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Silver Minings: Not getting value from running game

Raiders have way too much invested in run game for the lack of production

By Bill Williamson
/ new

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Cincinnati Bengals v Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs getting swallowed up
Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images

The Las Vegas Raiders went into the season thinking they had one of the best running attacks in the NFL and they paid for that luxury.

They signed veteran free-agent Kenyan Drake to a two-year, $11 million deal to backup 2019 first-round pick Josh Jacobs. That’s a huge resource commitment to the position.

However, heading into Thursday’s game at the Dallas Cowboys, the Raiders have not seen a payoff for their investment. The Raiders are averaging just 83.7 rushing yards a game this season. It is the fifth lowest team average in the NFL.

That is a major disappointment for the team. In 2020, the Raiders averaged 119.7 yards per game. Their 1,916 rushing yards was the 13th most in the league.

Now, it has taken a major step backward.

Of course, the offensive line has been injured and hasn’t run blocked well this season and the coaching has been uneven at times. So, there is blame to be shared for the lack of a consistent rush attack.

Let’s see if the Raiders can buck the trend against the Cowboys, who are allowing an average of 103.7 yards a game.

Other Raiders links:

  • Leadership push: Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr is one of the players trying to figure out the team’s woes.
  • Pro Bowl push: Linebacker Denzel Perryman is one of the Raiders’ players getting love by fans in the Pro Bowl vote.
  • Stop the miscues: The Las Vegas Review-Journal looks at what the Raiders must clean up.
  • Matchup time: The Raiders’ website looks at key matchups for Thursday’s game at Dallas.

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