NFL

Raiders Offensive Line Has Rare Off Night

Washington dominates Oakland's usually outstanding group of blockers in Raiders' first loss of 2017 season

Over the season’s first two games, the Raiders' offensive line had been dominating. The group earned the best pass-blocking grade in the NFL and opened huge holes for running backs Marshawn Lynch, Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

With the line clicking, so was the offense.

But in Sunday’s 27-10 loss to Washington, it was as if the five-man unit up front had been replaced. 

Quarterback Derek Carr was sacked four times, the Raiders could rush for just 32 net yards and Oakland couldn’t mount a consistent effort, gaining just seven first downs to Washington’s 18.

With the offensive line struggling, the Raiders fell flat.

“Days like this can happen,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio told reporters. “You just don’t want it to happen very often.”

Washington’s defensive front seven knew it would have to come up big against the Raiders’ line, and it did.

“We pride ourselves on being a physical group on offense and defense,” said rookie Jonathan Allen, who had two of his team’s four sacks. “To go out there and have a team performance like we did is something special.”

Jeanna Thomas of SB Nation noted the Raiders looked outmatched Sunday, and the O-line had a particularly rough night.

“Washington worked over one of the best offensive lines in the league, getting Carr on the ground four times and hitting him six times,” she wrote. “The line was off all night. Pass protection and run blocking were not up to snuff.”

Raiders offensive tackles Donald Penn and Marshall Newhouse came away particularly disappointed in the line’s performance Sunday.

Said Newhouse, to the Bay Area News Group: “The other guys across from you get paid and if you don’t come to play, especially in a prime-time game, you get embarrassed. … We’re not happy with how things turned out and we’ve got to get it fixed.

Added Penn: “We got our butts handed to us today, man.”

The Raiders, 2-1, will now work to get back on track for Sunday’s game against the 2-1 Broncos in Denver. Both teams trail the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.

Contact Us