Maxx Crosby’s Strong Warning to Ravens After Ditching Lamar Jackson for Josh Allen Before Divisional Round

The NFL’s fiercest rivalry is about to kick off on Sunday, January 19. The two top MVP contenders, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are going to face off in the AFC divisional round battle. Who’s gonna win this one? That’s indeed a tough question to answer. So it was for Raiders defensive end, Maxx Crosby, who somehow managed to make up his mind and pick one.

During an episode of Good Morning Football, Maxx Crosby joined the show to talk about the divisional round. Host Kyle Brandt gave the DE a hypothetical situation, “Let’s say you got a five-point lead and there’s 90 seconds left in the game. The other teams just had a touchback. They come out. They got first and ten and they need to make a game-winning drive against you and your defense. Who would be tougher to defend in that situation Lamar or Josh?” Play that scenario in your mind before you read Maxx’s opinion!

Now that’s a tough question to answer given both quarterbacks are equally excellent and effective on the field. Hence, an anxious Crosby smiled and said, “You got the hard-hitting questions.” Nonetheless, after thinking it over for a while, the Raiders star came up with an answer – “I think I’ve played both of them, both (are) incredible talents.” Despite that, Crosby found Allen’s game harder than Jackson’s. Why? Well, as he expressed, “I played Josh. He was my first career college sack. So, no way. Yeah, I played him twice. So I know him very well, but if I’m Defensive, I might say I’d rather go against Lamar with all respect. I mean, they’re both incredible, but I think Josh Allen has shown it over and over again.”

Giving an example, Maxx Crosby focused on Josh Allen’s performances in big games, even during losses. He recalled how Allen had career games in playoff losses to the Chiefs, emphasizing that the outcome wasn’t due to Allen’s performance but because he didn’t get the ball last. Showering him with high praise, the Raiders DE added that he believes Allen has the “clutch gene” and is incredibly dangerous both running and throwing the ball.

Not only that! Crosby even highlighted Josh Allen’s ability to make all the throws. He even noted his size, saying Allen is as big as himself, which adds a unique challenge when facing him as a quarterback. Hence, Maxx Crosby thinks the Bills’s quarterback is a bit more powerful than the Ravens’ 28-year-old QB. Now, this could also be a strong warning to the Purple team, as they head to the Highmark Stadium to battle against Allen and the Bills in icy weather.

Who do the numbers favor: Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson?

No doubt, both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are incredible. That’s why they are the strongest MVP contenders this year. When it comes to passing, Lamar Jackson has 4,172 passing yards with 41 touchdowns and 4INTs – while Josh Allen has 3,731 passing yards, with 28 TDs and 6 INTs. But both QBs have been exceptional with their feet as well – Allen has 531 yards and 12 TDs from 102 carries while Jackson has 915 yards and 4 TDs from 139 carries. Both are performing at their peak. Each a gamechanger at any point in the game. But destiny has aligned them to play each other a step before the AFC championship game. Only one will survive in the race to Super Bowl LIX. Who will come out on top this time?

If we look at the historical records, these teams have played against each other 12 times in NFL history. The Ravens have the upper hand 7-5 but have lost their only playoff clash. That was in 2021, when both these QBs started the game. However, Jackson was forced off the field with an injury and missed most of the 17-3 loss. That game was played at the Highmark in weather conditions that were much more forgiving than those predicted for the upcoming clash. Lamar has been busy coming up with tricks to cancel the Bills’ home advantage.

Both Allen and Jackson have yet to win their first Super Bowl. While Jackson is the reigning MVP, opinions this year seem just that little bit in favor of Allen at the moment. Whether it’s fair or not, that decision could also boil down to the result of this game. Maxx Crosby has had his say. Have yours in the comments below!