OAKLAND–The Oakland Raiders climbed within a game of the AFC West lead on Sunday, and they did so without the services of one of their top skill position players.
Though Michael Crabtree was healthy and suited up for the team’s showdown with the Denver Broncos, Crabtree didn’t even last through the team’s first drive on Sunday, earning an ejection after brawling with cornerback Aqib Talib.
Talib and Crabtree have a history with one another, dating back to last season when Talib snatched a chain off of Crabtree’s neck in the middle of the final game of the regular season. This week, Talib was at it again, yanking on Crabtree’s train and pulling it off of the Raiders’ wide receiver early in the first quarter.
After the game, a 21-14 Raiders’ victory, Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio acknowledged the incident and said that his team was fortunate to overcome the loss of Crabtree as well as right guard Gabe Jackson, who was ejected for shoving an official when he came to his teammate’s defense.
“I’m going to go ahead and talk right away about the ugly incident early in the game where Aqib Talib and Michael Crabtree got into it and it escalated,” Del Rio said. “They have a little bit of a history with the chain snatching, from years back and I think there was an additional chain snatched, from what I understand. The bottom line is that we can’t afford to lose one of our top receivers and then our starting guard because he went over there to help his buddy. We can’t get two guys tossed like that.”
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The Raiders also lost wide receiver Amari Cooper to a concussion midway through Sunday’s game, yet had enough offensive firepower to overcome the Broncos and move to 5-6. While Del Rio was satisfied with his team’s resolve and encouraged by a defense that pitched a shutout for the first three quarters of Sunday’s game, he said in his postgame press conference that it’s imperative for Oakland’s players to keep their composure and “do the right thing.”
“I have not had a chance to talk to him yet, I will address it as best I can but I have to count on my guys to do the right thing,” Del Rio said. “Keep their poise, keep their composure, not get tossed. It’s just too much. Fortunately we were able to lose two guys like that and overcome it and come out with a win.”
Crabtree and Jackson are not the first Raiders’ players to be ejected this season, as running back Marshawn Lynch was tossed out of a home game earlier this season against the Chiefs after making contact with an official. Lynch received a one-game suspension for his actions.
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