The Las Vegas Raiders had no shortage of issues throughout the first three weeks of the 2025 NFL season as they got off to a 1-2 start. It seemed like in each game, a new issue arose and made it difficult for the team to pull out a victory.
One common theme through the first three games, however, was the poor play of the offensive line, and as a result, a complete lack of a rushing attack. While star rookie Ashton Jeanty was certainly not to blame, the running back room needed a jolt.
Zamir White and Dylan Laube had not provided much, so fans begged Pete Carroll to activate veteran Raheem Mostert in Week 4 after being a healthy scratch to begin the year. Carroll answered those prayers by having Mostert in the lineup against the Chicago Bears, and it made all the difference.
Raheem Mostert proves Pete Carroll's decision to have him inactive wrong
In Week 4 against the Bears, the Raiders had their most productive game on the ground this season, despite losing by a score of 25-24. Jeanty had a career-best performance with 138 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but the game did not stall with him on the sidelines.
Mostert entered the lineup and played just eight snaps, but that is all it took for him to make his presence known. He ran the ball four times for 62 yards, which is a whopping 15.5 yards per carry, and he caught his only target for 11 yards.
His 37-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter helped the Raiders move downfield for a field goal, which pushed their lead to five points. It was remarkable to see the veteran free agent, who signed a one-year, $1.6 million deal this offseason, finally live up to his billing as the No. 2 running back.
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It defies logic why the 11-year veteran was a healthy scratch for the first three weeks while White and Laube both received continued opportunities with minimal production. Mostert's signing was low-risk, high-reward anyway, but he clearly deserved more playing time.
He wasted no time proving that he deserves the No. 2 role behind Jeanty as he needed just eight offensive snaps to provide more production than White and Laube combined. Furthermore, four of his five touches went for first downs.
For comparison's sake, White and Laube have combined to have just one first down on 18 touches. Going forward, it is clear that the veteran is the second-best running back on the team, and his playing time should reflect that. Luckily, Carroll seems committed to keeping him involved.