McDaniels Takes Ownership of Offense's Struggles

Las Vegas Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels will look to mix up the play-calling this week.

The Las Vegas Raiders are, by all accounts, a run-first team. Few offenses in the National Football League are as reliant on the success of their running games as the Raiders. 

Since that is the case, the Raiders must be more focused than most teams to mix up their play-calling to keep defenses off balance.

"Every time you hand the ball off you want it to be second-and-six or more if it's a first down play," McDaniels said. 

Last season, the Raiders averaged 4.8 yards per carry, the sixth-best in the NFL.

"A team that runs the ball well is averaging four and a half a carry or more, and we obviously had some experience running it well last season and we need to get back to what we have been good at in the past," McDaniels said.

After two games this season, the Raiders are averaging only 2.6 yards per carry, which is tied for second-worst in the league. 

Every team will focus on stopping running back Josh Jacobs and the Raiders' offense. It will be up to the Raiders' offensive minds to develop game plans that best suit their strengths while not being predictable. 

"But again, there's no shortcut," McDaniels said. "We all have a job to do. We have a job to do as a coaching staff of putting together the right plan so that we have a chance to be successful and we've just got to execute better across the board. You can have six guys do the right thing and the other four or five don't, and it's a problem.

"We all bear the burden, and it starts with me. I've got to do a better job of putting us in the right spots and we've got to execute better." 

The Raiders have already turned the page and their attention to their home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers and even got an extra day of preparation, as the Steelers played on Monday night. 

It will be up to the Raiders offense to continue working through the normal early season growing pains and the growing pains that come with having a new quarterback under center and their starting running back missing all of training camp. 

The Silver and Black return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 8:20 p.m. EDT/5:20 p.m. PDT.

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