3 Ways Raiders Can Get Offense Back on Track Entering Week 5

The Las Vegas Raiders won't be perfect in 2021. On Monday night, they took their first loss of the season, falling 28-14 to the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. That came after the Raiders had opened the year with three consecutive wins.

One of the primary reasons for Las Vegas' first loss was the subpar showing by its offense. The unit had gotten off to a strong start in 2021, but it took a step back in Los Angeles, as the Raiders had only 213 total yards and 13 first downs, while also committing one turnover and failing to score at least 26 points for the first time this season.

Las Vegas was held scoreless for the game's first 20 minutes, 59 seconds. It scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns, but it was again blanked for the final 16:44 as the Chargers sealed their win late.

Why did the Raiders' offense not fare as well? What can they do to fix it?

Here's a look at three keys to Las Vegas' offense getting back on track heading into its Week 5 home matchup against the Chicago Bears.

There were some concerns regarding the Raiders' offensive line heading into 2021, considering they lost three starters (Trent Brown, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson) from the year before. In their place, the team was turning to less proven players such as Andre James, Jermaine Eluemunor and rookie Alex Leatherwood.

The growing pains were evident on Monday night. Las Vegas averaged only 2.7 yards per rushing attempt, while quarterback Derek Carr was sacked a season-high four times. The offensive line had shown some reason for optimism earlier, so perhaps that's why head coach Jon Gruden remains optimistic.

"We’re not going to hit the panic button," Gruden said, per Josh Dubow of the Associated Press. "We have to keep coaching and keep developing these guys."

For now, that seems like the right move. Maybe it was just an off-night for the unit and it will get back on track, especially as these players keep gaining more NFL experience. But if the offensive line holds back the Raiders in their pursuit of a playoff berth, they may want to consider making a move before the trade deadline to acquire a proven starter they can plug in up front.

Josh Jacobs came back from an ankle injury on Monday night after missing the previous two games, and he immediately returned to being the Raiders' lead back. He had 13 carries and five catches, while no other running back on Las Vegas' roster had more than one touch.

Part of the reason for that was because Peyton Barber, who had done a solid job filling in for Jacobs, left with a foot injury. Meanwhile, Kenyan Drake continues to have a small role in the offense, as he has only 184 total yards through four weeks.

Jacobs wasn't effective against the Chargers, rushing for only 40 yards and turning his handful of receptions into only 17 yards. He's capable of more, but it may also be wise for the Raiders to get the other backs into the mix more and not rely so heavily on Jacobs, especially so soon after an injury.

If Barber is healthy, he should factor into the mix, considering he was running the ball well in Jacobs' absence. Drake could also be worthy of more touches, as he was a solid performer during his time with the Arizona Cardinals. Regardless, Las Vegas needs to find a way to get its running game going again.

After a solid rookie season in 2020, Henry Ruggs III has taken over the role of being the Raiders' No. 1 wide receiver. And so far, he's had a fairly strong start, recording 14 catches for 297 yards and a touchdown in four games.

Ruggs is best known as a deep threat, and he's flashing that ability early in the year. He had a 51-yard reception in the loss to Chargers, and he also drew a 45-yard defensive pass interference penalty, which is another reason why it's smart for the Raiders to try to get Ruggs the ball down the field.

If Las Vegas' offense is going to bounce back and start rolling in October, it will need Carr and Ruggs to keep connecting for big plays. Ruggs can be difficult for defenses to stop when he uses his speed to get downfield, making it one of the most dangerous types of plays in Las Vegas' offensive playbook.

So while the Raiders need to correct some issues, this is something that's been working. And it could be a key to a bounce-back performance in the near future.