Although the Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0, there are always ways to improve. For the Silver and Black, this lies within the run game.
Ineffective So Far
For a variety of reasons, the Raiders have not run the ball effectively in 2021. Currently, they are tied for the second-lowest rushing yards per game in 2021. For an old-school coach like Jon Gruden, you know this does not sit well with him. Chief among these reasons has been the availability of Josh Jacobs. One of the best running backs in the NFL when healthy; he has been largely unavailable this year. Suffering from lower leg injuries, the Raiders need him to get healthy ASAP.
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Another player that must get healthy is Richie Incognito. Consistently one of the premier guards in the NFL, Incognito makes his hay by being a physical mauler in the run game. When he can return, he will immediately give the offensive line some legitimacy.
Improvement Is On The Way
With the impending returns of Jacobs, Incognito, and Alex Leatherwood, who went down on Sunday, the Raiders will be able to run the ball soon. The early struggles have also come against some notoriously stingy defenses in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. For the Raiders to truly reach their potential, they must be able to at least run the ball with effectiveness. As such, the run game will remain their biggest weakness until further notice.
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*Top Photo: Chris Unger/Getty Images