4 expectations for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 Week 2
Run The Football With Josh Jacobs
The Raiders’ run game was one of the more exciting prospects for the 2022 season given Josh McDaniels’ track record of success in that category but Week 1 fell a little flat. Perhaps due to a combination of game situation and pressure to keep up with the high-powered Chargers offense, the Raiders ran the ball only 13 times with Josh Jacobs getting 10 of those carries for 57 yards.
As you can see from his stats, Jacobs was having some success when handed the rock to the tune of 5.7 yards per carry but his low volume meant he couldn’t make a big impact on the game. Against Arizona, the Raiders should be able to lean on the run and punish an undersized Cardinals defensive unit the way Kansas City did for 125 yards.
Ideally, the Raiders will be doing so to protect a big lead but even if the game is close, the Raiders should be able to pound the rock and set up big plays downfield with play action. This task might be a bit harder if center Andre James is out with a concussion but the next man up will have to step into the role and keep the Jacobs train moving. The Raiders kept 5 backs on the final 53-man roster and it’s time for them to unleash the stable of backs on an unsuspecting Arizona defense.