Raiders' Ashton Jeanty just wrote a check that he better cash against Jets

Ashton Jeanty is an incredibly talented young player who hasn’t been in an ideal situation thus far during his NFL career. But no matter how you slice it, the No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft has not been as billed at the pro level, with his production lagging behind what most expected from him.

And while it was refreshing to hear on Wednesday that the second-year running back hasn’t lost his confidence amid all of the heavy criticism he has received, Las Vegas Raiders fans may be afraid that Jeanty took things a half-step too far when talking about the New York Jets.

"Yeah. I think we can definitely get the run game going. Get back on track,” Jeanty told the Las Vegas media. “A couple guys out there that don't really want to tackle, but I'm not going to say names."

That’s a sizable check to write for Jeanty, who spearheads the NFL’s worst rushing attack. And it’s a check that Raider Nation sure hopes he can cash against an underrated Jets front.

Raiders' Ashton Jeanty just wrote a check for the Jets game he must cash

Look, Jeanty is a good-natured person, and he’s just calling it as he sees it. He even laughed as he said it, and stopped himself before calling anyone out. But one could easily argue that this wasn’t the best thing to say, given Las Vegas’ run-game struggles.

Again, it’s nice to know that Jeanty hasn’t lost his confidence, but the Raiders rank 31st in both total yards and yards per attempt, and they’ve scored just three times on the ground in seven games. That’s not a résumé that would cause most people to talk a bit of trash.

Jeanty himself has struggled as well, averaging just 3.1 yards per attempt. Sure, he’s the best receiving back in the league right now, but this question was about the run game, and he probably should have treaded a bit more lightly when answering this question.

Not that the Jets are some horrifying opponent, but giving anyone bulletin board material should typically be avoided. Especially when New York’s run defense has been way better than Las Vegas’ rushing offense, and it’s not particularly close.

Maybe Jeanty really saw something that inspired him, and Raider Nation will see a side of him and the offense that they haven’t seen. But until then, this feels like a hefty check for Jeanty to write without much money in the bank, per se. Let’s hope he cashes it.

Former Raiders OL Richie Incognito blames Ashton Jeanty for run game issues

Richie Incognito talks about the Raiders a lot on his new podcast, Initial Impact. And although he was in Oakland for only a short time, Incognito’s play style endeared him to the fanbase, and his honesty about the team in his post-playing career has kept him relevant and made him a trusted voice.

So, on the topic of what’s being watched on film, here’s what Incognito had to say about Jeanty:

Pretty harsh.

Now, Incognito was an offensive lineman in the NFL for years, so he clearly knows his stuff. And while one could argue that he has a vested interest in blaming the running backs and not the big boys up front, he did praise Mike Washington Jr. quite a bit. 

It’s not like Incognito’s word is final, but it’s certainly not an unimportant observation. And the fact that this was posted on the same day as Jeanty’s declaration about the Jets only heightens the conversation around the Raiders’ RB cashing that check.

I am certainly not the language police, nor a person who wants to censor what athletes feel comfortable saying to the media. Guys are under a lot of pressure and are entitled to speak their truth.

To Jeanty, his truth is that the Jets have guys who don’t want to tackle, and that Las Vegas can right the ship in the run game.

But I am a person who just hopes Jeanty is right.

As a charter member of the Jeanty Fan Club and as someone who still believes in him, it is hard to keep fending off the piranhas that are already circling him and calling him a bust. And if he doesn’t have a good game against this Jets team, then the noise will only get louder.

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