HENDERSON, Nev. — The tone was set immediately. On the Las Vegas Raiders’ first offensive snap of the game, Baltimore Ravens edge rusher Odafe Oweh used a speed rush to blow by left tackle Kolton Miller and strip-sack quarterback Gardner Minshew.
Miller recovered the fumble, but it was an awful start for the Raiders that resulted in a quick three-and-out. While Las Vegas would go on to pull out an impressive 26-23 win last Sunday, Miller’s miscue represented something that could still derail the team moving forward.
The Raiders have an offensive line issue.
They beat the Ravens despite allowing five sacks, surrendering 10 quarterback hits and being limited to 27 rushing yards on 17 carries. But that’s not sustainable. For the Raiders offense to be reliable, the line has to be better.
“We haven’t been balanced, and that’s really tough on our offensive line, and it’s tough on our quarterback because guys are just teeing off,” head coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday. “(The defensive linemen are) in three-point track stances and just running laps around our guys. That’s not how we want to play football.”
🔴🎥 Live: HC Antonio Pierce addresses the media from the Intermountain Health Performance Center. https://t.co/rJWSIDDTs2
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 18, 2024
The Raiders’ pass protection has been suspect. They’ve only allowed a pressure rate of 31.3 percent (12th) according to TruMedia, but that’s more of a function of the offense under Minshew than the offensive line playing well.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy has leaned heavily on short, quick-hitting passing concepts to get the ball out of Minshew’s hands quickly. Minshew’s average time to throw has been 2.96 seconds, which is 18th-best among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 30 passes, and he’s averaging just 5.4 air yards per attempt (30th).
When Minshew has held onto the ball longer and/or pushed the ball down the field, the pass protection has quickly crumbled. He has taken nine sacks (tied for most in the NFL) and 15 quarterback hits (tied for 26th) as a result.
Minshew is mobile enough to evade pass rushers and buy extra time in the pocket, which has helped him put up big numbers despite the pass-blocking issues. He has completed 77.5 percent of his passes (first) for 533 yards (second), two touchdowns and two interceptions.
For that level of production to hold up over a full season, however, the offensive line has to make strides in pass protection. Minshew shined in the Week 2 win over the Ravens, but that was despite the O-line.
The biggest culprit thus far has been Miller. The seven-year veteran has given up seven pressures (most on the team) and five sacks (most in the NFL). For context, Miller hasn’t allowed five sacks in an entire season since 2021, and his career high for sacks allowed in a season was seven in 2019. In Miller’s defense, he suffered a shoulder injury last season that required surgery and forced him to miss OTAs, most of training camp and all three preseason games.
“It’s tough,” Pierce said Monday. “I don’t care how many years you’ve been in the league. If you miss all of the offseason, minicamp, training camp and then you come back Week 1 and here you go, you’ve got to knock off some rust.”
But it’s not all on Miller. No one on the offensive line has been consistent in pass protection. Right tackle Thayer Munford Jr. played well in Week 1, but he gave up two sacks in Baltimore. The interior trio of left guard Cody Whitehair, center Andre James and right guard Dylan Parham has struggled to hold up in pass protection in both games this season.
As concerning as the pass blocking has been, the run blocking has been even worse. The Raiders have managed a paltry 98 rushing yards (31st) and are averaging a league-worst 2.5 yards per carry.
“It’s got to start up front,” Pierce said. “There has to be an intent and a play style that we talked about and that we practiced and that we’ve been preaching since day one. It’s not showing up on game day, so obviously if there’s (lineup) changes that need to be made or scheme (changes), everything’s on the table.”
Pierce, Getsy and offensive line coach James Cregg have discussed potential schematic changes as they prepare for Sunday’s Week 3 matchup with the Carolina Panthers. The Raiders switched to a zone-based blocking scheme this year thinking it would better suit their offensive linemen — they primarily utilized a gap-based scheme under former coach Josh McDaniels — but the transition has yet to bear fruit.
Pierce indicated that the Raiders need to simplify their run concepts.
“We need to get to what works,” Pierce said. “We can have all of these plays, and I can just start throwing darts, too, but what works for the Raiders? … I think if we just pull back a little bit, less is more.”
Starting running back Zamir White and No. 2 Alexander Mattison have both been inefficient on the ground. White is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry (30th among players with at least 20 rushing attempts), and Mattison is averaging only 2.2. Both can do a better job of reading blocks and making defenders miss, but the coaches are putting most of the blame on the offensive line.
“It ain’t Zamir,” Pierce said. “The big boys up front (have) got to block, bottom line.”
The Raiders came into the season planning to be a run-first offense, but their attempts to establish a ground game have been futile.
“We have to take ownership,” Parham said. “You want to be able to run the ball, and you want to be able to do it whenever you want to and not let the defenses dictate and choose what it is that you do. Obviously, we pride ourselves on that and we need to be better.”
Instead of emphasizing the run, the Raiders have essentially abandoned it, attempting only 19.5 rushes per game (30th). Pierce said he wants White to touch the ball at least 20 times per game, but he’s averaging only 13.5 through two games. Changing that will require a stronger commitment to the run and improvement from the offensive line.
“This is just technique and fundamentals and then a little bit of strain,” Pierce said. “At some point, you’ve just got to commit to it. If it’s this week or next week or whenever it comes, you’ve got to commit to the run and stay with it and trust it. … It’s hard to get (in) a rhythm when you don’t touch the ball.”
In Week 2, Pierce showed he’s willing to make lineup changes to engineer better play from the offensive line. Whitehair started at left guard in Week 1, but Pierce turned to Andrus Peat in Week 2. Peat didn’t play well, though, so Pierce turned back to Whitehair in the second half. There could be more shuffling to come if positive strides aren’t made.
“We’re going to play the guys that give us the best chance to win,” Pierce said.
The Raiders hope to get a lift from rookie guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, who Pierce said should make his season debut Sunday. The second-round pick suffered a concussion that landed him on the physically unable to perform list before the start of training camp in July. He was activated in August after he passed a physical, but he’s been limited in practice ever since due to an undisclosed illness.
“To his credit, to not have much experience or time on task, the knowledge that he has of what we’re doing and what we’re asking him to do, it’s pretty cool to see,” Getsy said. “He’s another high football IQ guy. Do we know exactly what we’re going to get? No, but we’re excited for him and for his growth.”
Powers-Johnson could provide an upgrade if he starts at left guard but, as Miller’s struggles have shown, there’s no guarantee a player will hit the ground running after returning from a lengthy absence.
“I feel like I can help in any way I can,” Powers-Johnson said Wednesday. “They drafted me for my physicality and my attitude. … If I’m out there, I know I’m going to be 100 percent and I’m going to contribute in some way.”
If their offensive line woes continue, the Raiders could eventually seek outside help via a trade or free agency. But they’ll first try to remedy their issues internally. The coaching staff and players need to step it up against the Panthers’ paltry defense this week.
“We’ve just got to dial into responsibility and make sure guys feel really good about what’s in front of them,” Getsy said. “The answer is in simplifying (things), making sure that we’re fundamentally sound and that we’re on the same page.”
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(Top photo of Odafe Oweh sacking Gardner Minshew: Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)
