Through Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders modestly rank 14th in total yards per game, averaging 335.6. Conversely, they rank 28th in rushing, averaging only 82 yards on the ground per game.
A quick read of the box scores supports the Raiders’ woes in running the football. In addition to having only one 100-yard rusher in their first five games, Ashton Jeanty had a measly 27 yards in Week 5 against the New England Patriots.
Likewise, their two rushing touchdowns, one from Mike Washington Jr. and the other from Dylan Laube, have them tied with three other teams (Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay Packers) for second-worst in the league.
A deep dive into the numbers highlights the Raiders’ run game woes
NFL analytics and data visualization expert Warren Sharp shared three more
telling signs of the Raiders’ struggles to move the ball on the ground, further highlighting their inept run game.
His advanced stats show the Raiders are the worst in the league in yards before contact per rush, gaining only 0.45. Conversely, the league-leading Buffalo Bills gain 2.59 yards.
yards before contact per rush this season:
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 13, 2026
2.59 - Buffalo Bills
1.98 - Carolina Panthers
1.88 - Los Angeles Rams
1.79 - San Francisco 49ers
1.78 - Chicago Bears
1.77 - Miami Dolphins
1.74 - Washington Commanders
1.67 - Kansas City Chiefs
1.63 - Minnesota Vikings
1.61…
Next, the Raiders are second-worst in percentage of rushes met at or behind the line this season. Only the Browns (56%) have a worse rate than the Raiders (53%). This stat quantifies the Raiders’ struggles to create gaps from the line of scrimmage that running backs can burst through.
% of rushes met at or behind the line this season:
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 13, 2026
56% - Cleveland Browns
53% - Las Vegas Raiders
53% - Green Bay Packers
52% - Los Angeles Chargers
52% - New England Patriots
52% - Houston Texans
52% - Washington Commanders
52% - Pittsburgh Steelers
50% - Philadelphia Eagles…
Finally, the Raiders are tied with the New York Jets for fourth-worst in yards per carry against six or fewer men in the box, with 3.6.
RB yards per carry vs a light box (6 or fewer):
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 13, 2026
7.5 - Chicago Bears
7.2 - New England Patriots
6.3 - Detroit Lions
6.3 - Cleveland Browns
6.2 - Buffalo Bills
5.9 - Kansas City Chiefs
5.8 - Pittsburgh Steelers
5.7 - Baltimore Ravens
5.4 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5.4 - San Francisco…
They have been able to overcome these run-game struggles at times because the Raiders' passing offense ranks eighth in the league, averaging 253.6 yards per game. It’s a major factor in why they are ninth in scoring after Week 5, averaging 26.4 points per game.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Advanced stats reveal in detail just how bad Raiders run game has been
