Raiders’ Must Make This Key Change

The Las Vegas Raiders may have lost in Week 16, but they did so in the best way possible. Their loss keeps them on pace with the New York Giants for the 1st overall pick, but they also went head-to-head against one of the best defenses in the NFL and came yards away from one of the biggest upsets of the season.

The Houston Texans' defense was getting diced up by Geno Smith, and he had help from his offensive line, which only allowed him to get sacked three times. Another player that befitted greatly from improved offensive line play was their first-round rookie, Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty had his second-best game this season. What can the Raiders take from his Week 16 performance and apply to the rest of this season and beyond?

Highest-Graded Plays

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Gordon McGuinness writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down the highest-graded plays of Week 16, according to PFF's grading scale. Smith's 60-yard touchdown pass to Jeanty made the list, as it showed off his athleticism and gave the Raiders the lead in a close game.

"Ashton Jeanty has quietly put together a solid season on a struggling Raiders team, and yesterday marked one of his best performances to date. In addition to a long touchdown run, he also recorded this touchdown reception, which earned a +1.5 PFF grade. That grade resulted from a big catch downfield followed by a broken tackle on his way to the end zone", said McGuinness.

GENO TO JEANTY FOR THE 60-YARD TD!

LVvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/k8CknFOEcy
— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

Thanks to his offensive line, Jeanty has had to deal with pressure in his face mere seconds after he touches the ball. That's why he's had such an inefficient rookie campaign rushing the ball. However, he's had plenty of success as a receiving back, and that's because in open space, he's still as dangerous as he was in college.

He has five receiving touchdowns this season, which is as many as he's had rushing. On just 50 receptions, he has 326 yards, which averages out to 6.5 yards per reception. In comparison, he's only averaging 3.7 yards every time he rushes the ball.

Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) practices before the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

I hope that this is the worst offensive line Jeanty has to play behind during his time in the Silver and Black, but even if he becomes more efficient rushing the ball, it's clear that his catches should increase.

He's shown he's a force to be reckoned with on screen calls, but that shouldn't be the extent of his receptions. They should have him run routes more often. His speed causes mismatches against linebackers and defensive backs, as seen by his explosive play against the Texans.

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Silver and Black when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. Not only is it 100% FREE, but we also don’t spam you or sell your information. SIGN UP HERE NOW.

Follow us today on X @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and find all of our daily content. Go visit our Facebook page to let us know your thoughts on Jeanty WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.