The second installment of the Las Vegas Raiders midseason report card focuses on the offensive machine. Defense may win championships, but this offense is the driving force behind the hot 5-2 start.Â
This 2021 Raiders offense has fought its way through adversity to keep the franchise on course. For starters, injuries to key offensive linemen and a change in philosophical approach. That also includes midseason changes to both the play-caller and head coach. Jon Gruden believed in balance and a zone-style power rushing attack. Grading where this team is offensively is going to be a challenge.
Rich Bisaccia, the former special teams’ coordinator, took over as head coach after Gruden’s untimely exit. Since Bisaccia took over, things have been looking a little different. Gruden’s offense got a bit of a facelift, and things have been rolling.
Offense As A Whole: B
Through the first five weeks, under Gruden, the Raiders were a conservative-style offense. Quarterback Derek Carr had been demonstrating mastery over the offense. He’s been taking chances and trusting his younger wide receivers more and more. Running the ball has been another story. Statistically speaking, the Raiders are near the bottom of the league in every category except touchdowns.
Offensively, the Raiders are trending in the top 15 in nearly every category except the red zone. Averaging 393.3 yards per game, along with 25.7 points per game, they are seventh and 10th, respectively, in the two power categories. Amassing 2,753 total yards and 180 points, the Raiders are 13th and 14th.
In the red zone, strides have been made, the 20 trips to the red zone are 16th, and a conversion rate of 90% ranks them 17th overall. No longer leading the league in red zone field goals attempts, they have only six, placing them 15th. Time of possession is an issue which they will need to invest attention. Having possessed the ball an average of 29:38 minutes is 19th in the league, while on the road, the 28:22 minutes is 23rd.
Offensive Line: C
How do you grade an offensive line which started the season with three new starters, a rookie, and a player with three career starts at center? Throw in a zone-blocking system that wasn’t working for anyone. Next, sprinkle in losing right guard Denzelle Good for the season in Week 1. Finally, add losing the head coach and switching blocking schemes.
| Time To Throw | Total Run yards | Yards/car | Rush-attempts | Sacks | Rushing Touchdown |
Yards
per/game |
|
| O-line | 2.75 | 598 | 3.5 | 173 | 17 | 8 | 85.4 |
| Ranking | 19th | 26th | 31st | 15th | 12th most | 6th | 28th |
First-round draft pick and 17th pick overall Alex Leatherwood has now had his position switched twice since being drafted. Leatherwood was a left tackle and guard at Alabama. Switching him to the right side exposed his lack of lateral quickness and his grabbing nature. However, sliding him into the guard position was a move that is maximizing his best abilities.
Andre James started the season off horribly. James’s come a long way from getting pancaked on the goal line in the Miami game. A switch from zone to gap/power dominant has made a difference in his production. He has shown growth and has made himself a virtual unknown on the television broadcast, and that’s a good thing.
Pass Catchers: B-
| TGT | CTH | CTH% | DROPS | YARDS | AVG | BTK | TD | |
| D.Waller | 53 | 33 | 62.3 | 4 | 378 | 11.5 | 1 | 2 |
| Z.Jones | 7 | 6 | 85.7 | 115 | 19.2 | 1 | 1 | |
| H.Ruggs | 36 | 24 | 66.7 | 2 | 469 | 19.5 | 3 | 2 |
| B.Edwards | 31 | 18 | 58.1 | 1 | 346 | 19.2 | 3 | 1 |
| H.Renfrow | 51 | 38 | 74.5 | 2 | 399 | 10.5 | 2 | |
| F.Moreau | 12 | 10 | 83.3 | 113 | 11.3 | 2 |
The Raiders are an unselfish bunch at the wide receiver position. To a fault, it has cost them individual numbers, but it has produced wins. Through seven games, every wide receiver except for Zay Jones is within 55 yards of 400 receiving yards on the season.
Henry Ruggs III
His 19.5 yards per catch is the fourth-best in the league. He has an average depth of target of 16 yards and averages 3.1 yards of separation on 6.3 yards of cushion. Carr has a quarterback rating of 128.2 when targeting Ruggs.
Bryan Edwards
Edwards is not getting much separation, 1.8 yards of separation against 5.1 yards of cushion, but he’s making clutch catches. He’s got big strong hands and is more of the possession style receiver. Edwards is built to be a bigger factor in the red zone. In fact, he has had two touchdowns called back due to penalty.
Zay Jones
Jones is the world’s best receiver at getting slept on. Jones doesn’t drop many passes; he runs good routes, he’s in incredible shape, and yet can’t get on the field. When he does get on the field, he isn’t getting many targets.
Hunter Renfrow
Renfrow is excellent. He is far and away, the best pound-for-pound football player on the team. Renfrow does everything well, including blocking defensive ends and linebackers. He returns kicks and punts. If you need him to play a little defensive back, his closing speed is legit, and I’ll be damned if he isn’t ‘Johnny-on-the-spot.’ Did I mention that he is absolute money if you need a third down converted?
Darren Waller
Waller is being neutralized with bracketed coverage and is the decoy of the offense, similar to Ruggs last season. Waller is a major focus of an opposing defensive game plan. Waller’s hands have been less reliable than in years past, and he goes down at first contact.
Foster Moreau
Moreau is a red zone mismatch, a big tight end who has produced every time he has received an opportunity. His run blocking has improved, and so has his route running.
Running Backs: C
| ATT | YARDS | YPC | ATBLOS | 8+DEF% | TDS | YAC | BRTKL | |
| J.Jacobs | 60 | 204 | 3.4 | 2.62 | 13.33 | 5 | 1.2 | 4 |
| K.Drake | 42 | 160 | 3.8 | 2.53 | 14.29 | 2 | 1.6 | 3 |
It would be easy to blame the running backs for the lack of production. While they deserve a share of it, the offensive line’s difficulties in synchronizing holes play a role too.
Josh Jacobs
Jacobs has been plagued by injury and looks less explosive than when he entered the league as a rookie. The zone scheme wasn’t working for him or the line. Since Gruden has been gone, things have improved. All five of Jacob’s touchdowns have come inside the red zone. The newly unveiled screen game has worked beautifully.
Kenyan DrakeÂ
After signing with the Raiders in the offseason, Drake appeared to have a prominent role. Once the season started, it looked like he was in Gruden’s doghouse. However, in the last two games, Drake has 152 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Derek Carr – To be continued….
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*Top Photo: Steven Senne/Associated Press