Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel offers key insight on Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Max Corsby ahead of the Week 2 matchup.
The Los Angeles Chargers need to find a way to bounce back in Week 2 in order to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start, however, it will not be easy, especially because their opponent, the Las Vegas Raiders, are coming off a dominant Week 1 win.
Focusing on the offensive side, the Chargers must find a way to move the ball a lot more consistently than they did in Week 1, but they also must find a way to provide quarterback Justin Herbert with much better protection in Week 2, especially with a pass rusher like Max Crosby lining up on the other side.
On that note, Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel gave some key insight on Crosby and what Los Angeles needs to do to limit him during Thursday's media availability.
"He's, I mean, he is upper echelon just because the relentless drive and competitiveness play in play out I it's almost unmatched. So there's, you know, you play really good players every single week, and every single week they got pass rushers that NFL teams have pass rushers, and they're generally pretty talented, but every so often there's a guy that is a professional game wrecker, and so you have you have to present to the players you have to, and you know, we obviously all of our guys know who Max Crosby is and has have gone against him numerous times," McDaniel said.
As McDaniel talked about, Crosby is one of the more disruptive players in the entire league, but additionally he has a relentless effort that makes it very difficult to slow him down because he never stops going, but also he never comes off the field because he is in such great shape.
In Week 1, Crosby was very disruptive as he totaled two tackles, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and three quarterback hits which further demonstrated his ability to be disruptive and dominant at the point of attack whether it be in the pass game or in the run game.
With that in mind, it is going to be critical for the Chargers offensive line to communicate well to ensure they know where Crosby is on every snap. Additionally the performance of offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater will be huge because Crosby routinely rushes off the edge, so it will be interesting to see where Crosby lines up the most or if he mixes it up.
The good news for the Chargers when it comes to Crosby is the fact that Alt and Slater have faced him multiple times so they have an idea as to what his motor is like as well as how to limit his ability to impact the game.
McDaniel could also help out his tackles by crafting a game plan that does not allow Crosby to make an impact which would include screens, quick game, and running away from Crosby while making sure he cannot make the play from the backside.
Crosby is a dynamic player, but if McDaniel and the Chargers' offense limit Crosby's ability to make an impact and execute a solid game plan, Los Angeles should be in a good position to have a much better offensive day than they did in Week 1.
So, heading into Week 2, if the Chargers can limit Crosby's effectiveness, they should be able to provide Herbert with enough time to get the ball out to open receivers as well as have a productive day on the ground, which is a recipe for success and could help this team get in the win column.
