Whereas the Bucs’ protection will try to cease rookie tight finish Brock Bowers on one facet of the soccer on Sunday, the Bucs’ offense can have a tricky process of its personal dealing with defensive finish Maxx Crosby.
Crosby has emerged as an elite defensive finish after being drafted by the Raiders within the fourth spherical of the 2019 NFL Draft. Few gamers know him higher on the staff than exterior linebacker Jose Ramirez, who like Crosby, is an Japanese Michigan alumni. Regardless of serving to Ramirez make it to the league, he gained’t be a fan when he sees him this time round.
Jose Ramirez: “Maxx Crosby Is A Actual Dude… However I’m Going To Be Rooting On My Dawgs”
Bucs OLB Jose Ramirez – Picture by: USA In the present day
Jose Ramirez’s time with Japanese Michigan didn’t overlap with Maxx Crosby’s, as Crosby’s remaining yr was in 2018, whereas Ramirez joined the staff as a freshman in 2019.
Nonetheless, the second-year linebacker is a fan of his sport.
“Massive fan,” Ramirez advised Pewter Report. “I ain’t an enormous fan on Sunday although.”
Crosby enters Week 14 main the NFL with 16 tackles for loss, a class he has additionally led the league in throughout each the 2022 (22 tackles for loss) and 2023 (23 tackles for loss) seasons. Pair that with being a perennial double-dight sacker, and left sort out Tristan Wirfs and proper sort out Luke Goedeke can have their arms full retaining him from bringing down quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“I don’t know the place he will get that motor,” Wirfs stated on Thursday. “You see it everywhere in the tape each week, flying round. It’s insane. Me and Luke acquired an enormous take a look at. we do each week. [I’m] going to try to restrict how a lot he touches Baker… We’re going to strive to not let him, however nice participant. Tremendous lengthy, tremendous twitchy, and yeah, his motor is best than anybody.”
Ramirez believes Wirfs and Goedeke can be able to do their factor after every week of preparation.
“I really feel like we’re going to do our factor, ?” Ramirez stated. “We’re going to do what we acquired to do to have the ability to cease their staff, not simply Maxx, however their entire staff. We’re going to return on sport day and do what we do from apply and preserve enjoying onerous.”
Nonetheless, sport respects sport, and the younger pass-rusher couldn’t assist however admire the work Crosby has executed within the league since coming in as an unheralded mid-round draft decide.
Raiders DE Maxx Crosby Picture by: USA In the present day
“I watch movie on him, every little thing,” Ramirez added. “As quickly as I acquired to Japanese [Michigan], he’s the rationale why I went for actual. On high of that, even attending to the league, my final yr at Japanese giving me suggestions and stuff like that. He helped me throughout the draft course of and shouted me out. I’m an enormous fan, he helped me out on the street to the NFL and he’s an actual particular person, an actual dude. Shoutout to Maxx, Japanese Alumni, I at all times like to look at him within the NFL.”
Don’t anticipate Ramirez to provide him any reward or compliments on Sunday afternoon when the Bucs and Raiders sq. off, although.
“Not this Sunday, I’m going to be watching him, however I’m not rooting him on. In every other sport, he’s good, however I’m going to be rooting on my dawgs, the Tampa Bay Bucs. Our exterior linebackers, the protection and the offense. Yaya Diaby, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, my boy “Nelly” [Anthony Nelson], [Chris] Bras[well], [Markees] Watts. That’s who I’m going to be cheering on on Sunday. Sunday we now have to get after him.”
Key Bucs Weigh In On Maxx Crosby
It was not simply Jose Ramirez who weighed in on Maxx Crosby this week. Elite gamers like Crosby are revered for the way they’ll change the sport, and that’s one thing head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Liam Coen, and quarterback Baker Mayfield every acknowledge.
“He’s acquired the total gamut,” Bowles stated of Crosby’s dominance. “I imply, he’s sensible, he’s robust, he’s lengthy, he’s fast, he’s acquired go rush strikes – he’s acquired an arsenal that you simply wouldn’t imagine – he’s acquired a reside motor that goes for 4 quarters. He’s beating singles, he’s beating chips, he’s beating doubles… You’re not going to do something new, you’ve simply acquired to combat him for 4 quarters and win your share of battles and try to preserve him off the quarterback. He’s an awesome participant.”
Former Rams QB Baker Mayfield and OC Liam Coen – Picture by: USA In the present day
Coen and Mayfield every noticed Crosby again in 2022 once they had been with the Rams. It was a sport the place the star go rusher made his presence felt with 4 tackles, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and a sack.
“He doesn’t cease,” Coen stated.” He doesn’t cease ever. Our aim this week is, how can we play longer and more durable than him? As a result of he’s going to go each single play by means of the echo of the whistle. He’s acquired a ton of respect. I’ve acquired a ton of respect for him as a participant. Baker [Mayfield] had him in 2022 within the first sport he ever performed [with the Rams] in that sport [and] he led a two-minute drive to go win it. We’ve acquired to have a plan for him in each the run and the go and likewise be capable to – from a play-calling standpoint – guarantee that we’re not letting him affect and have an effect on the sport in a detrimental method.”
Mayfield is a bodily participant and a trash-talker himself, however a man like Crosby can get within the head of and rattle anybody.
“Clearly, [he’s] a man that’s the sport wrecker on their protection, by no means stops,” Mayfield stated. “He’s at all times attempting to get within the quarterbacks’ head, pushes the boundaries on when the whistle stops and all that however that’s – I’ve performed Maxx a bunch and that’s simply how it’s. Our O-line is aware of that. Everyone is aware of that’s his M.O. so we’ll be prepared for it.”
