Will Oakland, Crabtree have chain reaction?
When the Raiders traveled to Denver to close out the 2016 regular season, Jack Del Rio’s team lost the AFC West title and a first-round bye. Receiver Michael Crabtree? He lost a gold chain.
Clearly, the team losses outweighed Crabtree’s in matters of significance. But the lasting impression many people have from that game was the sight of All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib blatantly snapping the chain that hung from Crabtree’s neck for most of the season.
Talib gleefully danced away with the necklace while Crabtree walked away. Crabtree later called it a “business decision” to not retaliate
against Talib.
A renowned trash-talker, Talib is almost certain to bring up the incident when the two men meet on the field Sunday in a game that will leave the loser in third place in the AFC West.
Each team needs a win to get its respective season back on track after a loss Sunday. For Crabtree and Amari Cooper, it’s even more critical after both were completely shut down Sunday in Washington.
Cooper said the Broncos might have the best secondary the Raiders will face this season, and Del Rio agreed.
“They’re really good,” said Del Rio, who was Denver’s defensive coordinator from 2012 through ’14. “They’re gifted. Aqib and Chris (Harris Jr.), (Bradley) Roby has really come on. I think those three guys are as good as any three in the league. Very talented. A good pass rush in front of them and they’re real sticky. It’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
Denver’s defensive backs also can be a talkative and confrontational bunch. The chain-snatching incident with Crabtree was just the latest in Talib’s lengthy series of runins with opposing players.
Oakland offensive coordinator Todd Downing would prefer his receivers not get caught up in a verbal backand-forth with the Broncos’ DBs, one week after the Raiders’ wideouts apparently did just that against Washington cornerback Josh Norman.
“It’s definitely part of football,” Downing said Thursday, “but we’re at our best when we just go do our job. If we keep the blinders on and just stay focused on our job and executing our techniques, we’re going to be all right.”
Crabtree — who was the primary target of Norman’s postgame tirade — has remained silent this week while nursing a chest contusion. He politely declined interview requests Wednesday and did not go into the Raiders’ locker room during the 45-minute media-access period Thursday.
“In their heads? I’m not sure,” Denver head coach Vance Joseph said. “That’s for players to answer that. Obviously, some guys play with a personality where they talk and some guys don’t. As far as that, this is pro football.
“I can’t coin the one thing that our guys have done against Cooper and Crab to be successful, but I think it’s more of a team issue as far as the rush and the coverage together. That being said, we’ve got three corners that can cover, so I wouldn’t expect those guys not to challenge on Sunday.”
Injury updates: Cooper (knee) was upgraded to full in practice Thursday after being limited a day earlier. Rookie cornerback Gareon Conley (shin) was limited after being held out Wednesday. Running back Jalen Richard (calf ) practiced without restrictions.