Raiders running game needs to attack the edges of the Chiefs defense
Arguably the biggest regular season game in Allegiant Stadium history is happening on Sunday, and if the Raiders find a way to beat the Chiefs, they’ll be alone atop the AFC West for the first time since week 7 of the 2021 season.
The Chiefs are 4.5-point favorites going into the game, but Kansas City does have a few weaknesses.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen previewed the game this week and said he wants to see the Raiders attack the Chiefs’ defense with outside runs.
“Where you can attack this Chiefs defense is on the edge. This is where the Colts really hurt them in week 2 was on edge runs, pin and pull runs, outside zone runs, cutbacks across the grain to the edge, and the Dolphins were able to do it, too,” Ngueyn said on the Just Win podcast.
“I think the Raiders have to really focus on outside runs. They tried to get the outside run game going against the Saints, who also are not really great at stopping those outside runs. Early on they couldn’t have any success, but they got better as a game went along and you saw them really move the ball on those outside runs in the 4th quarter. Hopefully for the Raiders they get going earlier on those outside runs.”
Ashton Jeanty still not 100 percent?
What’s interesting about Nguyen’s comments is that Lincoln Kennedy said this week he thinks the Raiders might be avoiding outside runs because of Ashton Jeanty’s ankle.
Jeanty hasn’t looked as explosive over the last two weeks and both Kennedy and his co-host Q Myers have questioned whether Jeanty is at full strength after aggravating his ankle in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins game.
“You can tell that Ashton is not 100 percent and that’s unfortunate,” Myers said on the Locked on Raiders Squad Show last week.
“He just doesn’t have quite that burst right now. You can tell that that ankle is still bothering him. The problem is you take him off the field and all of a sudden that big home run threat is gone… I do think Mike Washington has earned more carries. I do still think the Raiders are going to make sure Ashton Jeanty is still out there because he’s still a big-time threat.”
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Nor does Jeanty have that lateral agility or push off in the receiving game. Been saying that. After the first game there was an obvious drop off. Not sure why they didn’t sit him until this week.
I’d of been happy at 0-3 and getting a win against the queefs.