The San Francisco 49ers are facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, with the victor punching a ticket to Glendale, Arizona, where they'll play the winner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl.
To reach that goal, the 49ers are going to need a strong performance from their best unit, the defensive line, which is led by potential Defensive Player of the Year: edge rusher Nick Bosa.
Bosa has only further cemented his status as one of the best, if not the best, pass-rushers in the NFL with an 18.5-sack season, while continuing his efforts as a very underrated run-defender.
Ahead of the NFC Championship Game, Bosa received support from rival defensive end Maxx Crosby, who entered the NFL with the 49ers star in 2019.
Speaking with the 33rd Team, Crosby acknowledged how valuable Bosa is as an edge rusher, highlighting their friendly competition as top defensive ends in the league.
"This dude is a game-wrecker. Me and him came in together in 2019 and it's been like a constant, deep rivalry underneath the surface. Me and him, we're good friends, but at the same time, it's like a healthy competition," said Crosby. "We both want to be the best. The dude is one of the best in the league. He came in as a top pick. I'm an Eastern Michigan guy [and was a] fourth-round pick, but if you put in the work at the end of the day, you could be right in that conversation."
While the two are often competing against each other for accolades and to cement their status as top players, Crosby praised Bosa, acknowledging the amount of respect that the Raiders star has for the 49ers' defensive end.
"Nick Bosa, the dude is incredible. I got so much respect for him, dude is a hell of a player."
What makes Bosa such an incredible talent? Crosby believes it comes from his freakish center of gravity that provides the bend that Bosa utilizes on pass-rush moves, as well as an improving spin move.
"He's so low to the ground. He's got such a crazy center of gravity. He's just able to bend and do so many things on the field. His spin move has been coming along pretty well, and yeah, he's one of those guys that can wreck the game."
Those attributes will come into play on Sunday when the 49ers play the Eagles, as Bosa will be tasked with facing tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, who are arguably the best tackle duo in the NFL.
You can watch the clip of Crosby's interview about Bosa here:
Is Nick Bosa the best pass rusher still playing?
🎙 @CrosbyMaxx pic.twitter.com/hQR4WyfH6m
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 28, 2023