Raiders' Offensive Line Has Become a Strength

Under veteran coach Mike Tice, the blockers up front have done a good job protecting Derek Carr, and the run-blocking may actually be better than the stats show

When starting right tackle Menelik Watson was lost for the season late in training camp, it could have spelled doom for the Raiders’ offensive line.

Oakland (now 2-3) went into this season with veteran Austin Howard taking over for Watson, journeyman J’Marcus Webb – a converted tackle – at right guard and free-agent signee Rodney Hudson at center.

The line was strong on the left side with tackle Donald Penn and guard Gabe Jackson, but the three new pieces on the right side provided plenty of question marks.

Yet, five games into the season, the team’s offensive line has become one of the team’s strengths.

Pro Football Focus, the football analytics website, grades the Oakland offensive line as the best in the NFL at pass protection, allowing pressured dropbacks just 17 percent of the time. As Levi Damien of SB Nation notes, that’s even after quarterback Derek Carr was sacked four times by the Broncos this past Sunday.

Meanwhile, Aaron Schatz of ESPN’s Football Outsiders, this week ranked the Raiders’ offensive line the fourth best in the NFL so far. He noted, too, that Carr’s quick decision-making, quick release and footwork inside the pocket – allowing him to move and keep plays alive – has been a blessing as well.

“The Raiders’ offensive line has been surprisingly strong this year,” he wrote in an Insider piece for the website. “Oakland’s pass-blocking metrics are certainly helped by the fact that quarterback Derek Carr is so good at avoiding sacks.”

The run-blocking, too, may be better than the team’s rushing statistics might indicate – possibly because No. 1 back Latavius Murray has been banged up for much of the past two games. Schatz’s study notes that Oakland ballcarriers have “only been stuffed for a loss or no gain on 16 percent” of attempts – the second-best average in the NFL – but many carries have been for just 1 or 2 yards.

Seemingly, that’s an indication that the Raiders have the potential to break off longer runs as the season progresses (and, if Murray can get healthy over this bye week).

Some of the credit for the line play goes to new offensive line coach Mike Tice. Before the season, Tice told an interviewer on SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Raiders’ unit is “the biggest, most athletic group of guys I’ve worked with.”

Tice, who’s coached in the NFL for a long time, predicted Jackson will eventually be a Pro Bowl player, and the makeup of the unit is diverse.

“We have a good blend of older and middle-aged and some younger guys that are going to be rising stars in the league,” Tice said.

So far, his predictions are holding true.

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