Ultimately, Sunday’s game against the New York Jets did prove that the youth movement for the Las Vegas Raiders is well underway.
How it occurred, though, is what many were not anticipating.
Safety Treydan Stukes earned a starting job in Week One, while cornerback Hezekiah Masses and wide receiver Malik Benson were given at least some opportunities. However, Raiders fans are most anticipating the first career start of Fernando Mendoza, although there is no clear timeline to suggest when that day will come.
While Mendoza is still biding his time, it was another trio of rookies that have slipped largely under the radar that allowed the Raiders to snap a four-game losing streak and put their season back on the right track.
The most noticeable (and shocking) of the three was the emergence of running back Mike Washington Jr., the fourth-round running back who was expected to serve as a change of pace on Ashton Jeanty. However, as Jeanty has continued to deal with the effects of his ankle injury from training camp and bouts of inefficiency on the ground, the Raiders decided to turn to Washington to provide a much-needed spark on the ground.
Washington not only outsnapped Jeanty 38 to 25, but carried the ball 25 times compared to Jeanty’s two. While Jeanty remained involved in the passing game as he has throughout the season, Washington’s sudden spike in usage has called into question just how the Raiders will deploy both backs moving forward.
“It’s always the best motivator,” said Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak on the sudden competition in the backfield. “Coaching takes you so far but, when you’re competing for reps, it definitely adds a new gear to your giddy-up in practice.”
Jeanty’s spot as the undisputed bellcow back is far from the only question the Raiders posed against the Jets.
Sunday marked the first start in the NFL career of Trey Zuhn III, the third-rounder who has spent the majority of his rookie season as a utility offensive lineman who could play multiple positions as a reserve. However, as neither Jackson Powers-Johnson nor Caleb Rogers locked down the right guard spot, the Raiders turned to Zuhn.
While his play was unspectacular, the Raiders still entrusted every offensive snap to him in the lineup, signifying some trust moving forward. Kubiak has insisted on keeping competition throughout the lineup and, after both Kubiak and Kirk Cousins praised his efforts, Zuhn has now entered himself into that conversation.
“It was a dream come true to be able to do that,” said Zuhn on Wednesday about recording his first career start.
Meanwhile, on defense, the Raiders could find themselves in a competition between two rookies.
Masses had been rotating with Darien Porter over the past few games opposite Eric Stokes at cornerback, but Porter’s groin injury on the first play against the Jets should have indicated some run for Masses.
Instead, it was Jermod McCoy who received his first meaningful extended snaps of the season.
A first-round talent who slid to the fourth after a torn ACL robbed him of his draft year at Tennessee, McCoy found himself in a platoon with Masses, narrowly beating him in snaps 34-29. Adding to that Porter not practicing on Wednesday and Stokes’s struggles in the first half against the Jets, and opportunity suddenly exists for both rookies to get extended playing time.
“That focus hasn’t changed whether he was getting no reps or now getting more,” said Kubiak on how McCoy is dialing in with the possibility of more snaps.
“It’s just getting better at your position and being really intentional about your individual and being a factor on special teams. Being great with your eyes and your keys and your technique and those are things that make [defensive pass game coordinator] Joe Woods such a special coach.”
The Raiders face some stern tests before their bye week, starting with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Should they continue to perform like they did against the Jets instead of the weeks prior, however, Raider Nation could wind up getting a glimpse of the long-term makeup of their team before Mendoza even enters the picture.