Oakland Raiders: A Few Keys To Victory Over The Denver Broncos

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Oct 30, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Jalen Richard (30) runs with the ball in the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Ground and Pound

Oakland’s running game looks like two different animals entirely when Latavius Murray is in the mix and when he’s not. After posting back to back sub-100 yard rushing totals with him out of the lineup with an injury, the Raiders have posted 144 and 128 rushing yard games since his return.

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There is no question that the Raiders running game is far more effective with Murray in the lineup than without him. And if there is one flaw in Denver’s defensive game, it’s their run defense.

Denver has the league’s twenty-third ranked run defense and has been gashed by a number of teams this season. On the year, Denver is giving up around 118 yards per game, putting them firmly in the lower tier of the league.

Which means that Oakland’s run game will have chances to make some plays. Not only make plays, but perhaps soften up the defense enough that they’ll open it up a bit for Carr and the passing game.

Denver finished last season with the league’s third best run defense. They had nine games where they held the opposition to less than 100 yards – including three where they held the opposition to less than 30 yards on the ground. Their worst statistical day was when they gave up 147 rushing yards to the Kansas City Chiefs – and that was in week two.

The Raiders didn’t help themselves at all last season, not with a run game that featured Murray – and not much else. Oakland got nothing from their running backs beyond Murray – Taiwan Jones and Roy Helu were essentially dead weight on the roster.

Despite the fact that in the two games against Denver last year, Oakland rushed for 65 and 27 yards, they split the season series, and actually could have won both games if not for a late Carr pick-six in the first game.

But this year, with Oakland’s three backs, Murray, Washington, and Richard being fantastic compliments to one another – and with Denver’s decline against the run – the Raiders might have a little more room to run against these Broncos. Which can only help the offense as a whole.

And if they want this offense to click and move against the Broncos, the run game will have to step up in a big way.

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