Single digit carries for Ashton Jeanty is blasphemy.
Especially considering the Las Vegas Raiders spent the sixth overall pick on the Boise State running back just this past April. The high pick used demands
adequate usage and giving the 21-year-old, 5-foot-8 and 208-pound tailback that kind of workload shouldn’t happen again.
During the bye week and heading out of it into a Week 9 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3 overall), Raiders head coach Pete Carroll put an emphasis in the ground game. And Las Vegas must get that portion of the offense clicking in order to obtain all-important balance.
“Yeah, we really do see the glimpses of the continuity that it takes to run the football. We have no question about what both Ashton (Jeanty) and Raheem (Mostert) bring to us. We’ve got to make sure that we’re giving them the opportunities. In the game last week when we really wanted to run the football, we couldn’t make a first down, so we didn’t have the opportunities. But I can see it and feel it, and it looks like we’re really connected, and so we need to show the results of that.”
Showing results — at least positive ones — are few and far between for the 2-5 Raiders. And what hell of a challenge to course correct the run game against the incoming Jaguars, owners of the sixth-ranked run defense in terms of yards allowed (638). But Las Vegas shouldn’t be deterred by that.
The Raiders should put that ranking to the test — early and often this Sunday.
Give Jeanty all he can handle and let him chip away at Jacksonville’s defense and see if he can break through. The rookie’s Year 1 tally thus far reads: 111 carries, 445 yards, three touchdowns; 15 receptions for 85 yards and two touchdowns. The 33-year-old veteran Raheem Mostert is second on the team in rushing yards with 80 on 16 carries. Quarterback Geno Smith adds another 72 yards on 22 carries.
As Carroll mentioned above, gaining first downs is vital for the offense as a whole. So more than single digit totes are in order for Jeanty with Mostert getting his opportunities, too. When broached with Carroll’s comments on seeing improvement in the ground game, Jeanty agreed.
“Yeah, I see the same thing. I mean, obviously it starts up front. I can’t do what I do without the guys blocking,” Jeanty responded. “But also me just building that chemistry with them, understanding the schemes better and better, and then just getting more reps.”
Jeanty is well aware what awaits him on this Sunday. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (team-leading 3.5 sacks with 16 total tackles and four tackles for loss) anchors a Jacksonville defensive line that has size, speed, and power along the trenches. Then there’s a linebacker group led by Foyesade Oluokun (team-leading 55 total tackles, a sack, three stops for loss, and an interception) and Devin Lloyd (28 total tackles, league leading four interceptions) behind the line.
“I mean, they are really good up front. They force a lot of turnovers, so we got to take care of the ball,” Jeanty noted. “And they have a great run defense, I think number seven in the league. So, we got our challenges cut out for us.”
The Jaguars are also coming off a bye and had equal time for recalibration. Yet, the Raiders should truly test how strong Jacksonville’s run defense is after struggling before the bye week.
Smith, who saw the addition of former Seattle Seahawks teammate wide receiver Tyer Lockett, needs to get his mojo going, too. Like Jeanty, he’s a benefactor of offensive line play and having an effective offense this Sunday helps him as much as the running back.
“Yeah, I think we’re all making progress. I wouldn’t just single off the running game. I think we’ve got to be better in the passing game as well,” Smith explained. “There’s a lot of areas that we need to improve on, and again, the bye week gave us a chance to do some self-scouting to really take those hard looks in the mirror and just figure out what we need to do to be better on all sides of the ball and all phases of the ball. So yeah, the run game obviously is the quarterback’s best friend. We want to be balanced. We want to establish the run. We want to control the line of scrimmage, and you do that by running the ball.
“And then you also be efficient, stay efficient, stay on schedule. All the things that you talk about when you talk about just playing good team football, it starts with the running game.”
It’s unclear just how involved Lockett will be after being officially signed this past Monday. Perhaps a limited snap count as he acclimates back to Smith, Carroll, and adjusts to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. But Smith added Lockett is one of his best friends and knows how to get the quarterback going on the field.
Let’s see if this variant of the Carroll-led Raiders can improve on a disconcerting 3-7 record in games following the by week. That’s the Silver & Black’s performance the last 10 seasons coming off a hiatus.
