When the Las Vegas Raiders hired Klint Kubiak as head coach, there was hope that he’d fix the run game. For the last two seasons, the team was last in the NFL in rushing offense.
Through five games, it’s clear that fixing the run game is going to take a bit more time. The Raiders currently have the fifth-lowest rushing yards per game in the league, and running back Ashton Jeanty is averaging 3.3 yards per carry, which is worse than last season.
Jeanty clearly isn’t healthy. He sprained his ankle in practice before the season, but didn’t take any time off. He is also now dealing with a foot injury. To make matters worse, the offensive line isn’t helping him at all.
According to NFL analyst Warren Sharp, when the Raiders rush the ball, 53% of the time, the rusher is met behind or at the line of scrimmage by a defender. That is the second-worst number in the NFL, behind the Cleveland Browns. What this means is that Jeanty is frequently getting hit almost as soon as he touches the ball. This was also the case last season, but he wasn’t dealing with ankle and foot injuries at the time, so it was easier for him to make plays.
This is clearly a big offensive line issue. The group has done well in the passing game, but they aren’t opening any holes in the run game.
Does Jeanty Need to Be Better?
While Jeanty has plenty of excuses for the first 22 games of his career not being as impactful as everybody thought they would be, he also deserves some blame. Great players make plays.
Derrick Henry never let bad Tennessee Titans offensive lines slow him down. It might not seem fair to compare Jeanty to a future Hall of Famer, but he is one of the highest drafted running backs of the last decade. At some point, he’s going to have to overcome the bad offensive line play and start breaking some big runs.
It’s far too early to call Jeanty a bust, but the Raiders are likely starting to regret drafting him so high over an offensive or defensive lineman.
Jeanty Not Planning to Take Time Off
It’s also possible that Jeanty’s injuries are more serious than the Raiders are letting on. Having a bad ankle and foot as a running back is less than ideal.
It could be why Jeanty hasn’t seem as powerful as a rusher this season. There’s merrit to the idea that the Raiders should sit him and let him take a couple of weeks off to recover. If it’s up to him, that’s not going to happen.
“Unless I can’t run, jump, I’m playing,” Jeanty said after the Patriots loss. “Football is a tough game. You’re never gonna play feeling 100%. So at the end of the day, I just want to go out there and do my best for my teammates and whatever it takes.”
It could get to the point when the Raiders have to save Jeanty from himself.
Wild Raiders Stat Could Explain Ashton Jeanty’s Poor Start to Season