Both Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib are suspended in the fallout from yesterday’s ugly incident. Yesterday’s fight between Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree and Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib has resulted in suspensions for both.
The Hammer Drops As Raiders’ Crabtree Is Suspended
Earlier via his Twitter account, Ian Rapoport shared the news of the suspension.
NFL: Michael Crabtree of the Oakland Raiders and Aqib Talib of the Denver Broncos have been suspended without pay for two games each for violations of unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness rules in Sunday’s game between the Raiders and Broncos.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 28, 2017
Losing Crabtree for two games is huge for the Raiders considering the team’s scratching to keep their playoff hopes alive. The injury to Amari Cooper yesterday only serves to compound the situation as it leaves the receiving corps extremely thin.
The Silver and Black will be short-handed
However, Crabtree is expected to appeal this punishment and best case scenario might able to get this suspension down to one game.
The debate whether this suspension was just will rage on for the next week or two and rightfully so. Recently, the NFL did not suspend Bengals’ wide receiver A.J. Green after his own altercation and instead only paid a fine. Inconsistent? Perhaps.
For the time being the team must regroup on offense. Now it’s up to Todd Downing to reorganize the offense as it appears he’ll be without his top two wideouts. What are your thoughts, Raiders fans? Did the punishment fit the crime in this instance?