Oakland Raiders: Five most pressing questions that must be answered
By Kevin Saito
What Is The Situation At Running Back?
We all already know that Marshawn Lynch is going to be handling the bulk of the ball carrying duties for the Silver and Black. That’s no mystery.
And having arguably, one of the best offensive lines in football getting back to what they do best – blowing people off the ball – and a monster of a fullback in Keith Smith helping clear the way, don’t be surprised to see Beast Mode have a big year.
The question though, becomes – what do they have after Lynch?
Gruden seems to be pinning his hopes for Oakland’s ground game on the legs of Doug Martin, the Tampa Bay castoff who’s had two brilliant seasons in his career, in which he eclipsed 1,400 yards. The trouble is, he’s had four horrid seasons in which he failed to generate even 500 yards on the ground.
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While granted, Martin would be in more of a complementary role behind Lynch, his horribly paltry 2.9 yards per carry average of the past two seasons, should be a concern. A big concern.
The early returns out of OTA’s are good. Everybody’s talking about the burst he’s shown and his ability to run the ball. But, as we’ve noted in this space before, flashing in OTA’s is not the same as being able to do it when the pads come on – illustrated perfectly by Maurice Jones-Drew and Trent Richardson.
Gruden had better hope that the Muscle Hamster actually does still have it and can be a productive member of the backfield because all he has left in the bank are Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, and Chris Warren III.
Richard has had fumble problems – something that crept up again during OTA’s – and Washington hasn’t proven to be super dynamic. Both are nice change of pace backs who can make plays in open space and are decent receivers, but with Gruden’s philosophy of pounding the rock – and then pounding it some more – after Lynch, the Raiders are a little thin on guys who can do that.
Gruden, of course, had tremendous success with his thunder and lightning approach to the running game in his first tenure with the team. Tyrone Wheatley (thunder) has teamed with smaller, shiftier backs like Charlie Garner (lightning), to produce some terrific results in Oakland’s running attack. And that, of course, has a direct impact on the effectiveness of the passing game.
But hanging the success on the 29-year old legs of a man who’s coming off two absolutely horrible years, and has but two good seasons among his six in the league, is a crapshoot. At best.
It’s a big gamble, and if Gruden doesn’t have a plan B, Oakland’s ground game could be in big trouble.