It’s great what a 2-0 start can achieve. The talk surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders is currently mostly positive. They can certainly improve certain aspects such as the lack of pressure from their defensive line. However, we won’t talk about that now and rather, will focus on center Rodney Hudson.Â
Hudson is a big reason why the Las Vegas Raiders hold a 2-0 record
There are some Raiders players that are getting plenty of praise and deservingly so. Tight end Darren Waller caught 12 passes for 105 yards against the New Orleans Saints. However you look at it, that is worth recognizing. Josh Jacobs has been his usual dominant self and has become a staple in the team’s passing game. Also, quarterback Derek Carr has played efficiently and has already thrown four touchdowns this season.
All these players have played a key role in the Raiders 2-0, but so has Hudson. The center may not get as much recognition due to the fact his position doesn’t generate a stat line the way his teammates do. Nevertheless, he has fortified the middle of the Silver and Black’s offensive line since 2015, the year he joined the team.
Ever since he signed with the Raiders, Hudson has allowed a mere two sacks and not one since 2017. That’s a shockingly low amount when you consider other players give up as many in ONE game. The team’s brass definitely knew Hudson’s value as they gave him a contract extension in 2019 that makes him the second-highest player at his position.
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O-Line Coach Tom Cable knows how important Hudson is to the team’s success
Hudson hasn’t missed a single snap this season, and he is a big factor behind the success the Raiders offensive line has had in the first two games of the season. In his latest press conference, offensive line coach Tom Cable praised Hudson and signaled him as the engine that moves the unit.
“Collectively, there’s a lot of experience now in the offensive line, and certainly, when you have a leader like center Rodney Hudson that has seen it and done it in numerous systems, he holds those guys [his teammates] accountable.”
Hudson isn’t very outspoken, that could be another reason why we don’t hear about him much. On the other hand, he doesn’t have to, he lets his play on the field speak for him and the Raiders benefit from it, so it’s unlikely anyone disagrees with that approach.
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Top Photo: Gail Burton/Associated Press