Oakland Raiders' Young Offense Already Showing Massive Potential

The Oakland Raiders' young offense took another step in the direction of gaining respect from media outlets, analysts and opposing defenses during Sunday's 37-29 road win over the San Diego Chargers.

The Raiders' youthful core, featuring quarterback Derek Carr, running back Latavius Murray and wide receiver Amari Cooper, continues to produce at a steady pace:

Player	Position	Years of Experience	Stats
Derek Carr	QB	2	11 TDs/3 INTs/1,460 Yards
Latavius Murray	RB	3	95 Carries/421 Yards/4.4 YPC
Amari Cooper	WR	Rookie	33 Catches/519 Yards

The trio hasn’t attracted league-wide attention as a threat, but general manager Reggie McKenzie has planted the seeds for a blooming offense that is averaging 24 points per game in 2015.

On Sunday, the Chargers found out how quickly the Raiders offense can light up the scoreboard.

Commitment to Excellence 

Carr put together another stellar performance—one of Sunday’s best, as ESPN noted:

Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave assembled a tactful and aggressive offensive game plan out of the gate, and Carr executed with decisive, accurate throws from a clean pocket.

The AC/DC connection with Cooper helped put the Raiders ahead early. The rookie wide receiver extended a short pass play into a 52-yard catch-and-run score up the middle of the field. NFL Retweet shared the replay on Twitter:

You'll probably see that smooth Cooper cut on the SportsCenter highlights, but you won’t see center Rodney Hudson make the crushing block downfield to spring Cooper's run, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur:

The synergy on offense is palpable when the dynamic rookie wideout gains possession of the football. At any point, Cooper's teammates know he can turn on the afterburners for a touchdown.

Veteran wide receiver Michael Crabtree recorded six catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. Carr also found a new component within the offense in the form of a big, athletic tight end.

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

Rookie tight end Clive Walford garnered a lot of attention in the offseason as a key component of the Raiders' revamped offense. Seven weeks into the season, the third-round pick scored his first touchdown on a 23-yard reception toward the sideline. Walford's late start could lead to a strong finish to his rookie campaign.

Walford’s involvement in the passing attack as a complete tight end should put safeties and linebackers across the league on notice.

Silver Lining

Based on Murray’s workload, his role is beginning to crystallize in the Raiders backfield. Many wondered whether he’d become a rare workhorse back, but that hasn't been the case.

Silver and Black Pride's Levi Damien made note of Murray’s lack of touches despite his impressive 6.8 yards per carry:

Damien raised a fair point about a repetitive trend. Before Murray’s shoulder issues, the coaching staff put a conservative cap on the running back’s workload. He’s carried the ball more than 15 times in one of six games.

Why isn’t the team feeding Murray more carries when he’s bursting through lanes?

Taking 20-plus carries per game comes with a price—usually in the form of debilitating injuries toward the end of the season. Oakland would prefer to keep Murray fresh throughout the season while divvying up the remaining carries between the backups.

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

On Sunday, the Raiders rushed for more than 100 yards for the second time this season. The lack of production behind Murray, who’s seemingly on a 15-carry limit, hurts the Raiders ground attack.

Taiwan Jones’ return to the lineup provided a needed boost to the backfield and added variety to the team's play-calling throughout the game, as Damien and Just Blog Baby noted on Twitter:

With Jones (foot) in the lineup, the Raiders attacked the Chargers' porous run defense with a solid duo. Murray took 15 carries for 85 yards, and Jones handled three carries for 35 yards.

Oakland doesn’t have a workhorse back on the roster. Nonetheless, its ground attack can flourish with a dynamic featured back and quick-twitch running back who is capable of bouncing carries outside for huge chunks of yardage.

Black Cloud

The Raiders refuse to pound the ball with Murray late in the game because he has turned it over in big moments. Jones’ smaller stature (6'0", 195 lbs) doesn’t fit the grinder type the team needs to secure the football and move between the tackles. Roy Helu Jr. serves as the pass-catching running back.

So who should be getting the ball in the clutch when it's time to eat up the clock?

The Raiders should utilize Marcel Reece as their ground-and-pound running back. Unleashing a bruising ball-carrier will help control the clock with a comfortable lead.

If defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. decides to put his unit in prevent mode, the Raiders need an offense that can sustain drives.

In a game-defining moment, Helu had an opportunity to gain two yards against the Chicago Bears defense in Week 4 but failed to convert on third down. Now, imagine Reece taking that carry and mowing down at least one defender for two yards up the gut.

Thus far, Oakland’s defense has played soft and failed to make critical plays on a consistent basis in the fourth quarter. Head coach Jack Del Rio should consider implementing a power rushing attack with the lead intact.

Otherwise, fourth-quarter issues could become a recurring problem.

Del Rio acknowledged the issue after the game, per Tafur:

Good teams earn big leads, but great teams find ways to decisively close the deal.

The Raiders have nearly resuscitated two lifeless opponents, the Cleveland Browns and Chargers, with lackluster play down the stretch. As this team grows up, it must learn to shut the door on late-game rallies before they start.

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All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings unless otherwise noted. 

Week 7 statistics and play-by-play analysis provided by NFL.com.