Raiders’ physical run game fueling an offensive revival

As the identity of the Raiders continues to come into focus, it’s impossible not to look at their potent run game over the last three games and not envision it being a staple of who they want to become.

In that time, they have run for 531 yards and won two of three games. The only loss was to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game the Raiders had a chance to win in the closing seconds.

In the three games prior, the 2-4 Raiders ran for 240 yards and lost all three games.

The key is a rugged offensive line that continues to improve, and electric running back Josh Jacobs. More and more, the Raiders are playing games on their terms. There is a prototype they are seeking and working toward.

“We want to be a tough, physical team,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said “There’s no shortcut to that. … You can’t just say we’re going to be a tough team and then all of a sudden that happens. That’s all about work … You earn the right to be a tough team with what you do during the week.”

As the season progresses, they seem to be evolving into that. It’s evidenced in how they are averaging the third-most points in the NFL at 27 and by cashing in on their last four trips to the red zone with touchdowns.

In doing so, they have lifted an abysmal red-zone touchdown percentage that was languishing near the bottom of the NFL rankings all the way to 15th at 54.44 percent.

A case can be made, then, that their recent surge is in direct correlation to the physical tone they are setting up front with their improved offensive line and the environment that has created for Jacobs, who has risen to third in the NFL with 633 rushing yards on a healthy 5.7-yard-per carry average over 111 runs.

“We’re just trying to keep getting better,” said Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. “And hopefully we keep getting better as the season gets later.”

The ability to successfully run the ball is also opening things up in the passing game. According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders used play-action-pass on 42 percent of Carr’s 27 dropbacks on Sunday against Houston. Out of that action, Carr completed 11 of 12 passes for 134 yards, averaged 11.2 yards per completion and racked up a passer rating of 113.2.

McDaniels said there is no doubt a healthy run game and how it affects the defense enhances the play-action pass.

“It doesn’t always have to go run then play action,’ McDaniels said. “Sometimes you can use some play action to help soften them up a little bit for the running game. But there’s no question if you marry it together it could really be successful.”

Amid all the reasons why the Raiders are running it so well right now — Jacobs has been on an absolute tear, the offensive line is improving, the crisp blocking of fullback Jakob Johnson and tight ends Foster Moreau and Jesper Hosted — Carr urges people not to forget about the presence of wide receiver Davante Adams.

In fact, the more teams focus on Adams, the better it is for everyone else.

“If teams want to give him attention, then Josh is going to be the happiest man on the planet,” Carr said.

It all adds up to a rugged run game, fueled by the physical tone the Raiders want to set.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.