putting stress on that offensive line.

"At the end of the day, Maxx should be up for Defensive Player of the Year. He's probably the best football player by far that I've seen defensively this year. And I'm not talking just on our team, like, you go just watch.

"I mean the guy, he's dominating. So, we need yet another like performance like that from him."

Crosby has attained his career-best in single-season sacks (13.5) and is well on pace to achieve career-highs in combined tackles and tackles for losses.

He has 80 combined tackles, and his 19 tackles for losses rank second in the league. He led the league in the category last season with 22.

Crosby also has recorded 24 quarterback hits, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery this season.

The Silver and Black will return to action versus their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, on Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Don't miss it on Monday, December 25, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

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