Ashton Jeanty, the Las Vegas Raiders’ second-year running back, saw his snap count absolutely crater against the New York Jets on Sunday, getting a shocking two carries. That is the fewest he’s received in any game since the Raiders drafted him, with Mike Washington Jr. taking over the bulk of the work in the backfield.
Kubiak’s Call, Jeanty’s Comments
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak didn’t mince words after the 38-33 win. He took full responsibility for Jeanty’s significantly decreased role, telling reporters, “That’s my call, and Ashton still going to be a big part of our team.” You gotta respect a coach who owns a decision like that, even if it leaves you scratching your head. Kubiak also shut down any speculation that Jeanty’s pre-game comments about the Jets defense played a factor in the snap reduction. Jeanty had apparently said earlier in the week, “I think we can definitely get the run game going, get back on track, just really get after this guys. Couple of guys out there that don’t really want to tackle, but I’m not going to say names.” Whether that fired up the Jets or not, it definitely wasn’t the reason for the benching, according to Kubiak.
Jeanty himself was informed before the game that he’d be seeing fewer carries. Post-game, his response was pure team-first: “We won. It doesn’t matter how I feel about how many times I get the ball. Whatever it takes for the team to win, I just want to win. That’s all.” It’s the right thing to say, but you know that’s gotta sting for a guy who’s been a key piece.
Washington Steps Up, Jeanty Shifts Focus
While Jeanty was a ghost in the run game, he wasn’t completely invisible. He managed to haul in three catches for 64 yards, showing he can still be active in the passing attack. But the ground game? That was all Mike Washington Jr. Washington stepped up big time, seizing the RB1 role for the day, picking up 83 rushing yards on a hefty 25 carries. That’s a workload that screams confidence from the coaching staff.
Jeanty has had a decent season overall, but the source article notes that “perhaps hasn’t played as well as the Raiders hoped he would.” This sudden, drastic reduction in carries certainly makes that sentiment hit harder. It wasn’t about injury, it was a coach’s decision. That’s a tough pill to swallow for any player.
What’s Next for the Raiders’ Backfield?
The big question now is what this means for the Raiders’ backfield going forward. Will Jeanty go back to being the top option next week? Kubiak said he’s still a “big part” of the team, but those two carries tell a different story. If Washington proved he can handle the load, does Kubiak stick with the hot hand? Or was this a one-game message being sent? We’ll be watching closely to see if Jeanty’s role expands, or if this 38-33 victory against the Jets marked a permanent shift in the Raiders’ running back hierarchy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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