This week's Classic Jurassic Meat-Eater Matchup is a repeat of last year's matchup. Yes, the ever-on-the-throttle, wide-open, "Mad Maxx" Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders checks in as this week's trench warfare tyrant to be watched and neutralized.
Checking in at 6-foot-5 and weighing a slim 255-pounds, Crosby can claim 57 career quarterback pelts nailed to his trophy wall, including five this season.
Everything you see and hear about Crosby is summed up in the fact the guy is all-in when it comes to playing ball and hunting QB's. In other words, he never makes "business decisions" on the field. It is not in his vocabulary. Leaving it all on the field is definitely in his wheelhouse.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Crosby has a motor that seemingly never quits or runs dry. He actually reminds me of another Raiders linebacker back in the day, the 6-foot-7 "Mad Stork," Ted Hendricks.
Calling Crosby a high-effort player is an understatement. Always in motion post-snap and as colorful as his tattoos, Crosby will line up in several different positions, but will mostly operate across from Broderick Jones. Both tackles will see him, and as busy as Crosby stays, frankly all the O-line will see him or have a shot at him at some point in the game.
Crosby will line up with his hand in the dirt or will standup like an outside linebacker. When he gets down into the trenches, anywhere from B-gap to B-gap, that's an area he can be beat, because he's not packing a lot of bodyweight. And when a double-team gets a solid bite on him he's not that difficult to escort out of the way.
Crosby sets a solid edge versus the run. From the backside, he will squeeze to the ball and work for inside hand control. Though he's not overpowering, his quick twitch is explosive and he displays high football IQ.
His forte though, is QB hunting. And he's GOOD at it. Real good. From a standup position, he will run the arc and is extremely dynamic in his hand usage. Slaps, traps, uppercuts and swims are his weapons of choice, and he comes willing to use any and all of his weaponry.
Though he is, as stated, light in weight, from an end man on the line of scrimmage position, Crosby will "trap the trapper" and hold his own in any high-velocity crash. Strong for his slimness, Crosby can disengage from an attempted run block and accelerate to the hit.
Interestingly, one of the rush packages has Crosby as an off-ball middle linebacker standing up over the center. While the other pass rush personnel go about eating up the other four offensive linemen, Crosby will get a mano-y-mano go with the center, who in this week's matchup will be Zach Frazier. Now that's something to watch!
If Zach gets head-heavy when Crosby rushes, he'll have a problem, because Crosby won't try to go down the middle of him. But if he just keeps his head up and makes Crosby come to him, Frazier will "mang-u-late" him and it won't even be left to a referee's decision.
For the Steelers to be successful and come home with a win over the Raiders, Crosby is someone the Steelers offense have to account for on every play.
