The long awaited breakout game for Ashton Jeanty happened. Or at least it felt like it was a long time. Three weeks into his NFL career, Jeanty hadn’t made much noise.
The rookie running back rushed for 138 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries in Week 4. He also had 17 receiving yards and two touchdowns on two receptions. Jeanty went from one total touchdown in three weeks to three touchdowns in Week 4’s game against the Bears.
The opportunities will remain high since the Raiders spent a top-10 draft pick on Jeanty. He’s expected to be the face of the franchise. But is the breakout real, or was this a one-time performance?
The breakout is legit, but let’s not expect another standout performance in Week 5. This is a difficult matchup for the Raiders, who will play the Colts on the road. Indianapolis has allowed the eighth fewest rushing yards and third fewest rushing touchdowns to opposing teams this season.
The pass defense, however, is fairly weak. Geno Smith should take advantage of that and throw the ball often on Sunday. Furthermore, he may be forced to do so if the Colts get out to an early lead. Indianapolis is 3-1, while Las Vegas is 1-3 — there’s not much going in favor of the Raiders for this one.
It’s not just a matchup problem, however. The Raiders’ offensive line needs serious work and it’s losing left tackle Kolton Miller for at least four games. An already weak offensive line gets weaker due to injuries.
It’s a bad look for Jeanty, who could struggle because of it. His stats took a hit in the first three weeks, and it could look similarly moving forward. Jeanty is a legit talent, but there will continue to be concerns at how much he can do without a solid offensive line.