Raiders-Lions Key Matchup: Maxx Crosby vs. Penei Sewell
Get your popcorn ready! On Monday night, the Lions will do battle with the Raiders, in the first home primetime game of the Dan Campbell era.
And with Las Vegas coming into town, it means that Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby is celebrating a homecoming of sorts.
Affectionately known as "Mad Maxx," Crosby played collegiately at Eastern Michigan, a Division I, MAC school located approximately 40 minutes away from Ford Field.
After four years at Eastern Michigan, he was drafted by the then-Oakland Raiders in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Since then, he's become one of the most prolific pass-rushers in the entire NFL.
He's accumulated 44 sacks in 73 career games, and appears to be at the top of his game in his fifth NFL season.
In seven games in 2023, he's not only amassed 6.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits. But, he's also generated a league-leading 43 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus. For his efforts, he's earned an overall grade of 91.1 from PFF – the fifth-best overall mark among all EDGE defenders.
Along with his pass-rushing prowess, Crosby has proven to be a more-than-capable run defender. In fact, the 26-year-old ranks third among all EDGEs with a PFF run defense grade of 85.2.
There is basically nothing that Crosby – who has played in 97 percent of the Raiders' defensive snaps this season – is unable to do coming off the edge. Undeniably, he'll be a handful for Detroit's offensive line to deal with in this Week 8 matchup.
"He's able to wreak havoc in both the running game and the passing game," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said of Crosby. "You're still aware of him and making sure you're doing your best to handle him, and he doesn't come off the field much and is able to wreck a game on his own if you let him. So, we have to do our best not to let him."
If there is anyone from the Lions who will be up for the challenge of keeping Crosby in check, though, it's Detroit right tackle Penei Sewell. Of the team's offensive linemen, expect Sewell to be matched up with the two-time Pro Bowler most often.
Through seven games this season, Sewell has yet to allow a single sack or QB hit, and has permitted just three total quarterback pressures, per PFF. It's the fewest number of pressures allowed by any tackle with at least 100 snaps in pass protection.
For his efforts, he's garnered a PFF pass-blocking grade of 84.2, the fourth-best mark among qualified tackles. This, to me, has the makings of a must-see matchup between the two 20-something-year-olds.
I think Sewell will stand his ground and fare fairly well against Crosby for the majority of the game. Yet, I still think the standout pass-rusher slips through Detroit's offensive line for one sack and a couple of tackles for loss in this primetime tilt.
