Why isn't Marcel Reece getting more carries? It’s the most frequently asked question when surveying the comment section of any Oakland Raiders article pertaining to optimizing the offense.
It’s a good question without a good answer.
Logically thinking, last season would have been the most appropriate time to tinker with the offense a bit. Running back Darren McFadden was Oakland’s lead back with 534 rushing yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry on 155 attempts. As a team, the Raiders ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing yards (1,280).
Former offensive coordinator Greg Olson’s play-calling was part of the problem. Oakland also ranked dead last in rushing attempts per game (21.1), which placed an enormous amount of pressure on a rookie quarterback. It wasn’t as if blowouts dictated a pass-heavy offense; seven of the Raiders games were decided by seven points or less.
In 2014, McFadden had another poor season, Maurice Jones-Drew was ineffective and Latavius Murray didn’t see the field extensively until Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Keep in mind Murray only had four carries in the breakout Week 12 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs. He missed the following game against the St. Louis Rams due to a concussion. Reece deserved a chance, and he didn’t get it.
In the offseason, the Raiders signed Trent Richardson and Roy Helu Jr. to revitalize the rushing attack. Richardson has taken a hard tumble from a promising prospect to underachiever attempting to save his career in Oakland. Helu was a backup runng back with the Washington Redskins. Both running backs have the opportunity to become solid contributors, but why is Reece overlooked yet again?
Reece has a small sample of success handling a good portion of the load, but a small sample hasn’t hindered Murray’s chances of emerging as t...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
