Silver And Black Pride
Pete Carroll wants it. Geno Smith does to.
And Ashton Jeanty is ready for the responsibility.
That’s the Las Vegas Raiders head coach, quarterback, and running back in unison: Get the run game going and feed their prized rookie running back.
It’s very easy to see why Carroll, Smith, and even Jeanty want to see an uptick in involvement. Through two games, Jeanty garnered 30 totes for 81 yards and one touchdown — including an abysmal 2.7 yards per carry average. Those are numbers fare below what the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft should have.
“Yeah, I mean, I don’t think you draft a guy like me to not give me carries and touches and I’m ready for the responsibility,” Jeanty reasonably said when asked if he’s ready for to take on a heavy workload forward. “And like I said, it’s going to start with me in the run game, and I’ve got to continue to get better.”
Overall, the Raiders offense boasts the fifth-least carries in the entire league with 43 and the second-least yards gained at 124 yards total. In those two categories, the Miami Dolphins had an NFL-least 27 carries, however, the 25 totes the team churned out in the Thursday Night loss boosts them leaving the Cincinnati Bengals the low team on the totem pole with 40 carries. In terms of yards gained, only the Bengals are worse than the Raiders with 94 total.
The Raiders boasted the dead-last ranked rushing offense in 2024 (380 carries, league-low 1,357 yards, 10 touchdowns, and a pathetic 3.6 yards per carry average. Through two games, it sure looks like it’s a repeat campaign — potentially worse at the 2.9 yards per carry average — until Las Vegas proves it can improve.
Time and time again, Jeanty is met at the line of scrimmage by defenders and is either stuffed or, when he tries to make defenders miss, gets some traction before getting tackled short. There are times where Jeanty showcases the burst by hitting the hole and gaining yards and when he puts a shoulder into a defender to truck them. But between Jeanty and backup Zamir White, Raiders running backs are non factors.
Yet, with its Week 3 matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Silver & Black are given an opportunity to remedy a rancid run game.
Unlike the Raiders matchups with the New England Patriots in Week 1 and the Chargers in Week 2 — both those tams are ranked third and eighth in rushing yards allowed this season — the Commanders boast a middling run defense at 14th in yards allowed at 209. Washington is allowing a 3.9 yards per carry average. Those are all yields with teams running the ball 53 times through two games.
Washington does boast serious talent on defense as Joe Whitt’s aggressive, man coverage-leaning unit is paced by super veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner (team-leading 21 total tackles along with a stop for loss) and defensive end Dorance...
