The Las Vegas Raiders have a relatively quiet matchup to start the year. The Miami Dolphins aren’t a rival, and they’re also considered one of the weaker teams in the AFC.
The Dolphins went through some massive changes in the offseason, so they’re likely a year away from being a year away. One player who is going to be eager to have a big game is defensive end Maxx Crosby.
He has a chip on his shoulder after the Baltimore Ravens decided to back out of trading for him. Crosby missed the last couple of games to finish last season and didn’t play in the preseason. He’s got a lot of pent-up aggression.
Dolphins offensive lineman Patrick Paul thinks that’s something the team can exploit.
“I think with him, he’s a dynamic player,” Paul said. “So with him, just beating him to a spot, getting your hands on him, getting him off his game. He likes to play with a lot of swagger. So just getting him displaced off his game, getting him off his spots, putting your hands on him, being aggressive and just getting him out of his game.”
“I feel like he’s a hothead, so a lot of those things you could get into his game with that but he’s a great player,” Paul added. “You just got to stay on it all four quarters really with him.”
Crosby Responds to Trash Talk
Paul may not have realized his quote was going to get clipped. He was very complimentary of Crosby, but the “hothead” line is what everybody is going to focus on.
Crosby definitely plays angry, but he’s never been ejected or let his passion get the better of him. The defensive end hadn’t seen the comments until Raiders reporters brought it up to him. He’s not interested in getting in a war of words right now.
“I don’t know what they’re talking about or who is talking about what. It is what it is. We’ll see Sunday,” Crosby said.
Crosby Expected to Have Big Year
Crosby may be coming off an injury, but there was a reason the Ravens were willing to give up two first-round picks for him before getting cold feet. He attacked his rehab intensely in the offseason. He always has a chip on his shoulder, but it definitely got bigger.
The Athletic’s Sam Warren gave some insight into how Crosby has looked in practices heading into the season.
“Rarely a practice period went by without Crosby making his presence felt,” Warren wrote. “He consistently won in the pass rush and got into the backfield to stop runs. The only thing that forced him to relent was Kubiak suspending him for a practice after an altercation with Cousins.
“Crosby’s performance is no indictment on the Raiders offensive line, a group looking to improve on a putrid display a year ago. Crosby created chaos during the joint practice with the Houston Texans as well, picking up multiple sacks against a line hoping to ascend in its own right.”
Maxx Crosby Has Blunt Response to Dolphins Trash Talk