Ashton Jeanty was the focal point of the Las Vegas Raiders offense after the team secured a 27-13 win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 at Allegiant Stadium. Jeanty showed that, with a decent offensive line and playcaller, he can be a major weapon in the Raiders’ offense.
Jeanty had 23 carries against the Dolphins, totaling 102 rushing yards and averaging 4.4 yards per carry, with his longest run being for 15 yards. Meanwhile, in the passing game, he had six receptions for 45 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
After the game, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins spoke with FOX Sports and shared his thoughts on Jeanty’s performance as the Silver and Black are off to a 1-0 start.
“He’s very natural in the pass game, runs hard,” Cousins said after the win. “He’s a great player, great talent, great pick by this team, and looking forward to using him. We gotta keep him healthy this year.”
Moreover, Cousins elaborated on what he saw from Jeanty during his postgame press conference.
“I can’t say enough good things about Ashton,” Cousins added. “He’s a very capable runner. You saw it today. He’s very capable in the pass game. He’s a leader for us. He’s a guy who sets a great example [and] does things the right way. You can put a lot on his plate mentally. I can’t credit our wellness team in the training room enough for getting him back and getting him ready in a short amount of time.
“They did a phenomenal job. Credit those guys, and Ashton’s diligence to put the work in to be ready to go. I’m proud of his effort today. We really needed him, and he was a big reason we won the game.”
Ashton Jeanty Gives Credit to Others for Performance vs. Dolphins
Meanwhile, Jeanty didn’t want to take all the credit for his performance, as he fell short of reaching 150 yards from scrimmage against the Dolphins. The Raiders star put the spotlight on those who blocked for him and created the holes to run through.
“I mean, first off, our coaches did a great job preparing us for this game,” Jeanty told the media. “O-line, receivers, tight ends, our fullback Connor Heyward, doing a great job in the running game. I just felt very prepared for the game, and then as a team, we just went out there and executed. So that helped me make plays out there as well.”
Maxx Crosby Gives Message on Raiders Defensive Peformance
The Raiders defense wasn’t far behind when it came to standing out in the win over the Dolphins. Las Vegas recorded five sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Furthermore, the Silver and Black didn’t stay on the field when they didn’t need to, as Miami’s offense went 2-for-10 on third down. Maxx Crosby put the spotlight on the entire unit, since they made Dolphins QB Malik Willis‘ afternoon difficult.
“We came to play,” Crosby told reporters postgame. “Everyone played their role, and obviously on the back end, they did a great job. Our DBs and linebackers were flying around and being on the same page. So just playing together, playing as one. When you play complementary football, the offense did a great job of staying on the field and having long drives, and we were fresh and able to roll.
“I thought it was just a good game overall. It could be better, though. Overall, I think offense and defense, even special teams having that long return, there’s things we can get better at, and we know that. But I think it was a good start.”
Ashton Jeanty Gets Candid Statement After Raiders Beat Dolphins