Redskins look to emulate Raiders’ offense in prime time
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The Oakland Raiders’ offense is ready for prime time. The Washington Redskins’ offense hopes it will be.
With their passing attack led by Derek Carr and Michael Crabtree and running game by Marshawn Lynch, the Raiders have the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense and are looking to continue their best start since their 2002 Super Bowl season.
Oakland’s high-octane offense is the envy of the league, including the Redskins, who would love to emulate that kind of balance when they face the Raiders on Sunday night.
“There’s nothing they’re not doing well,” Washington coach Jay Gruden said. “They can throw it, they can run it. They have a big, powerful offensive line. They have a couple tight ends that can come in and maul you. They have great play actions and their receivers can get down the field. And Derek does an unbelievable job at giving them opportunity balls and they come down with the majority of them.”
Carr has thrown for 492 yards and five touchdowns — three to Crabtree — and no interceptions, while Lynch has 121 yards and a score and fellow running back Jalen Richard is averaging over 7 yards a carry. Oakland’s loaded offense is also converting more than 54 percent of its third-down opportunities, which could be a difference-maker against a banged-up Washington defense that has struggled in that department.
“With the way we’re able to pick up blitzes, we’re able to hit go-routes for touchdowns, we’re able to push the ball on deep,” said Carr, who has completed 75 percent of his passes. “When we hit this field, it’ll be full speed. It’ll be all out, everything they’ve got.”
After committing to the ground game in a 27-20 victory at the Los Angeles Rams, the Redskins want to get Kirk Cousins passing like he did last year when he threw for 4,917 yards. Developing chemistry with Gruden the play-caller and new receivers such as former Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor has contributed to the slow growth, but Cousins thinks the passing game is close to thriving.
“I know for me these last couple seasons we’ve gotten stronger as the year has gone on offensively and have gotten an identity and kind of gotten a better understanding of what we do well and how to make that work week in and week out,” Cousins said. “Hopefully we take those steps going forward and we just hit our stride and play much better than we have the first two weeks.”
After facing the Titans and Jets, Raiders safety Karl Joseph called the Redskins the most dynamic offense Oakland has seen so far.
Some things to watch when the Raiders visit the Redskins:
SWISS ARMY KNIVES: This should be a showdown of multidimensional threats: Oakland’s Cordarrelle Patterson, who’s proving he can be more than an elite kick returner, and Washington’s Chris Thompson, who’s far more than a third-down back.