Whereas the Bucs’ protection will try and cease rookie tight finish Brock Bowers on one facet of the soccer on Sunday, the Bucs’ offense may have a troublesome job of its personal going through 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 group than outdoors 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 – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Jose Ramirez’s time with Japanese Michigan didn’t overlap with Maxx Crosby’s, as Crosby’s ultimate 12 months was in 2018, whereas Ramirez joined the group as a freshman in 2019.
Nonetheless, the second-year linebacker is a fan of his recreation.
“Massive fan,” Ramirez instructed 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 may have their palms 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 bought 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 attempt to not let him, however nice participant. Tremendous lengthy, tremendous twitchy, and yeah, his motor is best than anybody.”
Ramirez believes Wirfs and Goedeke will probably be able to do their factor after per week of preparation.
“I really feel like we’re going to do our factor, you understand?” Ramirez stated. “We’re going to do what we bought to do to have the ability to cease their group, not simply Maxx, however their complete group. We’re going to come back on recreation day and do what we do from apply and hold enjoying arduous.”
Nonetheless, recreation respects recreation, 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 choose.
Raiders DE Maxx Crosby Photograph by: USA At the moment
“I watch movie on him, all the pieces,” Ramirez added. “As quickly as I bought to Japanese [Michigan], he’s the explanation why I went for actual. On high of that, even attending to the league, my final 12 months at Japanese giving me suggestions and stuff like that. He helped me through 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 all the time like to observe him within the NFL.”
Don’t anticipate Ramirez to offer 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 some other recreation, he’s good, however I’m going to be rooting on my dawgs, the Tampa Bay Bucs. Our outdoors 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 bought the complete gamut,” Bowles stated of Crosby’s dominance. “I imply, he’s good, he’s powerful, he’s lengthy, he’s fast, he’s bought go rush strikes – he’s bought an arsenal that you just wouldn’t imagine – he’s bought a dwell 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 bought to battle him for 4 quarters and win your share of battles and try to hold him off the quarterback. He’s an incredible participant.”
Former Rams QB Baker Mayfield and OC Liam Coen – Photograph by: USA At the moment
Coen and Mayfield every noticed Crosby again in 2022 after they have been with the Rams. It was a recreation 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 purpose this week is, how can we play longer and tougher than him? As a result of he’s going to go each single play via the echo of the whistle. He’s bought a ton of respect. I’ve bought a ton of respect for him as a participant. Baker [Mayfield] had him in 2022 within the first recreation he ever performed [with the Rams] in that recreation [and] he led a two-minute drive to go win it. We’ve bought to have a plan for him in each the run and the go and likewise be capable to – from a play-calling standpoint – be sure that we’re not letting him affect and have an effect on the sport in a unfavorable means.”
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 recreation wrecker on their protection, by no means stops,” Mayfield stated. “He’s all the time making an attempt 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. All people is aware of that’s his M.O. so we’ll be prepared for it.”
