Amari Cooper received a short pass in the right flat and had some help finding open space. Fellow wideout Michael Crabtree performed yeoman’s work on the outside, creating wiggle room for Cooper toward the sideline.
His blocking established the play’s potential, until Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins destroyed it in pursuit. Jenkins held Cooper to a two-yard gain, but his alligator roll caught Crabtree in the wash.
The veteran’s right ankle rolled under the 300-pounder in unnatural ways, causing a grimace that spelled trouble. Crabtree grabbed his ankle and instantly thought the worst.
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“When it happened, I was scared,” Crabtree said.
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Crabtree’s confidence grew as pain subsided some, and he deemed the ankle stable enough to play.
He had just one reception at that point, yet finished with five catches for a Raiders-best 80 yards in a close contest where Cooper was covered well.
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“He showed a lot heart getting back out there,” Cooper said. “He didn’t have to, but he showed a lot of heart playing through it. Sometimes guys won’t go back out if they can’t play at their absolute best, but he obviously had a different perspective.”
The 28-year old wasn't thinking about leadership when he played through pain on Sunday at Soldier Field. He was doing what he could to win, just being himself. Through action, he was setting a solid example for a young receiver corps learning on the fly. Slot receiver Seth Roberts is essentially a rookie; Cooper actually holds that designation.
Andre Holmes has been around four NFL seasons, but only has a season-and-a half’s playing experience. That makes Crabtree resident sage, a role he fills as technical advisor and an example of how to play the position right. The Raiders signed him to an incentive-laden one-year deal late in free agency, and his addition has been invaluable thus far.
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“He’s been a treat to coach,” head coach Jack Del Rio said. “He’s very professional, a great worker. He’s really taken on kind of a mentor role in that wideout room. I just can’t say enough positives about him. He’s really been a great teammate and really productive player for us.”
Crabtree has 23 catches for 264 yards and a touchdown through four games, and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season since 2012. The production has been a beneficial, as has his ability to make those around him better. The former 49ers receiver has a knack for getting open in tight spaces, without great speed as an ally. He quickly bonded with quarterback Derek Carr, even coming from his native Texas to Carr’s private passing sessions in Bakersfield during the offseason.
“He has a great understanding of coverage schemes and exactly what’s going on,” Roberts said. “He tries to stay one step ahead of a defense, and when I’m out there on the field, he tells me what he reads. I lock that info in my head and use it to get to my advantage.
“He’s taught us a lot about getting open, and how to finding little windows to get the ball from Derek. Having him around has been great for the young guys.”