When Jon Gruden hired Tom Cable, there was little doubt that the zone-blocking techniques that the Raiders had struggled with under Todd Downing (though it’s rumored the zone blocking idea actually came from Mike Tice) weren’t going away anytime soon.
Marshawn Lynch excelled in zone blocking schemes under Cable in Seattle and Gruden talked in the offseason about being “multiple” with his blocking schemes this season. So far, though, the offensive line has picked up right where it left off in terms of run blocking – among the worst in the league. Through five games, the Raiders are averaging just 3.8 yards per carry (good for 24th best in the league) and this statistic from ESPN shows just how difficult it is to run behind the Raiders offensive line right now.
In fact, it looks like only the Giants have been worse at giving their running backs room to run in terms of yards before contact.
For what it’s worth, in 2016 the Raiders averaged 4.4 yards per carry and finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards (and that was with Latavius Murray as the lead runner).
Lynch has once again been dynamic when he has even a little room to run, but for the second year in a row, the Raiders offensive line is being pushed around and their running game is suffering as a result.
Wherher the problem is related to scheme or something else, there’s no question something has to change much sooner than later.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Why do they keep forcing this zb if they don’t have the personnel? Hello?