Graney: Raiders offense downright offensive after 6 games
It wasn’t supposed to go this way.
The preseason Raiders were supposed to be led by their offense, by a new quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and the NFL’s leading rusher last season and one of the league’s best wide receivers.
The defense was thought yet again to be a crutch. Something to be overcome. A real eye sore.
Flip that script. It actually has been the side of the ball stopping others that has shined most. The one whose job it is to score points? Not so much.
The Raiders that play at Chicago on Sunday can’t get out of the way of themselves most offensive possessions, a truth that must change for any serious run at a record good enough for playoff consideration.
The team has managed at least 20 points once in six games, and needed a safety against the Patriots to score 21 in a victory. Such numbers won’t beat really good teams. The Raiders at 3-3 have yet to beat a really good team and won’t face one Sunday.
Can’t run it
It’s as simple as football makes it. The Raiders can’t run the ball. Can’t block well enough to do so.
They rank 31st in rushing offense with averages of 73.5 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry. They have three rushing touchdowns in six games.
Josh Jacobs just can’t get going with any level of consistency. Can find open lanes. There aren’t enough.
Here might loom an even larger problem: They haven’t gotten star wide receiver Davante Adams the ball much lately. He has just nine combined targets the past two weeks.
No wonder he skipped out in talking with the media after the New England game. No wonder he expressed such frustration over a lack of touches at his weekly news conference Wednesday.
I know. It’s not as easy to say this is all on the Raiders. The defense plays a part in these things, and it’s obvious those scheming against Adams are doing everything possible to take him away. But that also occurred in Green Bay.
I’m guessing having Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback helped offset that problem.
Veteran Brian Hoyer, who will replace Garoppolo — out with a back injury — against the Bears, must do a better job finding Adams. He’s open more than he has been targeted.
Coach Josh McDaniels also has to do better calling plays that allow Adams to beat those double-teaming defenses. Everyone needs to do their jobs better.
“We’re trying to do all the right things to make sure he’s impacting the game the way he needs to,” McDaniels said. “There are definitely some times where there is no way you can throw it to him based on what the defense does. So there is a balance of being smart with the ball and seeing the defense and doing enough to put the ball in his hands.
“There were a couple plays (against the Patriots) where there were three people chasing him around. This isn’t the first time I’ve gone through this.”
Not new concept
McDaniels had some of the same issues as the coach in Denver with Brandon Marshall and as offensive coordinator in New England with Randy Moss and Rob Gronkowski. Elite talents where there might be once or twice a quarter when the player isn’t being double-teamed or otherwise taken away. You have to see those times as a quarterback.
You have to hit those passes.
The Raiders haven’t done it enough with Adams in recent weeks. They haven’t stretched the field much, either, with Garoppolo’s longest pass 32 yards on a catch-and-run from a tight end.
Can’t run it and can’t go deep. It’s a bad combination.
Man, good thing that defense is so solid …
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.
