NFL teams
Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Michael Crabtree rips into Broncos CB, officiating after loss

NFL, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos

DENVER -- An angry Michael Crabtree said he chose not to retaliate against Aqib Talib after the Denver Broncos cornerback ripped his gold chain off following a play, with the receiver saying he made a "business decision" not to hurt the Oakland Raiders.

"I can't react, or [the referees are] going to kick me out," Crabtree said. "Then I'm the bad guy."

Crabtree also called Talib "fake" as a football player.

"Acting," Crabtree said. "You aren't defending anybody up like that.

"You hard? You tough? You snatch a chain in front of the police and run off? Childish, man."

The confrontation occurred after a deep incompletion down the right sideline in the first quarter of the Raiders' eventual 24-6 loss. Talib gave Crabtree a little shove after the play, and the Oakland wideout returned the favor as he stood up. Talib then ripped the chain off -- in front of an official.

"He's just been wearing that chain all year, man, it's just been growing on me," Talib told reporters in the Broncos locker room after the game. "I said if he wears that chain in front of me, I'm going to snatch it off. So he wore it in front of me, so I had to snatch it off."

Crabtree also had issues with the referees, saying they were "one-sided" and that they treated him like a "criminal" during the game.

"Disrespectful," Crabtree said of their treatment of him. "They were acting like I was the problem. That's what I didn't like. I'm not even that type of dude. I play football ... I could have cut [blocked] him; I could have hurt him. But I don't like that."

It wasn't all bad for Crabtree on the day; he went over 1,000 yards receiving for the second time in his eight-year career. Fellow wideout Amari Cooper also had a 1,000-yard year, making them the first Raiders teammates to do that since 2001 (Tim Brown, Jerry Rice).

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