It is only mid-June and already the trash talk is heating up in the NFL. Oakland Las Vegas Defensive End Maxx Crosby joined Adam Lefkoe on The Lefkoe Show to discuss the upcoming NFL season. Crosby, coming off an exceptionally good rookie season with 10 sacks, told Lefkoe there’s one QB he’s looking forward to sacking- Patrick Mahomes.
“I was close a few times,” Crosby said. “It pissed me off pretty much. Pretty much every second after the game was over, both times, I was just mad and blah blah blah, whatever.”
Crosby continued by giving praise the Super Bowl MVP before making a strong declaration.
“He’s a different type of player, too. He’s one of those guys. He just backpedals, he’ll throw the ball from weird angles, it’s not like sacking a regular quarterback. Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to sacking him. It needs to happen. It’s definitely going to happen.”
Strong words from a player whose team has ranked 24th or lower in total sacks over the last four seasons (last in 2016 and 2018). The Raiders haven’t had much success in sacking Mahomes either. Through their first four head-to-head matchups, the Raiders have only brought Mahomes down three times.
Crosby’s comments stem more from how the rest of the AFC West feels, they are tired of playing second fiddle to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders have lost 10 of the last 11 matchups and have looked outmatched in most of those games. While Crosby has only been around for one season, I’m sure he’s already tired of hearing about this ‘rivalry’ that has been very one-sided.
Now the Chiefs have reigning Super Bowl Champions attached to their name and are going to get team’s best every week. Players are going to be licking their chops trying to bring down the league’s best player. Crosby will be the first of many to express his desire to get to Mahomes.
The real question is will he be able to?
The Chiefs have ranked 5th the last two seasons in QB sacks against. Teams get to Mahomes less than two times a game. This is in larger part due to Mahomes mobility and quick decision making. Having the best RT in Mitchell Schwartz helps a lot too, with a more than serviceable LT in Eric Fisher.
My guess?
Sacks are hard to predict because anyone can get one. I would not have been surprised to see Crosby with a sack of Mahomes prior to these comments. But now that he’s made a promise, Mahomes and the offensive line have it in the back of their mind that this guy really wants to sack Mahomes. Maybe they make sure that doesn’t happen and Crosby has another year of two games- zero sacks against the Kansas City Chiefs.
