After facing Micah Parsons, Josh Hines-Allen and Kayvon Thibodeux in the first three weeks of the season, the Browns will see yet another elite pass rusher when they face DE Maxx Crosby and the Raiders defense on Sunday.
Crosby, who did not participate in either Wednesday or Thursday's practices with an ankle injury, is a three-time Pro Bowler and perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate. His performance has earned the respect of Browns DE and 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
"I like his game; I like how he plays," Garrett said. "He's 100 percent every time he steps on to the field. Hell, I don't think he comes off the field. So, stuff like that, I admire from him."
Garrett is right in saying Crosby essentially doesn't come off the field. Through the first three weeks of the season, Crosby has played 93 percent of snaps for the Raiders. Last season, he played 95.2 percent.
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Las Vegas Raiders at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
The linebackers during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Fullback/Center Nick Harris (53) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown II (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Ricky Lee III (63) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Elerson Smith (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez (60) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive tackle Ricky Lee III (63) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Chad O'Shea during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Dale Jones during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Defensive end Elerson Smith (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 25, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 26, 2024.
When asked about Crosby earlier this week, head coach Kevin Stefanski was quick to praise the Raiders defensive end.
"His motor is unbelievable," Stefanski said. "He rarely comes off the field, but just gives you everything he has. He's long. He's athletic. He plays through the whistle. He's a great, great player."
Crosby had three quarterback pressures and a pass defensed in the Raiders' loss to the Panthers in Week 3. On the season, Crosby has three sacks, 12 quarterback pressures and 14 total tackles.
Crosby is part of a Raiders pass rush that blitzes at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL so far this season. His ability to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks presents a challenge for a Browns offensive line struggling to stay healthy. QB Deshaun Watson was sacked a career-high eight times in the Browns' Week 3 loss to the Giants in addition to being pressured on over 40 percent of snaps.
"When it comes to blocking, it's back to the fundamentals," G Joel Bitonio, who stepped in at left tackle in the second half on Sunday, said. "Like if you watch the sacks and the hits, it's either an assignment problem or someone's getting beat and the times that you're getting beat, you need to get your fundamentals straightened a little bit more and try to do everything possible to stop those things."
One opportunity the Raiders defense might present is their struggles at stopping the run game – something Cleveland has struggled to establish throughout the season's first three weeks.
The Raiders have allowed 152.7 rushing yards per game, the fourth-most in the league so far this season. No team has given up more rushing yards over expected than the Raiders, per Next Gen Stats.
On the flip side, the Browns rank in the bottom 10 of the league in both rushing yards per game and runs of 10 or more yards.
"Yeah, I think obviously getting on track on offense is a very big goal of ours going into any game," Stefanski said Wednesday. "You mentioned the run game, I think it's important for us to be efficient as an offense and be explosive when available to us, but it's certainly an emphasis for us, yes."
Beyond the line of scrimmage, the Raiders have given up eight passing plays for 20 or more yards, tied for the 17th-most in the NFL this season. The Raiders gave up eight receptions for 15 or more yards against the Panthers on Sunday, allowing QB Andy Dalton to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.
S Marcus Epps had been a key piece of the Raiders secondary before being placed on injured reserve, but WR Amari Cooper said that the Raiders still feature a talented group of safeties and corners.
"They've got some good players back there," Cooper said. "They definitely take risks. They're a solid group overall, you got a couple guys back there who make plays."
