Raiders Will Face Talented Lineman in Elgton Jenkins
The Las Vegas Raiders’ defense wants to improve performance as they welcome the Green Bay Packers to Allegiant Stadium for Monday Night Football.
The Silver and Black defense allows an average completion percentage of nearly 71 percent, the seventh-highest in the NFL. They have permitted eight touchdown receptions, fifth-most in the NFL.
The Raiders have also allowed the eighth-most rushing yards in the NFL with 537. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham’s unit must perform better if the Silver and Black want to get their season on track.
That could be hard to come by against the Packers’ offensive line, especially one of their top linemen, Elgton Jenkins. Jenkins has been a consistent presence for the Packers since he was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins made an immediate impact as a rookie, playing more than 960 snaps and not allowing a sack. Jenkins played most of his snaps at left guard in his first two seasons but has since moved around the line and played snaps at all five positions.
In 2020, Jenkins played 681 snaps at left guard, 297 at center, 32 at correct tackle, and 27 at left tackle. He played 496 snaps at left tackle in 2021 before sustaining a torn ACL.
Jenkins, a two-time Pro Bowler, was rewarded for his consistent and impressive play when he signed a four-year, $68-million contract extension. He has allowed only six sacks in 3,530 career snaps.
Jenkins has played only two games this season, suffering a sprained MCL and missing the Packers’ games against the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions. He is off the injury report and will make his return to the field against the Raiders, a massive boost to the Packers’ offensive game plan.
Jenkins is 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, making him challenging to move as a run blocker and hard to get around as a pass blocker.
The Raiders have seven sacks this season, the fourth-fewest in the NFL, and defensive end Maxx Crosby has four. They need to find ways to disrupt the offensive line, but that could be difficult against a player like Jenkins, who can play every position on the line at a high level.
The Silver and Black return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas next week to play the Green Bay Packers on Monday, Oct. 9, at 8:15 p.m. EDT/5:15 p.m. PDT.
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