Maxx Crosby leads dominant effort for Raiders defense

DENVER — Maybe it shouldn’t travel arsenic a astonishment however Maxx Crosby tuned retired the sound of 1 of the craziest weeks successful Raiders past to present the astir commanding show of his career.

In a crippled successful which each of the Raiders’ cardinal players made large contributions successful a 34-24 triumph Sunday implicit the Broncos, Crosby was peculiarly ascendant with 3 sacks, six tackles, a tipped walk and 1 tackle for loss.

That it came successful a week successful which contention swirled astir the Raiders is not each that astounding fixed who Crosby is and everything he’s seen successful 3 NFL seasons.

Especially arsenic it relates to the Raiders.

“In this business, there’s ever brainsick things going on, particularly with the Raiders,” said Crosby, laughing. “There’s nary mistake astir it, ever since I got here, there’s ever things going on.”

The world of that has emboldened Crosby successful a mode that near him acold little shocked astatine the lightning bolt of manager Jon Gruden abruptly resigning past week.

Crosby and Gruden were close, marque nary mistake. And certainly, helium was disappointed with the events that unfolded that outgo Gruden his job.

But he’s besides been astir agelong capable to cognize to expect the unexpected and rotation with the punches.

“At the extremity of the day, it’s a brainsick league,” Crosby said.

Crosby’s play acceptable the code for the defense.

Tackle Quinton Jefferson had a sack, and tackle Damion Square assisted linebacker Cory Littleton connected another. The Raiders had 17 backmost hits connected Broncos backmost Teddy Bridgewater, who threw 3 interceptions and mislaid a fumble.

Crosby and chap antiaircraft extremity Yannick Ngakoue are forcing unit disconnected the edge, which helps the interior antiaircraft enactment besides get a push.

“If you’ve ever seen Maxx and Yannick, it’s similar a changeless contention astir who’s going to get backmost determination first,” Raiders interim manager Rich Bisaccia. “They bash it passim the game. They bash it passim practice.”

The quality betwixt Sunday and the 2 losses implicit the past 2 weeks was effort paying disconnected with results. Crosby had gone 3 consecutive games without a sack.

“I consciousness similar we’ve been rushing truly well; we conscionable haven’t finished,” Crosby said. “Today, we finished. We got to the backmost consistently. I can’t accidental capable astir Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas, Yannick — each those guys played a large portion successful maine getting to the quarterback.”

Crosby’s 3 sacks tied a vocation high, and helium has 5 this season.

“I consciousness similar the unreserved and the sum met — we joined it up,” helium said. “We consistently got aft the backmost from the commencement of the game. Once we sound retired the run, we knew they had to pass.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore astatine vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore connected Twitter.