When it comes to Maxx Crosby, the Las Vegas Raiders can count on their star pass rusher to deliver regardless of the opponent. For years now, Crosby has proven, time and again, why he's the cornerstone of the Silver and Black's defense, and arguably the entire organization.
Last week, Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman examined the entire NFL landscape and discovered which players have performed the best against each of the league's 32 teams since 2020.
Now, in the case of the Raiders, T.J. Watt has had their number over the last five years. Whether it has been stopping Las Vegas' running backs or nailing Sin City's signal-callers, Watt has always been there.
Maxx Crosby is Baltimore's Achilles' heel since 2020
So, what about the other way around? That's where Crosby comes in. As it turns out, the same description for Watt could be used for No. 98 whenever he faces off against the Baltimore Ravens.
"The Raiders have defeated the Ravens in each of their past two matchups, and Crosby is a big reason for that," wrote Wasserman. "Across those two games, Crosby recorded an elite 91.4 PFF overall grade. His 2021 season opener against Baltimore was the best pass-rush performance of his career, as he racked up 13 pressures, two sacks and a 93.1 PFF pass-rush grade."
If that is not dominance personified, then I don't know what is. Even if PFF grades are not always considered the end-all, be-all, the film supports this assertion. Crosby is constantly in the backfield when facing the Ravens, and imagine if Lamar Jackson wasn't as mobile as he is. Those numbers recorded by PFF would likely be even higher.
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Wasserman also explained how things went down in the most recent matchup between the two teams.
"In Week 2 of this past season, Crosby recorded two more sacks while doing his part on the ground with an 81.7 PFF run-defense grade," Wasserman said. "It's a little depressing for some within Raider Nation to recall this performance. For many, it signaled things turning around under-then head coach Antonio Pierce. Regrettably, that wasn't the case as this turned out to be a mirage for an otherwise disastrous season."
Although the team has not had much success in recent seasons, fans can find some comfort in knowing that Crosby isn't intimidated by the mighty Ravens. Quite the contrary, as Crosby is the birdshot who takes out the Ravens whenever they collide.