Oakland Raiders: Will Competition Help Latavius Murray Excel?

The Oakland Raiders lacked a strong running game in 2015 that helped undermine their offensive efforts – the team hopes that new blood helps it achieve greater heights in 2016.

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We all know the stats and story. Running back Latavius Murray became the first running back to break 1,000 yards in a long while. His 1,066 yards on the ground were the sixth best total in the entire NFL. And for a few weeks, he led the AFC in rushing yards. All in all, it seemed like a breakout year for Murray as he gave the Raiders a spark the running game hasn’t had in a long time.

For a time, it seemed like the Raiders finally had the missing piece that would really unlock the full potential of their offense – a solid running game. But then the injury bug bit, which necessitated some shuffling along the offensive line – something that surely hurt Murray’s production. And added to that, Murray’s 266 carries – and 307 touches overall – seemed to be grinding him down just a bit.

So, perhaps it’s not surprising that over the second half of last season, Oakland’s running game suffered a power outage. Rushing yards were down. Yards per carry averages were down. And for the season, the Raiders managed just seven rushing touchdowns.

Oakland’s 1,457 yards on the ground – and 91.1 yards per game average – made them the twenty-eighth best running game in the thirty two team league. Their 3.9 yards per carry average – a precipitous drop from the first half of the year – was twenty-fourth best in the league. And their seven rushing touchdowns put them squarely in the bottom tier of the NFL.

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Though it started with a lot of promise and flashed a lot of potential, Oakland’s running game didn’t exactly have a banner season in 2015.

That lack of productivity though, can’t be laid solely at the feet of Murray. Not having any support in the running backs group certainly helped that lack of punch. That the rest of Oakland’s running game accounted for just 397 yards – and 248 of those came from quarterback Derek Carr (138) and fullback Jamize Olawale (110) – certainly tells a grim story.

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Veteran running backs Taiwan Jones and Roy Helu combined for just 113 yards on 33 carries – and appeared in just 21 games between them. Though Murray had his ups and downs, the lack of punch in the running game wasn’t entirely his doing.

This year though, the Raiders seemed to be making a concerted effort to address the glaring problems with the running game and get them fixed. First, they added a key dose of toughness and nasty to an offensive line that performed well overall last season when they signed Kelechi Osemele. Putting Osemele with Gabe Jackson gives Oakland two very mobile, tough, and nasty road grading guards.

With a line that many believe has the potential to be one of the very best in the league, Oakland’s running attack should benefit in a big way.

An infusion of young talent into the backfield should also pay big dividends. Fifth round pick Deandre Washington showed some speed and moves in his NFL debut, going for 43 yards on eight carries. George Atkinson III also had a very solid showing, making a bid for a spot on the active roster with 97 yards on five carries and a pair of scores. And UDFA Jalen Richard – though yet to see live action – has been turning some heads in camp.

All in all, Oakland’s running game looks deeper and more talented than last year’s version. It certainly seems like they are going to get more actual contributions than they got in 2015.

But the linchpin of their running game is going to be Latavius Murray, who should again, receive the lion’s share of the work. It’s something that he’s anticipating and is preparing for. And given his approach this offseason, you have to believe the work he’s done will pay off.

Murray sat down with running backs coach Bernie Parmalee to dissect every touch he had last season, looking for ways to get an edge. Together, they looked for ways to make him a better running back and an asset to Oakland’s offense.

"“I’m never satisfied, and I certainly wasn’t last year. Having 1,000 yards was great but, after watching all my carries and seeing yards left out there, I wonder just how good a year I could’ve had. I know I left too much out there on the field. I want to have a perfect year, but it obviously doesn’t work that way. That doesn’t mean I won’t strive for it.”"

According to HC Jack Del Rio, Murray is in line for another big workload this season, even with the addition of Washington. “I want to have more rushes. I don’t want him to have less. If anything, maybe a little more, but I want him to be more productive.”

Murray conceded that the grind of a long season as well as the number of carries he got took a toll on him. But he’s not shying away from it and is confident that he can and will be even better this year.

"“At times, I felt it. It’s a long season, and there was some tough sledding at times. It may wear on you, but I want another heavy workload. I know I can handle it. I know what I need to do to be stronger later in the year and later in games. I’m excited about the opportunity ahead.”"

Oakland is building an identity on being tough and gritty. They want to have a physical football team that is going to get out there and maul people. That means having a brutal defense and a bruising running attack – which will open things up for the passing game to be that much more explosive.

The key for Murray is to be more efficient and productive with the carries he’s given. It should be a task made a little easier with a beast of a line in front of him and the presence of some young running backs who can help shoulder the burden.

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The Raiders must have a potent running game if their offense is to achieve the vast potential it has. Without a ground game that can punish defenses and keep them honest, the passing game is going to suffer. Just like it did last season.

But Murray is taking the right approach to things and is determined to be better. And with youngsters like Washington, Atkinson, and Richard all fighting for carries, Murray is focused on proving that he can be the team’s bell cow.

If Murray can really show out this year, he can help the team do something really special this season. It’s something that Murray, the organization, and the entire Raider Nation are hoping to see.