The Las Vegas Raiders pulled off a stunning victory this past Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, erasing a ten-point second half deficit to come away with a 26-23 victory on the road. The win was a statement for the Raiders, as they came into the game with the longest odds to pull off the victory, but they showed a never-say-die attitude that will go a long way for them this season.
However, despite the incredible upset, there are still some big issues with the team going into their Week 3 matchup with the Carolina Panthers. The biggest issue is the run game, where the Raiders rank last in the NFL.
During the season opener, Las Vegas rushed only 22 times for 71 yards, aided by a 12-yard burst from Zamir White.
In Week 2, the Raiders run game was even worse, as they ran it only 17 times for 27 yards, averaging 1.6 yards per carry. Alexander Mattison did score a one-yard touchdown, but the lack of production from White is glaring right now, as the Raiders have seemed to abandon the run game early this season.
Las Vegas was playing from behind for most of the Week 2 win over Baltimore, so it is easy to see why Minshew ended up with nearly 40 pass attempts in the game.
Raiders must fix the run game in a hurry
Quarterback Gardner Minshew II was outstanding during the second half of the win over the Ravens, as his right arm kept the Raiders alive as the run game sputtered. In order to consistently win in the NFL, you have to be able to run the football, and so far this season, they have not proven they can do so.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has his work cut out for him in this department, as the offensive line has struggled to get push, and White has not looked like the explosive back we saw toward the end of the 2023 NFL season. Carolina is a very winnable game, and they could get the run game going against the Panthers in a big way, building up some confidence as they head into Week 4 against Cleveland.