The Raiders don’t get much breathing room after what happened in Week 4. Las Vegas already learned the hard way that its run defense can unravel fast, and now Rob Leonard’s group has to stare down another problem it can’t afford to ignore: a New England backfield built to stress every weak spot.
Stopping the run has been a season-long headache for the Silver and Black, and the numbers are ugly through four games. The Raiders have allowed 538 rushing yards, which works out to 134.5 per game.
That puts them fifth-worst in the league. Their 5.2 yards allowed per carry is even more alarming, ranking second-most in the NFL behind only the Carolina Panthers.
That kind of leakage changes games. It lets opponents stay on schedule, stretches drives, and keeps Las Vegas from ever fully settling in on defense. It also piles pressure on an offense that can’t always assume it’ll get extra possessions to work with.
The problems against the run have shown up in a few different forms. At times, it has looked like a scheme issue or a personnel issue, with the Raiders not always having the right answer on the field or the right body in the middle to clog things up.
Fans wanted a run-stuffing defensive tackle all offseason, and that absence still shows up. At other times, it has been about finishing plays.
Las Vegas has missed 29 tackles this year, and the failure to wrap up has given runners too many second chances.
That showed up against Kenneth Walker III and Co., when the Raiders were gashed for nearly 200 yards on the ground. Walker III is playing at a high level and is one of the best backs in the league, but Las Vegas still made life far too easy. Even the great Nakobe Dean missed his run fit on Walker III’s 76-yard run.
The bigger issue is that this isn’t going to fix itself. The Raiders are 3-1, but they’ve already run into the best team on their schedule so far, and there’s reason to wonder how this defense will hold up if the run issues keep stacking up.
Now comes another test, and it doesn’t look soft. New England’s ground game is not unstoppable on paper - the Patriots rank 10th in total rushing yards and 18th in yards per attempt - but they are coming off a 143-yard rushing performance in Week 4 and bring a backfield that can create real problems.
Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson give the Patriots a true “thunder and lightning” pairing. Stevenson is the grind-it-out runner who can handle the dirty work between the tackles, while Henderson brings the burst and the home-run speed. It’s a clean complement, and it has started to show up more consistently with Henderson in the lineup.
After missing Week 1, Henderson has been a major boost. Outside of the dud against the Jacksonville Jaguars, when New England was blown out and had to abandon the run, the Patriots have gone for at least 135 rushing yards with Henderson available.
The duo was productive last season, too, combining for 1,514 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground while adding 566 receiving yards and three more scores through the air. That kind of versatility doesn’t vanish just because the calendar flipped.
For Las Vegas, the challenge is obvious. This is the first quality backfield the Raiders have faced this season, and it comes at a time when they’re still trying to clean up their own run-defense mess. On top of that, they’ll also have to account for Drake Maye, who has seemingly found his mojo again and is playing at an MVP level.
In Other News...
Raiders Fans May Not Love This Tom Brady Front Office Debate
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According to a coach cited by Mike Florio, Ryan is being viewed as the more fully committed executive, someone whose attention is centered on one job and one organization. Brady, meanwhile, is seen by some as balancing too many outside interests for his new role to have the same kind of impact, a perception that is unlikely to sit well with Raiders fans eager to see their minority owner fully invested in helping shape the franchises future. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Have Found An Unexpected Weapon In Cody White
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What makes White worth watching now is how quickly he has gone from depth option to useful piece in the passing game. Over the last three games, he has caught five passes for 64 yards and three touchdowns, production that suggests he is doing more than just filling space on the depth chart. For a Raiders offense looking for reliable answers, the bigger question may be how much more of this role White can carve out as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders' 3-1 Start Just Created A Trade Deadline Debate
A 3-1 start has done more than brighten the mood in Las Vegas. It has also pushed the Raiders into an unfamiliar conversation at the trade deadline, with the kind of early-season success that can change how a front office views the market. Instead of wondering whether the roster needs to be stripped down or held together, the focus now is on whether there is a chance to add help, especially at wide receiver or along the defensive line.
John Spytek has not made a move yet, but the Raiders are at least in the mix if the right opportunity comes along. And when a team starts winning this early, the list of names around the league can shift quickly, too. Players who once looked like obvious trade chips may be harder to move now, while Las Vegas is being watched as a club that could do more than just sit back and see how the deadline unfolds. [Read more 🡒]