How the Raiders were able to win last week confounded quite a few NFL people. Mainly because the Raiders were expected to rely on their run game this season and that’s the one thing that’s been historically bad over the first two games.
That seems like a recipe for disaster. And yet they were able to shift gears in the second half last week and pull out a win.
Even as terrible as the Panthers have been through the air, they’ve been even worse on the ground. Leading to a situation where each team’s biggest weakness will face off against each other.
Raiders run game vs Panthers run defense
Or, in this case, the lack of both.
The Raiders have run for 98 yards this season. Not per game. Total. They average 2.5 yards per carry.
Meanwhile the Panthers run defense has surrendered 200 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns. So, basically double what the Raiders have put up.
The problem is simple for each team, really. It’s the Raiders offensive line that’s been bad and the Panthers defensive line.
Run stops have been coming from across the line for the Raiders. No one is immune. While the Panthers’ defensive line hasn’t been stopping anything. Mainly because Derrick Brown is lost for the season.
So, either the Raiders are going to get their run game going in this game, or they never will.