Running back starts to awaken in loss

Marshawn Lynch took the ball on the Raiders’ first play Sunday and rumbled for 15 yards, dragging Chargers defenders along for the ride.

It was vintage Beast Mode, bringing back memories of Lynch during his heyday in Seattle. A one-man rushing crew. This was the running back Oakland coaxed out of retirement to fill the seats and push the team into the Super Bowl.

But that’s not how it went all day — or how it’s gone all season, for that matter. That first run turned out to be Lynch’s best of the day.

Lynch was supposed to make a difference on this team, help the Raiders close out tight games like this one. But it hasn’t quite worked out that way. Lynch came into the sixth game of the season having rushed for only 194 yards and two touchdowns for his hometown team. Twice, he had failed to gain 20 yards.

On Sunday, Raiders fans did see some signs of life. On the Raiders’ 62-yard, firstquarter TD drive, Lynch carried the ball five times for 18 yards. He finished with 63 yards on 13 carries, 4.8 yards per carry.

“He ran really well,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “I love playing with him. I think all our guys like to watch him. He plays physical.”

Lynch found himself in a bad spot in the third quarter. Carr targeted him on a short crossing route underneath the Chargers’ coverage, but the running back couldn’t handle the throw and managed only to tip it to linebacker Hayes Pullard for an interception.

But Lynch isn’t in Oakland to catch the ball. He’s here to run it up the middle, getting the tough yards when needed to close out games. It didn’t work out that way against the Chargers. Lynch carried the ball just once on each of the Raiders’ two fourth-quarter possessions, going for 3 yards each time.

Oakland’s vaunted offensive line, the highest paid in the NFL, should share in the blame for Lynch’s slow start. The unit appears much more comfortable pass blocking than it does firing off the ball and opening holes. On many plays, Lynch runs right into a wall of teammates with nowhere to go.

This was a game the Raiders could’ve won, with Lynch playing the role of closer. It didn’t play out that way.

Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Marshawn Lynch drops a pass, but he ran for 63 yards, his highest total since Week 1, with a season-high 4.8 yards per carry.