The NFL’s seven-week drought without a single kickoff return for a touchdown officially ended in Week 8, thanks to Raiders running back Dylan Laube, whose breathtaking 95-yard score landed him the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award on Wednesday. It was the kind of game-changing play that makes you jump off your couch, and it gave the Raiders a jolt exactly when they needed it most.
Laube Ignites the Raiders’ Comeback
It went down in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Jets had just punched it in, taking a 13-7 lead, and things were feeling a little grim for the Silver and Black. Enter Dylan Laube. He fielded the ensuing kickoff, took off, and didn’t stop until he hit the end zone 95 yards later. That electrifying play not only ended the league’s surprising run of no kickoff return touchdowns, but it also flipped the script, giving the Raiders a lead. They fumbled that lead later, sure, but battled back hard to secure a tight 38-33 win. Laube wasn’t a one-hit wonder either, tacking on another 49 yards across two more returns in that same game. The guy was on fire.
League Leader Status: Can He Hold It?
This isn’t just about one huge play, though. Laube’s Week 8 performance solidified his spot as the league leader in kickoff return average, sitting pretty at a whopping 34.1 yards per return as we head into Week 9. Think about that: no one else in the entire NFL is doing it better right now. The guy is a machine, turning what often feels like a routine play into a potential scoring opportunity every single time. That kind of explosive potential shifts momentum, flips field position, and can totally swing a game.
He’s got a big challenge ahead this Sunday, facing off against the 49ers. Can Laube keep his insane pace and hold onto that league-leading average? You know every special teams coach in the league is game-planning to try and contain him. But after breaking a league-wide scoring drought, you have to think this guy is ready for whatever comes next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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