The Las Vegas Raiders will face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday with out their two greatest gamers as cross rusher Maxx Crosby (ankle) and huge receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) will take the week off, coach Antonio Pierce introduced earlier than Friday’s observe.
Crosby performed with a excessive ankle sprain in opposition to the Carolina Panthers final week and was ineffective, whereas Adams tweaked his hamstring throughout Thursday’s observe. Crosby will miss the primary house recreation of his six-year profession. He mentioned Thursday that he was annoyed final week in opposition to the Panthers.
“I play a method and if you’re not in a position to do sure issues, it’s powerful,” Crosby mentioned. “However I did all the things … to attempt to produce and I really feel like I did some issues, some good issues, but it surely’s powerful. I’ve a rattling Timberland boot-size wrapping on my leg … and it’s, it’s powerful”
Tyree Wilson, final yr’s first-round choose, will attempt to change Crosby’s cross rush, and he will get a break because the Browns, who might be with out their two beginning offensive tackles. Jakobi Meyers and speedster Tre Tucker, who had a 54-yard catch final week, will get extra targets with Adams out, although rookie tight finish Brock Bowers seemingly takes over as choice one.
The Raiders had been already lacking cross rusher Malcolm Koonce and security Marcus Epps, who’re out for the season with knee accidents. They will even be with out linebacker Divine Deablo (indirect). Las Vegas began linebacker Luke Masterson in Deablo’s place.
Masterson didn’t play properly, so maybe the Raiders might lean extra on rookies Amari Gainer and Tommy Eichenberg this week. General, Las Vegas might be with out 4 starters in opposition to Cleveland.
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The Raiders didn’t have any curiosity in free agent and former Las Vegas cross rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who signed final week with the Baltimore Ravens observe squad. Las Vegas felt that 2020 first-round choose Okay’Lavon Chaisson, who the workforce signed to its observe squad earlier, was a greater match for its scheme and can get some run Sunday.
“I don’t know,” Pierce mentioned when requested for a timetable on Adams’ return. “I simply know he’s out for this week.”
With out Adams, the Raiders’ prime trio of receivers will include Meyers, Tucker and DJ Turner. Fellow receivers Tyreik McAllister and Ramel Keyton have each been inactive for the final two video games, however a minimum of considered one of them will seemingly now be lively in opposition to Cleveland for depth functions.
Whereas Las Vegas has gamers to exchange him this week, shedding Adams is an enormous blow for an offense that’s already been struggling to get issues going. They’re averaging simply 19.3 factors per recreation (tied for seventeenth) and 5.0 yards per play (twenty second). Plus, the Raiders’ offense will even be with out beginning proper sort out Thayer Munford (knee/ankle) and tight finish Michael Mayer (private).
When requested for extra particulars about why Mayer received’t play, Pierce declined to elaborate. Rookie DJ Glaze will begin in Munford’s place whereas veteran tight finish Harrison Bryant would be the backup behind Bowers.
The Browns’ protection has been leaky this season, however they now have a transparent matchup benefit over Las Vegas’ offense. The Raiders might want to get a traditionally anemic speeding assault going, give quarterback Gardner Minshew extra time to throw and feed the rock to Bowers to have an opportunity of placing up sufficient factors to compete this week.
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(Photograph: Ethan Miller / Getty Photographs)
