The Las Vegas Raiders have gone up against some of the NFL’s toughest run defenses in their first three games. The New England Patriots (181 yards), Los Angeles Chargers (284 yards), and Washington Commanders (302 yards) all rank near the top in fewest rushing yards allowed, per Pro Football Reference.
Looking ahead to their Week 4 clash with the Chicago Bears, the Raiders’ running game could get a lift. Chicago has given up 418 rushing yards so far this season. As a result, this matchup a potential chance for Ashton Jeanty to hit his stride.
Nonetheless, Jeanty can’t get the Las Vegas run game going alone. The rookie will need his offensive line to open up lanes for him to go through. Furthermore, CBS Sports’ NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala didn’t hold back her concerns on the Raiders’ offensive line.
“We’re only three weeks in,” Kinkhabwala said on the September 24 edition of “CBS Sports HQ.” “Let’s not overreact, but we can respond to this Raiders offensive line. It’s horrible. It is the worst run blocking offensive line in the National Football League right now. They were absolutely pushed around last week.
“They do expect to get Jackson Powers-Johnson [against the Bears] when we see them, but nobody is being hit behind the line of scrimmage or at the line of scrimmage more than Ashton Jeanty is. He is facing more stacked boxes than anybody in the National Football League, and his offensive line is not pushing anybody out of the way.”
Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty Remains Confident
Although Jeanty may put the responsibility on his shoulders, the lack of a breakout game so far this season is not the entire picture, and it starts with his teammates up front.
“[Jeanty] has faith in himself, but I’m curious to talk to him to see if he is indeed getting frustrated,“ Kinkhabwala added. “And what are the Raiders doing to help create some space for him? Because right now there’s none. I can tell you as good of a running back as he may be, as any running back may be, it all starts up front. Right now, the Raiders are not getting the job done up front.”
Have the Raiders Been Stopped by the Opposing Defenses?
In their 41-24 loss to the Commanders on September 21 at Northwest Stadium, the Raiders mustered just 93 rushing yards, with Jeanty accounting for 63 of them.
The 21-year-old back carried the ball 17 times, averaging 3.7 yards per run. It was a modest step in the right direction, but Las Vegas still needs much more from its ground game if it wants to find sustained success this season. Still, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is giving credit to the opposing defenses for making life difficult for their run game.
“I think it’s the defenses right now,“ Kelly told reporters on September 25. “If you look at it statistically, Ashton Jeanty’s tied for 10th in the league for carries with two other guys. Of the top 12 backs in the National Football League through three games, there are only four who average over four yards a carry: Jonathan Taylor, Kyren Williams, Bijan Robinson, and [James] Cook from Buffalo.
“Everybody else—Saquon Barkley averages 3.3 yards per carry, Christian McCaffrey averages three yards per carry. So Ashton Jeanty’s right in the bunch with those guys. I think across the league through the first three games, defenses are ahead of offenses at a big rate… That’s just the league. Sometimes defenses are ahead, then offenses catch up, and it goes back and forth. That’s the nature of this game.”
Nonetheless, the bigger question is whether Jeanty and the rushing attack can take a real leap forward. If the Raiders star finally delivers the breakout performance many have been waiting for, the doubts surrounding him will disappear.