Graney: Plenty of blame for Raiders’ putrid running game

Carnell Williams is right. The Raiders have no choice. They have to roll up their sleeves and prepare for each Sunday. They have to continue chopping wood and put their heads down and work.

No matter how dire things are.

They can’t run the ball at historic levels. Last in the NFL. Have been all season. It all goes together, an offensive line that hasn’t performed to any sort of memorable level and running backs who haven’t in any manner made a difference.

“I take ownership,” said Williams, the team’s running backs coach. “I’ve fallen short. Whenever you’re 2-8 as a team, it’s a combination of everybody. We have to be much better. I have to be better.

“I think what has really held us back is consistency, being consistent every single day. Details matter in the run game. The more we can bring clarity to these guys where they truly understand the game plan, the better we’ll be for the Raiders.”

Forty-three pass attempts?

The game plan hasn’t worked to the point that Luke Getsy was fired as offensive coordinator. Scott Turner took over in an interim role, but it’s not as if the Raiders discovered their run game in a 34-19 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.

So they threw the ball 43 times with quarterback Gardner Minshew. It’s not close to being a recipe for success. Not with this team.

The Raiders average about 75 yards rushing.

They had 60 in Miami.

Yes. Injuries up front and in the backfield have played a part. So, too, has youth across the offensive line. There are reasons for why the Raiders are so inept running the ball.

But 10 games later — including six straight losses — there hasn’t been any level of production that makes you think steady improvement is around the corner. There hasn’t been many Sundays when you believe running the ball might become a strength. Or even make the slightest difference.

What makes matters worse: Coach Antonio Pierce has preached all season about the importance of being defined by a physical run game. That the Raiders wouldn’t relent on this part. It seems they have with those 43 pass attempts against the Dolphins.

Maybe they’re not going to continue banging their heads against a wall with the run game. Still, you can’t overstate its importance to any scheme. Can’t run, can’t win.

Joe Philbin, the team’s interim offensive line coach, sees incremental steps being made. Who understands that when you have rookies manning important positions, such as Jackson Powers-Johnson at center, communication isn’t always going to be as smooth as coaches would prefer.

“Things don’t happen overnight,” Philbin said. “We have a long ways to go. We certainly have to do a better job in the run game. We have to have efficiency and production. If we don’t get it right on the practice field, there’s no chance of getting it right on Sunday. So you have to have faith in the things you’re doing during the week.”

Not quitting

I’m not sure how they can given the results. Whether it’s scheme or a lack of talent or coaching, there is far too much uncertainty from all points of the ledger.

I’m also not sure how much better things can get this far into the season.

But it shouldn’t be this bad.

“We have a lot to improve on and a lot of work to do and a lot of football left,” Williams said. “We’re hopeful over these next seven games that we can put them in position where they can go out and perform at a high level.

“They’re not quitting. They continue to play hard. Once we’re all on the same page of what we want to see, the results will come.”

Time is running out. Merely competent would do at this point.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.