The Eagles are limping into Week 15 with a three-game losing streak and a battered offensive line, but they’re catching a bit of a scheduling break. After five straight weeks of slugging it out with playoff-caliber teams in prime time or awkward time slots, they finally get a 1 p.m. Sunday kickoff at home against the 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders - a team that, frankly, has very few bright spots.
But don’t let the Raiders’ record fool you. There’s one player who can single-handedly wreck a game plan: Maxx Crosby.
The Eagles' offensive line, already in flux with Lane Johnson sidelined, will have its hands full. Fred Johnson is expected to make his fourth straight start at right tackle in Johnson’s place - assuming he’s good to go after appearing on the injury report this week.
He returned to practice Friday, but if he can’t suit up, the Eagles would be down to their fourth-string RT, Matt Pryor. That’s a scenario no one in Philadelphia wants to see, especially with Crosby lining up across from him.
Let’s be clear: Fred Johnson hasn’t been a turnstile, but the Eagles are 0-3 in games without Lane Johnson during this stretch, and the offense has sputtered. Third-down conversions have been a struggle, the run game hasn’t found its rhythm, and turnovers have piled up. It’s not all on the right tackle, but it’s hard to ignore the correlation.
And now comes Maxx Crosby.
Crosby is a relentless, 6-foot-5, 255-pound force of nature. He’s got 9 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, and 25 tackles for loss this season - the latter second only to Myles Garrett.
He’s not just a pass-rusher; he’s a complete edge defender who plays with nonstop energy and elite technique. His motor doesn't quit, and neither does his impact.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t sugarcoat it when asked about Crosby.
“You got to know where he is at all times. He is a phenomenal football player,” Sirianni said Friday.
“His motor is always running. He is relentless to the football, never stopping.
He can rush the passer. He can stop the run.
He’s physical, he’s fast, he’s quick, he’s athletic. Man, he’s an outstanding football player.”
And Sirianni’s not exaggerating. Crosby doesn’t just line up in one spot and attack.
He moves around constantly - over the right tackle, the left tackle, sometimes even inside. He’ll rush with his hand in the dirt, from a two-point stance, from a Wide 9 alignment, or even wider.
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham keeps offenses guessing, using Crosby like a chess piece to exploit matchups and create chaos.
In the last two games alone - against the Broncos and Chargers - Crosby piled up 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits. Opponents tried everything: quick passes, extra blockers, chip help. Crosby still found ways to disrupt.
That’s the challenge. You can throw bodies at him - and teams do, often double- or triple-teaming him - but his combination of athleticism, technique, and effort makes him hard to neutralize.
On one play against Denver, he lined up so wide he was nearly outside the numbers. The Broncos didn’t even chip him.
On another, they devoted half their protection scheme to stopping him on a Hail Mary - and the quarterback still bailed away from Crosby’s side.
The Raiders don’t have another elite pass rusher, so Graham has to get creative to get Crosby favorable matchups. That includes stunts into the A gap, lining him up off the ball, or dialing up zero blitzes that force the offense to make a choice: pick up the blitzer inside, or leave Crosby one-on-one on the edge.
And that’s where the Eagles’ offensive game plan becomes critical.
Philly has leaned more into under-center formations this year, partly to power the run game and partly to sell play-action more effectively. But those looks can also leave a tight end responsible for blocking an edge rusher - and that’s not a matchup you want against Crosby.
In similar situations, the Broncos motioned a second tight end to Crosby’s side, effectively giving their tackle help with four hands on him. That’s the kind of attention Crosby demands - and still, he finds ways to make plays.
For the Eagles, that might mean more snaps for a blocking-focused tight end like Cam Latu. The idea of Grant Calcaterra being asked to solo-block Crosby is, well, terrifying. Philly may have to get creative with personnel and protection schemes to keep their quarterback upright and the offense on schedule.
The Eagles are looking to bounce back after an ugly, turnover-heavy performance against the Chargers - a game where some promising route concepts got overshadowed by mistakes. If they want to get right against the Raiders, it starts with keeping Maxx Crosby from taking over the game.
Because even at 2-11, the Raiders have one player capable of flipping the script. And if the Eagles don’t account for him on every snap, Sunday’s “schedule break” could turn into another frustrating chapter in a season that’s quickly losing momentum.