HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have decided to bench defensive end Maxx Crosby for Sunday’s home game against the New York Giants in a matchup of teams with the NFL’s worst records.
The loser has the inside track to the top overall draft pick, and the Raiders will be resting other key players this week.
Tight end Brock Bowers (knee) and safety Jeremy Chinn (back) were placed on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday. Bowers is a two-time Pro Bowler who earned first-team All-Pro honors last season.
Crosby has a knee injury that has led to him missing numerous practices this season, but he has started every game. Crosby left the team facility after the Raiders informed him of the decision.
“After an evaluation we did Monday or Tuesday, it just looks too bad,” coach Pete Carroll said Friday. “He didn’t want to take the news like that and I didn’t want to take the news like that, so we worked our way through to get to this point. He’s been practicing on Fridays. If we had let him, he would’ve gone out there and he would not have hesitated, but he knows that he’s banged up.”
Carroll said he expected Crosby’s negative reaction to the decision.
“He’s been fighting his (butt) off the whole time,” Carroll said. “He’s as good a competitor as you can be. You can’t battle more than he’s battled. He’d do anything to be able to be playing.”
Carroll said he didn’t know if Crosby would return next week for the season finale against Kansas City, but acknowledged it was possible that Crosby would also miss that game.
The Raiders and Giants each head into their meeting with 2-13 records. Las Vegas could use the top pick on a quarterback, such as Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, in hopes of addressing a longtime need for an organization that has gone more than two decades without a playoff victory.
Crosby is one of the league’s top pass rushers. He has 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss this season. Crosby has recorded double-digit sacks three of the past four seasons.
Crosby made clear earlier this week that winning was more important than getting the top draft selection.
“I don’t give a (expletive) about the pick,” Crosby said at the time. “I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world, and that’s what I focus on every day and being a great leader and being an influence and on being that guy on a consistent basis for my team. The front office, the coaches, they do that.”
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