Neither the Broncos nor the Raiders really need any extra hype or motivation surrounding their Sunday Night Football game this week.
So, Broncos safety T.J. Ward took the opportunity to go ahead and throw some shade at Raiders wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.
“I feel like [the Raiders] have two good receivers,” Ward told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t feel like they have two elite receivers.”
Ward went on to explain that, despite growing up in the Bay Area, he “just never liked the Raiders,” and not for any reason he can really explain.
“We just never liked them,” he said.
Ward’s words won’t mean much Sunday night, but they will likely make the welcome he’ll receive from Raiders fans a little less pleasant than it was already going to be.
Both the Raiders and Broncos are 6-2. Crabtree is tied for the NFL lead with six touchdown catches and has 47 total receptions, fifth-best in the league. Cooper ranks third in the league in both catches (52) and receiving yards (787).