Oakland Raiders: The good, bad, and ugly from week two loss to Denver
By Kevin Saito
Bad: Running Game
If you didn’t think the Raiders had any running backs on their roster, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that. Nor could you be blamed entirely.
For an offense that’s predicated on a power running game – as Gruden’s supposedly is – there hasn’t been a whole lot of, y’know, power running. Or running in general.
Their 50 total rushing attempts in the two games rank in the bottom half of the league. What’s more concerning though, is that of those 50 attempts, 30 have come in the first half, while only 20 have come in the second half.
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Given that they’ve taken leads into the second half of both games, wouldn’t you expect to see a few more running plays to milk the clock and sit on that lead?
Granted, the Raiders were facing two of the toughest run defenses in the league in LA and Denver. But, if the Raiders are going to get anywhere this year, they’re going to have to learn to run effectively against stout run defenses.
And running just ten times a game, in the second half, while nursing a lead, isn’t going to get it done.
Against Denver, the Raiders – as a team – managed just 92 yards on the ground, on 27 carries – a paltry average of 3.4 yards per rush. Marshawn Lynch led the way with 65 yards on his 18 carries, with Doug Martin chipping on 24 yards on seven touches.
Oakland’s running game is supposed to open up the passing game. And with what is an elite offensive line, a bruising back who can still run through people in Lynch, a fullback in Keith Smith who can relocate defenders fairly efficiently, and decent change of pace backs in Martin and Jalen Richard, the Raiders should be doing more with the run game than they are.
They’re going to have to run the ball. Most especially if they are forced to play in inclement weather – which is a near certainty later in the year. So far though, they’ve done little to inspire confidence that they can get it done on the ground.