Bucky's Breakdown: Why fixing the run game should be the Raiders' most urgent priority

Oct 07, 2026 at 04:45 PM

NFL.com Analyst

The Raiders have made significant progress closing the gap on the competition as a playoff contender, but the running game woes must be addressed if the Silver and Black are going to make a run at a playoff berth.

Despite sitting at 3-1 and currently positioned as the sixth seed in the AFC bracket, the Raiders will not hold onto their playoff spot with Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington running wild as the headliners of a rushing attack expected to control the game for Klint Kubiak. The duo is coming off a disappointing performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, where they combined for 76 rushing yards on 24 carries and were held to just two runs over 10 yards.

The lack of explosives on the ground kept the Raiders from seizing control of the game, leading to a one-dimensional offensive attack with Kirk Cousins and Co. playing "pitch-and-catch" against an aggressive Chiefs defense. Although the three-point loss could serve as a moral victory, the Raiders have aspirations that require more effort and physicality, and better execution at the point of attack.

The offensive line consistently makes solid contact and generates a little push, but it must sustain and finish better, particularly against defensive lines with All-Pro-caliber personnel in the trenches. The lack of consistent movement has Jeanty and Washington unsure of which creases to attack, allowing high-effort defenders to chase them down from behind for tackles for loss or minimal gains.

The New Orleans Saints also kept the Raiders' potent ground attack in check, with the offense totaling just 113 rushing yards on 27 carries, and Jeanty and Washington held to 56 yards or fewer each. Because most of the yardage came on Washington's 36-yard touchdown, the Raiders' running game has not produced the dominant performance or output expected.

Studying the All-22 coaches footage from each of those contests, Jeanty and Washington rarely get to the line untouched when they have the ball in their hands. Defenders quickly buzz past the Raiders' frontline, leaving the young runners to duck and dodge in the backfield. The Raiders' 3.1 yards per carry and 24.4% run-stuffed rate are league-worst, and the team's 93 rush yards per game and 32.8% rushing success rate are in the bottom five.

With the Raiders favoring condensed formations and heavy personnel groupings, opponents have aggressively packed the box to clog running lanes, leading to Jeanty and Washington running into brick walls. Although the Raiders have countered the loaded boxes by throwing the ball effectively to Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer from run-heavy sets, the ground game must improve for the offense to control the game and execute a complementary football plan.

Whether moving the Xs and Os around the board differently or finding the right combination of runners and blockers to pick up four-plus yards when needed, fixing the ground game must be the Raiders' No. 1 offensive priority as the team heads into a tough stretch of games against New England, Buffalo and Los Angeles (Rams).

Given the importance of controlling the tempo in playoff-level games, improvement in the Raiders' running game will determine whether the Silver and Black remain in the race down the stretch.

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Las Vegas Raiders long snapper Alex Ward (47) before practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.