The 2020 iteration of the Las Vegas Raiders’ passing game has been a bit of a revelation. Given the influence of Jon Gruden, as well as the guiding hand of Derek Carr, most expected the Raiders to remain a conservative-based offense, with lots of throws near the line of scrimmage.
But these are – perhaps – your father’s Raiders, to turn a phrase. Remember the days of Al Davis and Daryle Lamonica, the “Mad Bomber?” Perhaps the Raiders are not those teams again, but they have become more vertical in the passing game through this point in the season. For example, last year Carr posted an average Intended Air Yards (IAY) of just 6.3, which was second-lowest in the NFL.
At this point in the season, Carr’s IAY checks in at 7.7, a marked improvement from his 2019 numbers. By contrast, 13 passers have an IAY lower than Carr’s mark. If you were hoping for the Raiders to get more aggressive in the downfield passing game, you are a happy camper.
The acquisition of Henry Ruggs III has certainly helped in this effort, but so too has the addition of Nelson Agholor. The much-maligned receiver – who became an internet meme last season – has become a downfield weapon for the Raiders. According to charting data from Pro Football Focus, Agholor has been targeted on only five throws of 20 yards or more. What has he done on those? Five receptions for 191 yards and four touchdowns.
That continued Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. In this video breakdown, we’ll see how those two players connected for one of those four touchdowns on the season: