Before anyone decides the Raiders’ running game is beyond repair, consider where Klint Kubiak was a year ago.
asserted
Kubiak → decide → repair
Trying to fix one.
Working to improve an offensive line that had been a problem.
asserted
that → try → line
Waiting for the blocking, timing and execution to turn the running game he envisioned into something his team could depend on.
uncertain
team → wait → something
Over their final 12 games, including the Super Bowl, they surpassed 100 yards 10 times and averaged 4.5 yards per carry.
asserted
they → include → carry
That pushed their final regular-season average to 4.1, and 4.2 including the playoffs.
asserted
That → push → playoffs
But the improvement down the stretch tells the more meaningful story.
asserted
improvement → tell → story
What began as a source of frustration became a strength, with Kenneth Walker III helping turn all that work into production when it mattered most.
That history deserves a place in the conversation about a Raiders running game averaging just 3.1 yards per carry and 93 yards per game through four weeks.
asserted
history → begin → weeks
Sunday’s 30-27 loss to the Chiefs produced more frustration: 72 yards on 26 attempts, an average of 2.8.
asserted
loss → produce → 2.8
Seattle offers a reason for patience.
asserted
Seattle → offer → patience
Kubiak and the assistants who followed him from Seattle, including offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and offensive line coach Rick Dennison, have essentially stood here before, trying to get a new offense moving behind a line still learning to make it work.
asserted
it → follow → line
They found answers there.
asserted
They → find → answers
The challenge is finding them here.
asserted
challenge → find → them
But there is another part of this equation that should not be overlooked: Ashton Jeanty apparently is still working his way back to being completely healthy.
asserted
Jeanty → be → way
The Raiders running back alluded to that after Sunday’s game while discussing the ankle injury that has been part of his season.
“I’m going to continue to keep getting better and stronger.
asserted
I → allude → season
It’s getting stronger, and I feel like I’m going to be 100 percent real soon,” he said.
asserted
he → get → ?
Those words matter.
asserted
words → matter → ?
They suggest Jeanty is getting closer to feeling like himself, but also make clear that, by his own assessment, he is not there yet.
asserted
is → suggest → assessment
That belongs alongside the blocking and play-calling in any honest examination of why the Raiders cannot consistently run the ball.
asserted
Raiders → belong → ball
It does not explain everything.
asserted
It → explain → everything
Nor does it establish precisely how much the ankle is affecting him.
asserted
ankle → establish → him
But it is reasonable to suspect it is contributing.
asserted
it → suspect → ?
A running back’s job requires planting, cutting, accelerating and driving through contact.
asserted
job → require → contact
Even a small limitation can matter when the difference between an ordinary gain and something bigger is a split-second opportunity.
asserted
difference → matter → gain
The Raiders need to create more room for Jeanty.
asserted
Raiders → need → Jeanty
They also need him physically equipped to take full advantage of it.
asserted
him → need → it
Getting both pieces right could change the picture considerably.
uncertain
pieces → get → picture
Jeanty, who is averaging 3.4 yards on 78 carries, is demanding more from himself.
asserted
who → average → himself
“I think we just got to be better,” Jeanty said.
asserted
Jeanty → think → ?
They’re there.
asserted
They → ’re → ?
So it starts with us, starts with me.
asserted
it → start → me
Got to break tackles and just make bigger plays when they’re available.”
asserted
they → get → plays
The running back sees opportunities.
asserted
back → see → opportunities
He believes he should be doing more with them.
asserted
he → believe → them
His assessment leaves room for improvement beyond simply asking the offensive line to block better.
asserted
assessment → leave → line
Kubiak’s assessment starts even closer to home.
asserted
assessment → start → home
I put it on myself.
asserted
I → put → myself
I got to do a lot better job of putting us in better position,” Kubiak said.
asserted
Kubiak → got → position
“We’ve got solid backs, we’ve got a solid offensive line.
asserted
we → get → line
And myself and the coaching staff, there’s plenty of things we can do better for our players.”
asserted
we → ’ → players
Asked what that means, he needed three words.
“Scheme them up better.”
asserted
he → ask → them
…and 25 more, not listed.
The Aporia
