On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders suffered their 12th defeat in the last 13 games. As numb as Raider Nation is getting to these brutal letdowns, it is hard to fathom just how frustrating this season has been for the players on the team, who are the ones putting in all the actual work with no results.
This frustration is compounded with that of seasons past, and at this point, the longer tenured a Raiders player is, the more things have surely built up. Take the players from the 2023 draft class as an example. They've won 14 games in three years and played for three head coaches and four GMs.
Now, take a player like Maxx Crosby, who has given his all to this franchise for the last seven seasons. He has been among the very best players in the league at his craft, all for just one playoff appearance and no wins. That irritation might have boiled over in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Maxx Crosby had words for Devin White in Raiders' loss to Eagles
With about five minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Eagles down near the goal line once again, Philly ran a shovel pass to Dallas Goedert around the end for a touchdown. The Raiders didn't have a single player setting the edge, so the tight end walked into the end zone for his second score.
No Eagles player even put a helmet on veteran linebacker Devin White, but he still got lost in the shuffle and didn't get out wide enough to stop Goedert. The FOX Sports broadcast then caught Crosby talking to White after the play, and it sure looked like he lambasted him in an NSFW rant.
Although this is not confirmed because there was no audio, while using our best lipreading skills and given the context, it sure looked like Crosby said the following to White:
"Hey, what the (expletive) are you doing? Set the (expletive) edge. ... Do your job. Shut the (expletive) up. Sorry (expletive) (expletive). Sorry (expletive) (expletive)."
Again, that is not a confirmed quote. But I'll let Raider Nation be the judge of whether I'm close or what exactly Crosby said. Regardless, it was a heated exchange in which tempers flared, and the superstar edge rusher clearly had a bone to pick with White.
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Granted, this kind of stuff happens on the football field. Crosby is the ultimate leader and holds his teammates to the highest standard, even in the midst of a blowout in Week 15 of a 2-12 season. That is just who Crosby is, and that is why Raider Nation loves him.
Weeks ago, Crosby also got into it with veteran linebacker Elandon Roberts on the sidelines in what looked like a spirited conversation. Of course, Crosby spoke on his podcast about the incident and chalked it up to holding each other accountable, which is both admirable and understandable.
However, fans completely understand Crosby's lambasting of White, too. Raider Nation has grown frustrated with White throughout the season, as he has missed a whopping 22 tackles this year, according to Pro Football Focus. He has also given up 61 receptions for 450 yards.
Yes, he has nearly 150 tackles this year already, which is a career high for him. White has certainly had his moments as a run defender and put together two memorable games in a good way. But he has also played all 932 defensive snaps this season and been a net negative for the reasons mentioned.
Crosby might not have been right to erupt on White like that, but misdiagnosing runs and failing to set the edge have been frequent problems for White this year, and that doesn't show up in a box score. Crosby noticed, however, and he lambasted White. And the fans don't blame him.