Ashton Jeanty had his most productive game in a Raiders uniform against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and former Raider great Lincoln Kennedy said the difference this week was the play of his offensive line.
“That’s why you were able to get 188 yards out of Ashton Jeanty. The fact is the offensive line took care of business. They were sound,” Kennedy said on the Locked on Raiders Squad Show podcast.
“Probably the soundest I’ve seen them all season when it came to blocking assignments and where they’re supposed to be. They really tried to move Houston off to football. I tip my hat to that This is why you see a back like Ashton can have such a big day. I thought [the offensive line] played really well.”
As for what changed against the Texans, Kennedy said the coaching staff in Las Vegas got away from some of the zone blocking schemes they have utilized all season.
“There were more man blocks. Man plays called Sunday against the Texans than I’ve seen all season out of this group,” Kennedy said.
“For what it’s worth, they’ve got some big guys, but I just didn’t think they had the muscle mass to be able to move these guys off the line. And they did. And they proved me wrong this past game. They did. They were moving them.”
Going forward, it will be interesting to see how the offensive line plays in the final two games of the season.
The New York Giants travel to Allegiant Stadium on Sunday and will bring with them the second-worst run defense in the NFL this season. The Raiders host Kansas City the following week, and every indication is that the Chiefs have given up on any ideas of competing since Patrick Mahomes was lost for the season and they were eliminated from playoff contention.
Jeanty only needs 172 rushing yards in the next two weeks to eclipse 1,000 yards on the season, but if Pete Carroll and company finally figure out the solution to the running game, the cost could be significant.
Sunday’s game against the Giants will go a long way to deciding the first-overall pick in the draft and for the first time since they hosted the Browns on November 23, the Raiders (-1.5) are favored to win.
2026 might be a great year to draft in the top 10, unless…
Appearing on the Rich Eisen Show last week, long time draft analyst Todd McShay said this is not going to be a great year to have a top 10 pick – unless you have the first pick.
“I hate to say this as we get ready to embark on the 2026 draft process, it’s not a great top 10 in terms of what we’re used to,” McShay told Eisen.
“With the elite offensive tackles and pass rushers. There’s a lot of good ones… [but] it’s a different class in that the positions of value are not the best players this year. So I’m looking at that number one overall pick and I think I have it right. It is the Giants right now… I would love to have that first pick because if it’s only Mendoza or even if it’s Mendoza and let’s say more, but not Simpson, teams are going to be clamoring to go up and get that pick ahead of the Raiders.”
x: @raidersbeat