Things are looking grim for the Las Vegas Raiders just three games into the season. The team is 1-2, got blown out by the worst team in the NFL in their home opener and has already lost two defensive starters for the season.
To make things even worse, the team's best player Maxx Crosby is not healthy. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens and was largely ineffective against the Panthers in Week 3.
He doesn't appear to be getting any better as he has sat out of practice all week. It's well-documented how Crosby plays through injuries and he played through an even more serious injury last season. However, at a certain point, the Raiders will need to step in and make him take some time off.
It sounds like Antonio Pierce is going to let Crosby dictate whether or not he can play for now.
"The thought is to play him if he's able to play," Pierce said at a recent press conference. "If he's injured, then we'll protect the player. But Maxx is, he's different, man. He's a guy that's going to take everything, and the God-given ability, to not allow him to play? If he has anything that he feels like he can do, we'll let him play.
"You've got your captain and your leader that wants to be out there with his players. So we've got to look at that going forward, of how we want to handle it."
Crosby would sooner die than volunteer to take a game off. At some point, the Raiders may need to protect him from himself. For now, the injury doesn't appear to be serious enough to force Crosby to sit. If the Raiders lose against on Sunday to the Cleveland Browns and Crosby doesn't do anything, it may be time to seriously consider giving him a week or two off.