Oakland Raiders: Four Things That Must Happen Against The Giants

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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 26: Marshawn Lynch /

Pound the Rock

A lot has been made about Marshawn Lynch’s inability to move the ball consistently or very effectively, overall. The fact that he’s rushed for just 457 yards this season and is averaging a meager 3.7 yards per carry has earned him the ire of many fans out there. It has them questioning whether or not he was the right choice to lead Oakland’s ground attack.

Some are even pointing to the recent success former Raiders bellcow Latavius Murray is having with Minnesota to fuel their ire. Murray got beat out of the starting role by rookie Dalvin Cook and was used sparingly through the first five weeks of the season.

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But, over the last six weeks, as Murray has ascended to the featured back role after Cook’s injury, the former Raiders has run for 427 yards on 104 carries – an average of 4.11 yards per carry – and has added five touchdowns.

Last season, behind Murray, the Raiders had the sixth-ranked ground attack in the NFL. The effectiveness of Oakland’s ground game helped quarterback Derek Carr the passing game flourish, giving the Raiders one of the most explosive, potent offenses in the league.

But, this year, behind Lynch and first-year OC Todd Downing, the Raiders offense has fallen off a cliff. Nineenth ranked offense. Twenty-first ranked scoring offense. The numbers of all of Oakland’s offensive playmakers are down. Way down. And there is a complete lack of explosion or consistency on the offensive side of the ball.

Yeah, needless to say, this hasn’t been a banner year for Oakland’s offense or for Downing, in particular.

And it isn’t any coincidence that Oakland’s offensive failings have coincided with Downing’s failure to properly utilize the running game. Prior to the game against the Broncos, Lynch averaged just over 10 carries per game – 10.7 carries per game, to be exact.

And he’s supposed to be the bellcow of this offense.

Against Denver, Lynch carried 26 times. True, he gained a just meager 67 yards on those 26 carries (a very meager average of 2.6 yards per carry), but look at how the rest of the offense performed around him.

Derek Carr was a very efficient 18 of 24 for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The offense moved, churning out 348 yards of total offense and 21 first downs.

The truth of the matter is that Lynch, although he’s not a 100 yard per game back anymore, is still providing the Oakland offense with something they need – a viable threat in the running game. That’s really, all they need.

Last week, Lynch got 26 carries and although he didn’t move the ball particularly well – not surprising, given the fact that the Broncos have the league’s fourth-ranked rushing defense. Still, Oakland’s backs gained over 100 yards on the day (104), and that helped the offense immeasurably.

Instead of being able to sit back and focus on containing Oakland’s passing game, the Broncos were forced to account for a running game that’s capable of popping one anytime. Lynch has had a few big bursts this season, which is enough to keep defenses honest.

Which means, that for this offense to move, they’re going to need to make Lynch more of a threat than they have to this point in the season. Last week’s 26 carries was a good start, but if Downing is smart (and that is entirely debatable at this point), he will keep feeding Lynch. He’ll keep that threat alive.

And in so doing, as defenses have to account for Oakland’s ground game, rather than just the passing attack, the offense as a whole will open up for Carr and his receivers – and the Raiders offense will flourish.

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