HOUSTON – A human storm is on the way, a heavily tattooed blur of speed, hustle, long arms with an extensive repertoire of relentless pass rushing moves.
That means Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby is in town for a matchup against an improving Texans offense that has done a much better job of protecting quarterback C.J. Stroud.
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Stroud has been sacked a career-low 23 times heading into a Sunday game against the Raiders and Crosby.
Crosby, signed to a three-year, $106.5 million extension in the offseason, has recorded 10 sacks, two forced fumbles. one interception, 51 pressures, 26 tackles for losses and 19 quarterback hits.
“Maxx is a dog,” Stroud said. “He can wreck a whole game and he’s done it year in and year out. I think he’s a heck of a player. Has a motor, doesn’t stop, doesn’t quit. So, we got to make sure we take care of that and try our best to slow him down. So, it’ll be a fist fight up there every play. I know he’s ready and we’ll try to be ready as well.”
Blocking Crosby represents a special challenge for the Texans.
He will flip sides occasionally, but primarily rushes against the right tackle from his left defensive end position. Crosby isn’t the biggest pass rusher at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, but the former Eastern Michigan standout known as “Mad Maxx” is one of the toughest players in the league. He has a great first step at the line of scrimmage, some unpredictable moves and never, ever stops chasing. He’s practically tireless with an indomitable will and love for the game, even as one of the only bright spots for a Raiders squad that has only won two games and dropped its past eight in a row.
“When it comes to the Raiders defense, Maxx Crosby definitely sticks out,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s a very disruptive player, run game and pass game. He does a really good job playing with good effort, finishing. He’s a guy we definitely have to have awareness of where he is.
“He aligns at both sides at any given time. We have to know where he is, and we have to make sure we’re outworking him. We got to get hands on him, and we got to finish him. He’s a good player. We got good players. We just got to outwork him.”
Easier said, than done.
Crosby has 51 pressures and 31 hurries this year.
In seven NFL seasons, he has 69.5 career sacks, 131 tackles for losses and 163 quarterback hits.
He had a career-high 14 1/2 sacks two seasons ago.
He has four seasons with at least 10 sacks. He has the ninth-most tackles for a loss since the 2000 season.
“He goes full-tilt 100% of the time,” Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley said. “He doesn’t stop. He’s slippery. He’s dynamic with his hands. He can bend. He can use a multitude of different moves and pass rush moves and counters. You got to account for him everywhere he is. He’s never going to take his foot off the gas.
“I would say, he’s very unpredictable. His play style, he’s one of the premier pass rushers in the world. I have a high level of respect for him. I’ve seen him wreck games and make lives a living hell for a lot of offenses. So, we got to be on at our best and we got to be ready to go.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com