John Harbaugh of the Ravens: The offensive line will face the Raiders in another tough test.
A week after dealing with All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones, the Ravens new offensive line gets another stern test this week with Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby, described by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh as a “game wrecker.”
The Ravens (0-1), coming off a season-opening 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, host the Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 15 at 1 p.m. in the 2024 home opener. The Raiders (0-1) opened their season with a 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Ravens last faced the Raiders in the season opener in 2021, and the Raiders won, 33-27, in overtime, before a raucous crowd in Las Vegas. After the 2020 COVID fan-free season, the 2021 opener was the Raiders’ first regular-season game in their new Las Vegas home with fans in attendance.
In that 2021 meeting, Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley hobbled through the game on a bad ankle that ultimately required surgery and cost him the rest of the 2021 season. The Raiders won after Lamar Jackson was strip-sacked in overtime by Carl Nassib. That set up a game-winning, 31-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Zay Jones.
Crosby had two sacks and five quarterback hits in that game. The 2019 fourth-round pick out of Eastern Michigan totaled 14.5 sacks last year and led the league with 23 tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus, Crosby has 327 quarterback pressures since 2020, easily the most in the league among edge rushers.
“[He’s] one of the best players in football,” Harbaugh said as he met with the media after practice on Sept. 11. “He brings it every single play. He plays almost every single snap. He’s upfield, he’s underneath, he’s into you, he’s back around the back side, he’s spinning, he’s knocking your hands off, he’s running to the ball. He’s just a game wrecker.”
“He’s the guy you put the dot on,” Harbaugh added, “and understand that he’s the top guy that you need to look out for.”
The Raiders signed free agent defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal this offseason, and he adds to what Harbaugh described as a “dominant defensive front.”
That figures to be another big test for a Ravens offensive line that is still finding its footing. Patrick Mekari is expected to start against at right tackle, with rookie Roger Rosengarten again in position to spell Mekari at times. Andrew Vorhees at left guard and Daniel Faalele at right guard each will be making their second career starts in those spots.
Harbaugh has clearly heard and read the scrutiny of the new line, and he continues to push back on such a narrative.
“I’m not too worried about the offensive line,” Harbaugh said after practice on Sept. 9, “because I know how hard they work, and I know how talented they are. I watch all the other offensive lines in the National Football League, and I think if you applied some of the same standards to the other offensive lines out there, you’d be like, ‘Oh, boy, that’s a tough position to play against [the Chiefs].’
“I’m not going to sit there and doubt those guys,” he added. “I’m going to coach those guys, and those guys are going to get out there and play. I think by the end of the year, you’re going to feel really good about our offensive line.”
