Blocking breakout: Raiders’ improved play has started with the offensive line

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 | 2 a.m.

Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs extended his hand and introduced himself to rookie offensive tackle Thayer Munford at the Raiders’ first full-team practice over the summer.

Munford remembers Jacobs asking his name and perhaps sharing a few pleasantries, but not many. The former Pro Bowl running back instead cut straight to business pretty quickly with the seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State.

“We’re going to need you, man,” Munford remembers Jacobs telling him.

That’s turned out to be truer than Jacobs, or even Munford himself, may have realized at the time.

“Most seventh-round picks don’t get to play,” Munford said.

After an arduous process dating back to the start of training camp in July, Munford has emerged as one of six offensive linemen the Raiders are relying on to clear space for Jacobs. It’s a group doing a better job than anyone could have imagined coming into the season.

The offensive line was considered the Raiders’ foremost weakness all offseason but has suddenly turned into strength — at least from a run-blocking perspective. Las Vegas’ three best overall games have been its last three — wins over Houston and Denver, and a 1-point loss at Kansas City — and it’s no coincidence those have also been the three where the line has been the most solidified.

They’ve sprung Jacobs to more than 140 rushing yards in all those contests, making him the first player in franchise history to hit that mark consecutively. They’ll attempt to make it four straight in a 10 a.m. Week 8 kickoff Sunday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans against the Saints.     

“I come back to (the offensive line) all the time because I feel like this is the first time in a long time I’ve had four to five yards without being touched by anybody,” Jacobs said. “They’ve made it pretty easy on me.”   

Don’t trust Jacobs at his word? The numbers also bear out how well the blocking in front of him has been.

Las Vegas ranks second in the NFL in allowing only an 11% stuff rate, a measure of how often Jacobs is hit at or behind the line of scrimmage, per Football Outsiders. It’s also tied for sixth in power success rate, converting 73% of run plays for a first down when forced with short distances to gain in crucial situations.    

The Raiders’ offensive line is up to 20^th in Pro Football Focus’ unit rankings, which may not sound great but is a marked improvement from coming into the year at No. 28. And the only thing holding the Raiders back are some gaffes in pass protection.

The offensive line hasn’t been as reliable protecting quarterback Derek Carr — sitting 17^th in league in adjusted sack rate — but its pass blocking could be on the way up if it’s following the path of its success in the run game.

“We talk about wanting to be a physical team and it’s impossible if those guys don’t set the tone,” Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said of the offensive line. “I’m happy with what we did (against the Texans) and looking forward to building on it.”

McDaniels could have a great deal of validation for how the Raiders’ fortunes have changed up front. He had taken criticism for not settling on a starting group out of training camp and continuing to swap personnel in and out for the first four games of the season.

The Raiders have used 11 different offensive line combinations, but McDaniels has preached patience throughout as he and his staff try to find the right one. They appear to have it now with the same starting group in back-to-back games for the first time this season: left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard Dylan Parham, center Andre James, right guard Alex Bars and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

Munford has rotated in with Eluemunor, though the former played the majority of the Texans’ game after the latter injured his knee in the first half. McDaniels acknowledged the Raiders have taken an unconventional route to figuring out its offensive line, and hinted the players may have been initially skeptical, but said it’s all started to pay off.

“Not every time you have that first conversation is there immediate buy-in because they need to see some evidence of what we’re doing,” McDaniels said. “I think we just continue to drip water on the rock and hopefully we’re going to sprout something here soon. That’s been our attitude since we got here.”

The experimenting has washed a few pieces out. Neither John Simpson, a starter all of last season, nor Lester Cotton, a feel-good story of training camp, have played in the last four games after coming into the season as starters at the two guard spots.

The veteran Bars’ unforeseen promotion from the practice squad displaced Simpson, while the rookie Parham’s quicker-than-expected development already saw him as a surprise starter over Cotton in Week 1. In Week 2, with James in the concussion protocol, Parham moved to center and played next to Cotton.   

Bars rates out a little below his fellow starters by metrics like Pro Football Focus’ player grades, though Jacobs has run directly behind him for some of his longest runs. But Parham has been one of the better rookies in the league — not just for his position.

The 23-year-old third-round pick out of Memphis credits the communication and collaboration along the offensive line for his success.

“We’re just trying to play as one and continue to get our connection, our footwork down together,” Parham said. “Our main thing is just being dominant and keeping that mindset each and every day.”

It’s working for Jacobs, who had seen his efficiency decline the last two seasons to just below 4 yards per carry behind injury-plagued and struggling offensive lines. But he’s up to 5.7 yards per carry this season, which would set a career-high by nearly a yard, and referencing the line as one of the main differences.

Jacobs was back to shaking Munford’s hand at the end of the Texans’ game, but not as an introduction. It was a thank-you, as he started with Munford and went down the whole line with the same message.

“I don’t know if you hear it enough but I’m proud of ya’ll boys, for real,” Jacobs told them in a clip caught by Inside the NFL. “I owe ya’ll dinner whenever you’re ready. Ya’ll make me look good, for real.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or