The Oakland Raiders got something last week that had been distinctly lacking all season long – a potent running game. And that running game propelled them to their first victory of the season over their hated division rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs. But as the Raiders get set to square off against the St. Louis Rams, they will be doing so without the guy who sparked the brief revival of their running game, Latavius Murray.
After gaining 112 yards on just four carries – including touchdown runs of 11 and 90 yards – against the Chiefs, Murray left the game after sustaining a concussion following a big helmet-to-helmet hit by Kansas City safety Kurt Coleman. Murray gave the Raiders’ offense a spark it hadn’t had in several weeks by shredding the Chiefs’ defense with some stellar play. With the Chiefs having to account for the Raiders suddenly potent run game – something no team has really had to do this season – Oakland was able to move up and down the field, with QB Derek Carr making some terrific throws to keep the offense balanced, and Kansas City guessing.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, Murray has not been cleared to play and will not be in the lineup against the Rams. There was some optimism earlier in the week as Murray appeared at practice and though limited, he appeared to be getting back on track and ready to play on Sunday. But that optimism evaporated quickly when his official status was announced. Though he’d passed some of the NFL‘s new concussion protocol tests, he failed to pass the final stage and has, thus, been ruled out of action against the Rams.
That leaves the Raiders in a bit of a quandary given that their stable of running backs, thought to be a strength of the team when the season opened, has produced next to nothing this year. With 422 yards on 125 carries, Darren McFadden is Oakland’s leading rusher, while free-agent addition Maurice Jones-Drew – slowed by a hand injury early in the season – has been limited to a meager 69 yards on 36 carries this year for an abysmal 1.9 YPC average. Marcel Reece has looked good on his very limited touches, running for an average of 4.3 YPC — though for reasons that remain inexplicable, they refuse to feed him the ball more often.
Without Murray in the lineup, though, Oakland may have some difficulty generating the same sort of offensive spark that the second-year back gave them last week. Oakland will obviously need to look elsewhere for that spark, and OC Greg Olson will need to do a better job of playing to the strengths of the running backs on his roster if he hopes to have any sort of productivity and balance from his offensive unit. The last thing the Raiders, still feeling good after a big win last week, can afford to do is fall back on what they’ve done all season long – which is lay everything on the shoulders of their rookie quarterback.
Last week should have showed Sparano and Olson what an effective ground game can do for the offense and for the team as a whole. It should have showed them that they need to do more of that and less of what they had been doing the previous 10 weeks. Without Latavius Murray in the lineup this week, Oakland will need to find a way to move the ball on the ground or risk suffering their 11th defeat of the season.
Kevin Saito is a fiction writer, sports junkie, history nerd, and NFL contributor to www.RantSports.com Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or on Google
The New England Patriots knocked off the Baltimore Ravens to clinch their spot int he AFC Championship and make themselves the Super Bowl favorites. Find out more here. Read More
The San Francisco 49ers are limited by the salary cap. They must scour the market to find replacements for the 2015 season. Read More
Steve Spagnuolo or Raheem Morris could become the next defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, but which one gives them the best chance next season? Read More
The Houston Texans have been close to being a top team in the AFC for a while. With a couple of additions in the offseason, they could make an impact. Here are five players the team should sign. Read More
If Stan Kroenke's team moves out west without the NFL's approval, the league could force the team to leave their Rams' name in St. Louis. Read More
The Dallas Cowboy are playing extremely well, but there are some players who should be released over the 2015 offseason. Who are they and why? Read More
Without too many viable options, here are five possible players the Philadelphia Eagles might look to franchise. Read More
The Indianapolis Colts are still alive in the NFL Playoffs, but it's never too soon to get ready for next year. These five changes will be vital for the Colts' success in 2015. Read More
These five little-known players who mostly fly under the radar could come up big for the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Read More
The San Diego Chargers recently signed Austin Pettis to a deal and it is a good move for next season. See exactly why here. Read More
The Jacksonville Jaguars are already changing offensive coordinators, but what other changes should the team make for the 2015 NFL season? Read More
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will be with Jerry Jones as the Dallas Cowboys take on the Green Bay Packers in the NFL divisional round. Read More