The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a three-game losing streak and will have the Los Angeles Rams next in their Week 7 game. Las Vegas could be catching the Rams at a good time, given they are 2-4 and coming off an awful loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Moreover, one aspect on the defensive side that the Silver and Black need to get back to is generating turnovers. Las Vegas has struggled to take the ball away during this losing streak.
One of the players who will need to have a big game for the Raiders to snap their losing streak is Maxx Crosby. Ahead of the game against the Rams, the veteran edge rusher shared his thoughts on facing Matthew Stafford, a player he grew up watching.
“It’s crazy,” Crosby told reporters on Oct. 21. “He was one of my favorite players growing up. So every time I get to see him, I’ve probably watched him more than anybody in the league. I feel like he’s just one of those guys who is extremely special. He’s a great quarterback. He can make all the throws, and he’s a competitor first and foremost.
“I think that just makes for a great matchup. You want to play the best, you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. I know personally I love going against the best guys, and I know the team is going to be ready to go.”
Raiders Have to Learn to Beat Good Teams
Despite having lost three straight games, the Raiders have lost two close games during this skid. Las Vegas had their chances against the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills but failed to make key plays to tilt the game in their favor. Crosby noted that the team has to figure out how to beat good teams.
“Losing is losing,” Crosby said. “It sucks no matter what form or fashion it comes in. But I just love how the guys work in here. I think everyone’s on the same boat. We’re all going the same direction. It takes time, but the time is now. We have to figure out how to win against really good teams.
“We’ve played a lot of really good teams the last few weeks, and we’ve had close wins and close losses, but we have to win. That’s all that matters. If we want to be in the position that we plan on being in, we have to win those types of games. Playing the Rams, another great team, we have another opportunity to get over that hump.”
Maxx Crosby on Las Vegas’ Defensive Improvement
Moreover, while it’s been negative surrounding the Raiders’ defense for their lack of turnovers during this three-game losing skid, it’s not all bad. Crosby shared his thoughts on what he’s seen in terms of improvement from the group over six games.
“I think we’ve been rushing the passer really well,” Crosby added. “We have a lot of guys winning their rushes. We definitely could be better. I know that, and that starts with me. But I think defensively, as a whole, we just have to be better at stopping the run. It’s something that comes down to attitude and fundamentals, being at our best, being locked in on our keys, and we have to be better.
“To be a tough, dominant football team, we have to be able to stop the run and win in the trenches. I don’t think we’ve done a good enough job there, but we know we can be better, and we plan on doing that. There’s always room for improvement, but I feel like up front, we can be better in all phases.”
Maxx Crosby Has Blunt Message for Matthew Stafford Before Raiders-Rams