Getting a Back on Track (Vol. 2)

After another lackluster performance in Week 3 against the Commanders, eyes have once again turned to the backfield of the Raiders, and specifically Ashton Jeanty. He has not met expectations this early in the season, and it depends how the Raiders adjust to see if they can start feeding him the rock with more confidence. He is running hard yet been hit behind the line of scrimmage on several plays. The statistic is quite alarming because the offensive line has not been opening holes for him. There has been a mild shakeup in order to match the intensity of the issue but simply put, Jeanty is being expected to perform at a level that is not sufficient to the elements that he's facing. He had a couple great runs against the Commanders but the majority were few and far between and the line had to be altered. Presumably, the line included a change at center with Jackson Powers-Johnson being moved back to his original position. Jordan Meredith was moved to guard yet all these moves aren't adding up because no one is excelling at any position which is making these moves frustrating for the fans and coaches. Even at tackle, DJ Glaze, performed subpar against the Commanders. The Raiders needed the focus of the offseason to be to stack the offensive line for their new rookie back. As it has shown, a mild investment at positions other than left tackle where the consistent Kolton Miller is, has put Jeanty and more so this entire team at a crossroads.

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