Raiders season preview: Run game key to offensive line

With the regular season starting Sunday, there is a lot of questions about the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive line.

It has been a question mark throughout training camp and in the preseason. With the season starting Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers, the biggest question revolving around the unit is in pass protection.

The run blocking has looked better and there is a chance the growing offensive line could be solid in the ground game. Starting Las Vegas center Andre James said the unit has work hard at being stout in the running game.

“Early in camp we’ve been harping on double teams. Double teams have been super important to us and just feeling these combinations in the run game and feeling one another and how we want to fit them,” James said. “We came out with intent to run the ball and that was our mindset and what we’re going to come out to do.”

Of course, the pass protection has come along because if the Raiders are going to get to where they want to go this season (a deep playoff run), quarterback Derek Carr is going to need to stay upright and be able to exploit his great crew of pass catchers, that, of course starts with Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.

Yet, the Raiders are also talented at running back, starting with Veteran Josh Jacobs and fourth-round pick Zamir White. James is excited to block for the talented group,

“We have a great group of running backs. We really don’t take into account who’s doing it, because we trust each one of them,” James said. “Ehen you’ve got dudes like Josh Jacobs back there running it, you know he’s going to hit those gaps really hard. So we just do our best and guys like that to make our job easier.”