HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) 鈥 Few rookies face higher expectations than Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, and there was great anticipation about his NFL debut this past Sunday.
Then it actually happened and ...
Jeanty rushed for 38 yards on 19 carries in over New England.
Not the kind of numbers he produced last season at Boise State when Jeanty led the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
Also not the kind of numbers expected of the .
But it wasn’t all Jeanty’s fault.
He had little help from his offensive line, and Jeanty gained 44 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus. Coach Pete Carroll said Jeanty and the line will need time to establish chemistry to help him break through the initial defense to get to the second level where he can roam in the open field.
鈥淭hat takes some time, and the guys haven鈥檛 played very much together in real games,鈥 Carroll said. 鈥淭he (preseason) games helped us some, the practice against the Niners helped us some, but these games will help us get better.鈥
Carroll said much of the blame for Jeanty’s slow start also goes on the back himself.
鈥淗e was jacked up and he would tell you, I would think, that he wished he would have been a little more patient on some reads and things like that,鈥 Carroll said. “He didn鈥檛 look like that in preseason. This game, being called on to (carry) the ball 19 times, it was a little bit different for him. He鈥檒l play way better. He鈥檒l see things more clearly.鈥
Jeanty put together a promising training camp and even was featured in the passing game. That wasn’t the case against the Patriots when he caught two passes for 2 yards.
Even if this wasn’t the kind of first game Jeanty 鈥 and Raiders badly hoped for 鈥 it wasn’t a wasted performance, either.
He produced his first touchdown on a play that was reminiscent of his Boise State days when last season he gained 1,970 yards after contact. Jeanty busted his way into the end zone on a 3-yard run in the third quarter to put the Raiders ahead for good at 14-10.
鈥淎 lot of emotions,鈥 Jeanty said of scoring. 鈥淏ut staying level-headed.鈥
He also came through when the Raiders were trying to expand their seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
Las Vegas faced third-and-1 at its 21-yard line, and a three-and-out likely would have given the Patriots excellent field position and a chance to tie the game. Jeanty took the handoff and ran off right guard for a 4-yard gain. The Raiders wound up moving into field goal to make it a two-possession lead that proved invaluable later when the Patriots tried to rally.
The Raiders also put the ball in Jeanty’s hands when taking possession with 4:48 left, giving him five carries in six plays. He lost five yards, but Las Vegas 鈥 thanks mostly to a 36-yard pass from Geno Smith to Dont’e Thornton Jr. 鈥 ran three minutes off the clock.
鈥淭ough running by Ashton,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to do that in a four-minute situation when the whole stadium knows we鈥檙e running the ball.鈥
In game mode
Safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. is on injured reserve after in a mock game on Aug. 2, but that didn’t prevent him from suiting up.
Johnson watched Las Vegas-New England game from his couch while decked out in a Raiders uniform, including his helmet. Only the cleats were missing; he had a boot on his right foot.
His wife, Selena, posted a video of Johnson, writing, 鈥淔irst game of the season but your husband is on IR.鈥
Johnson also , writing, 鈥淧ut me in Coach!!鈥
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