Voltar
The Las Vegas Raiders' plan all along was to lean on their collection of talent, specifically their young talent. That became even more true during Sunday's win over the New York Jets. Las Vegas made enough plays in all three phases to pull out the win.
The Raiders' roster is filled with rookies and second-year players who become significant contributors. Several have already done so, as can be seen in the inevitable growing pains Las Vegas has faced early under Klint Kubiak. Yet the group played well.
Below are the power rankings of the Raiders' rookies and second-year players who made an impact in Sunday's win over the Jets.
Las Vegas turned to Washington to lead them out of the backfield on Sunday, allowing running back Ashton Jeanty some time off. Washington was key to Las Vegas' win, as his productive day on the ground helped open up opportunities for success for the unit overall.
The Raiders may continue doing some version of this until Jeanty returns to full strength. However, another solid week of production on the ground for Washington, especially against a much better San Francisco 49ers team, may be something the Raiders consider long-term.
The Raiders drafted Zuhn partly because he can play all five offensive line positions. With most of their offensive line solidified, the Raiders' offensive guard position has doomed several of Kubiak's game plans this season. Sunday, the Raiders mixed things up.
Las Vegas spent the entire offseason developing Zuhn at several different positions. After doing just about all they could to try to fix their right guard position, the Raiders finally leaned on their offseason preparation by starting Zuhn at right guard.
Aside from the results, Las Vegas is already seeing a return on investment from yet another one of John Spytek's draft picks. Zuhn could be what they need at guard for the rest of this season. Even if he were only better than the other guards on the roster this season, it would be a steal for Las Vegas.
“I thought Trey [Zuhn III] was calm in there. I thought he was well prepared. That was not a surprise, but I thought he played well. I think there’s things that he’s going to want to improve on. But I was pleased, along with the coaching staff, with the effort that he put on the field and what his future looks like for us,” Kubiak said Monday afternoon.
At the end of the first half, Jeanty had one carry, one target, and one catch. It was a noticeably light workload for the talented running back. Yet he made one of the game's biggest plays in the second half, as his 45-yard reception proved vital down the stretch.
The reception was a reminder that Jeanty is far from healthy, while also showing what he can do when he is. Among running backs, Jeanty ranks near the top of the league in receiving yards. Kubiak noted on Monday that he plans to use Las Vegas' running backs.
“I stand by what I said, that we’re going to need Mike [Washington Jr.], we’re going to need Ashton [Jeanty], we’re going to need Dylan [Laube]. They’re all part of our success, run and pass, and Ashton made huge plays for us in the game yesterday in the pass game, in protection,” Kubiak said.
“Phenomenal in protection like he’s always been, and just the way the game went yesterday, Mike got more carries, and going forward, we’re going to be counting on all three of those guys.”
The entire defensive backfield struggled on Sunday. Overall, Stukes did not play badly. Even on the big play he allowed, he was in a solid position to make a play. Stukes' continued development is critical for him and Las Vegas' defense.
McCoy is beginning to get more playing time as Las Vegas needs all the help it can get in its defensive backfield. McCoy spent all of last season away from football. Halfway through the season, he still looks a step behind at times. He never had a chance on a touchdown he allowed.