Raiders Bye Week Evaluations: Maxx Crosby

The Las Vegas Raiders head into their bye week with a chance to evaluate the team for the remainder of the season and going forward into the offseason.

The Raiders have seen improvement on both sides of the ball this season, and with young talent on both offense and defense, could be building the foundation of their future.

There have been plenty of moving parts in what has been an unpredictable season, but what has remained unchanged is the impact star defensive end Maxx Crosby has on the team -- on and off the field.

Crosby has once again had an excellent season on the field, keeping himself in contention for Defensive Player of the Year and consistently getting into the backfield and making big plays. He has unquestionably been the engine of this improved defense and is the true heart and soul of the Raiders.

Off the field, Crosby has held the locker room together through a season despite a fair amount of losing and a coaching change. He is the vocal and emotional leader of the team and has rallied his squad, keeping the energy alive.

What separates Crosby from other players in the league is his unrelenting work ethic. He works on a similar level to sports legends like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. He is always looking for new ways to improve his game. This level of dedication to the game of football has been infectious to other Raiders players as well.

On Sunday, Crosby became the first player in the NFL to play in a game in which he was listed as doubtful. He had been in the hospital on Thursday dealing with infections, but overcame those issues and recorded a sack on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

This season, Crosby has 66 total tackles, 15 tackles for losses, a forced fumble, two passes defended and 11.5 sacks. He is one sack away from tying his 2022 sack total of 12.5.

Crosby has been excellent on the field, but his unwavering confidence in his team through a rough season has been admirable. The Raiders will finish the season and head into an offseason full of uncertainty, but Crosby’s presence will remain a certainty.

The Silver and Black will return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, December 10, at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST.

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