3 reasons the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Ravens in Week 1
By Alex Perl
3 reasons the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Ravens in Week 1
Jacobs and Drake
The Raiders have a very reliable quarterback in Derek Carr, one of the top tight ends in Darren Waller, and a plethora of up-and-coming young receivers on the rise. Despite all of these players needing to play a huge role in what would determine a Raiders victory, the key on offense will be the newly formed two-headed monster of running backs, Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.
2020 was not a year to remember for Josh Jacobs, despite making his first Pro Bowl, as he endured what many would consider a “sophomore slump.” Despite rushing for over 30 more carries than his rookie season, his rushing numbers and yards per carry were below his rookie season.
Jacobs may have been relied upon too heavily, as he was third in the NFL in rushing attempts in 2020, playing behind an inconsistent and banged-up offensive line, while also dealing with nagging injuries himself. With not much in terms of talent behind Jacobs, he was overused in 2020, and this led to a so-so season.
The Raiders decided to fix this issue by adding running back Kenyan Drake in free agency to ease some of the pressure off of Jacobs. Drake is a better pass-catching back out of the backfield than Jacobs, and his blend of size and speed gives the Raiders one of the best one-two combos in all of football.
Drake will line up at multiple positions for the Raiders in 2021, and the Ravens may not be able to combat the big-play ability of both backs. Look for Jacobs to punish the Ravens on the ground, while Drake uses his multitude of talents to hurt the Ravens not only on the ground but through the air.
These two will both play a major role in what should be a Raiders victory.