The Las Vegas Raiders have faced some of the NFL’s stingiest run defenses through their first three games. The New England Patriots (181 yards), Los Angeles Chargers (284 yards), and Washington Commanders (302 yards) rank among the league leaders in fewest rushing yards allowed, according to Pro Football Reference.
As the Raiders prepare to take on the Chicago Bears, the ground game could see a boost. Chicago has surrendered 418 rushing yards so far this season, and this Week 4 matchup might be what Ashton Jeanty needs to find his rhythm.
Despite not having the best run defense, Chicago will not want to be the team that Jeanty goes off on. Ahead of the Week 4 clash, Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen shared his thoughts on Jeanty and noted what they need to avoid doing to ensure his rushing struggles continue.
“He’s a violent runner,” Allen told the media on September 25. “He gets into the second and third level of the defense, seeking out contact. He runs extremely hard. I think he’s an outstanding player. He has great vision, really good feet, and he runs tough.
“He runs violent. You have to get a lot of hacks around the ball on him. You really don’t want him to have free access into the second or third level of your defense because if he gets there, you have to bring your hard hat—it’s going to be a collision.”
Opposing Defenses Are Taking Away the Raiders’ Run Game
While much attention is on the Raiders’ offensive line and Jeanty, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly points to the opposing defenses for shutting down their running 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.”
Raiders Are Making Slow Progress
In the 41-24 defeat to the Commanders on September 21 at Northwest Stadium, the Raiders managed only 93 rushing yards, led by Jeanty’s 63. The 21-year-old carried the ball 17 times, averaging 3.7 yards per attempt.
While it marks a slight improvement, Las Vegas will need a significantly more productive running game to sustain success as the season unfolds. The key question remains whether Jeanty and the rushing attack can make a substantial leap forward, rather than just another incremental step. Still, if Jeanty has the breakout game that many want to see, all the concerns over the player will begin to fade.
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