Raiders' Offense Must Remain Explosive in 2023

The Las Vegas Raiders will go into the 2023 season with a new-look offense, one that more similarly resembles a group that Coach Josh McDaniels is familiar with.

McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler have put their stamp on the Raiders, building a team that is similar to the New England Patriots teams they were so successful with.

There are several elite offenses in the NFL, including the two that played in the Super Bowl in the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both of those teams were atop the NFL in explosive plays.

Explosive plays are one way NFL offenses are able to beat their opponents. Explosive plays are defined as runs that result in 10 yards or more and receptions that result in 20 yards or more. Through Week 12 last season, the Eagles had 97 such plays while the Chiefs had 87.

The Raiders had 81 explosive plays, 41 rushes and 40 receptions. Their balanced approach to the offense is typical of a McDaniels-run system. The Raiders will need to either maintain this level of explosiveness offensively if they want to be successful in 2023 or surpass last year’s level.

However, there are a few factors that might hinder their explosiveness. Josh Jacobs’ future with the team is still up in the air due to an impasse with the team in contract negotiations, and his status for week one is unknown. Jacobs was one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL last season, and the Raiders’ running game might decline in his absence.

The Raiders also made a change at quarterback, opting for Jimmy Garoppolo and letting Derek Carr walk. Garoppolo does not offer nearly as much as Carr when it comes to downfield throws, operating more efficiently in short yardage situations.

However, Garoppolo does have more career yards per attempt than Carr, so if he can build a rapport with Davante Adams, the deep shots to the star receiver might not miss a beat.

Some of the league’s best offenses are the ones that have the ability to make big plays downfield. If the Raiders want to be a successful team in 2023, they will need to join the ranks of these elite offenses and become even more explosive.

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