HOUSTON — Rookie moving backmost Mike Washington Jr. continues to amusement up and marque large plays conscionable astir each clip helium steps connected the tract for the Las Vegas Raiders.
He followed up a highlight-reel 53-yard run successful his preseason debut with a game-high 56 yards connected 9 carries that included a 33-yard jaunt successful Thursday’s 22-20 comeback victory implicit the Texans astatine Reliant Stadium.
Washington, who has made plays astir each time successful grooming campy and generated immoderate buzz with immoderate bully enactment against the Texans ascendant first-team defence successful the associated signifier connected Tuesday, said he’s not paying attraction to the hype.
“I’ve conscionable been focused connected the present, being wherever my feet are,” helium said aft the win. “I’m trying not to wage attraction to what the media is saying oregon thing similar that. I’m conscionable going play by play and time by day. I’m conscionable trying to bash everything I tin to beryllium connected the tract and assistance the squad win. Really conscionable utilizing each and each accidental to assistance the squad win.”
He could beryllium connected the verge of carving retired a much important relation successful the backfield alongside prima Ashton Jeanty, but manager Klint Kubiak cautioned determination is much to a moving back’s occupation than conscionable carrying the ball.
“Guys are earning roles,” Kubiak said. “We’re gathering information. He’s a young guy, truthful we’re learning much astir him. But erstwhile guys are having success, they carve retired roles and that’s wherever he’s headed.
“But I’ll accidental it again. Mike’s doing a large occupation moving the ball. We person to support getting him amended successful each facets of his game.”
Washington volition person to amusement helium tin beryllium a reliable blocker and accordant people successful the passing crippled successful bid to genuinely grow his opportunities erstwhile the regular play begins.
He appears to beryllium connected the close track.
“It’s been large to spot him make successful the walk crippled and the tally game,” backmost Aidan O’Connell said. “Coming successful arsenic a rookie and arsenic a moving back, your protections, walk game, tally game, you benignant of person to cognize everything. So to spot him turn and mature successful that abstraction has been awesome. The coaches person been hard connected him and expect a batch retired of him truthful to spot him spell successful determination and nutrient is not surprising.”
He did look to person a spot of a miscommunication with rookie backmost Fernando Mendoza successful the passing crippled for the 2nd consecutive week. In the opener, helium was astir led into a monolithic deed connected a Mendoza propulsion and connected Thursday helium was the intended people connected a pick-6 by the Texans successful the archetypal quarter.
“I spot a precise talented young antheral with a agleam aboriginal up of him that is highly humble and hard-working,” Kubiak said. “If helium conscionable keeps that mindset, he’ll support getting better. He has plentifulness helium needs to amended connected and helium knows that.”
Here are immoderate different takeaways from the preseason triumph successful which some teams rested astir of their starters:
Too galore penalties
The Raiders committed 9 penalties for 83 yards successful the triumph aft being flagged 8 times for 75 yards successful the opener.
Kubiak was not pleased with his team’s inability to cleanable up the mistakes aft it was specified a focal constituent each week and took the work upon himself.
“Very concerned,” helium said. “Two weeks successful a row. That’s connected maine arsenic a coach. And a batch of them connected peculiar teams, I deliberation 5 of them. That’s connected maine to get that cleaned up. I said the aforesaid happening past week truthful I amended fig it retired existent quick.”
Cornerback battle
While astir of the team’s starters sat retired the game, the Raiders started Darien Porter and Hezekiah Masses astatine cornerback.
Those 2 person been locked successful a conflict for the starting spot other Eric Stokes, who got the nighttime off.
Both were capable to bash immoderate bully things, particularly aft Houston’s opening thrust for a touchdown.
There was besides plentifulness of playing clip for young safeties Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson, who led the squad with 7 tackles.
“Last week we had immoderate problems and penalties (in the secondary),” Kubiak said. “I thought the sum was sticky today. I person to spell ticker the film, but this adjacent crippled we can’t get these young guys capable reps due to the fact that they’re each going to beryllium a portion of america winning games this year.”
Run defence improved
One of the main points of accent for the Raiders this week was improving the tally defense.
Mission accomplished, with an asterisk.
The Raiders backups did a overmuch amended occupation this week arsenic they were capable to clasp mostly reserves for the Texans to conscionable 3.1 yards per carry.
It’s not starters, but a mindset was intelligibly developed for the Raiders arsenic a squad arsenic they allowed conscionable 41 yards implicit the last 3 quarters aft surrendering 37 successful the archetypal quarter.
“I thought our tally defence was truly bully tonight,” Kubiak said. “I thought we took a large measurement guardant arsenic a defense. I thought they did a truly bully job.”
The Raiders stopped a second-and-1 and a third-and-1 aft the 2-minute informing to unit a punt and acceptable up the discourtesy for the game-winning drive.
Nailor sees the field
While the Raiders sat astir each projected starter, expected starting receiver Jalen Nailor was connected the tract the archetypal fewer drives.
Kubiak said it was his determination to play Nailor, who caught 1 of 3 targets for 22 yards.
It’s unclear what his playing clip means for his spot connected the extent chart.
Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected X.
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