Michael Bush, Darren McFadden Will Rush the Oakland Raiders Back into Contention

Justin Fargas

I love Fargas being a Raider. He bleeds Silver and Black. He has tremendous heart both on and off the field. But age, a history of injuries, and most importantly, two younger up and coming running backs behind him will resign him to a diminished role if he stays in Oakland.

With 10 more carries than Darren McFadden and Michael Bush combined, Fargas gained 67 fewer yards than they did and averaged 0.5 a yard less per carry. Fargas did carry it more, so fatigue, etc. could easily explain this relatively small difference.

More important, though, is he only had one touchdown with three fumbles. He's the slowest and doesn't have as good of hands catching or running moves as the other two backs.

Darren McFadden

He battled two turf toe injuries last year that limited him in playing time and effectiveness on the field. He had a hard time making cuts with the injury, and it was apparent watching during games.

While McFadden also had three fumbles, at least the one in the KC game was obviously a rookie mistake that I doubt he'll make again. He did get four touchdowns, leading the Raiders rushers.

He does need to work on his ball control. But if used properly, he is a very serious threat, with his blazing speed and ability to make plays in the open field. Oakland needs to get him the ball in space, whether by good run blocking or a screen pass, because that is when he can punish a defense.

Michael Bush

Bush got delegated to the FB role for most of the season when starting FB Oren O'Neal and Justin Griffith went down for the season with knee injuries. Bush was unhappy about being the FB but did a good job blocking and running in a limited role the first half of the season.

Late in the season, with injuries to Oakland's RBs mounting, Bush seized his opportunity at the RB position and had an amazing game versus Tampa Bay. 

His potential appears to have been barely tapped. While a few impressive games don't prove that he's a star, he's shown what he's capable of doing when given the chance, which haven't been many.

Look for that to change this year, as I could see Bush as the No. 1 back in Oakland at some point this season. He's young, tough and surprisingly fast for his size. He has great agility and can break tackles in space.

Here's a look at the stats from Oakland's running game last year.

PLAYER               ATT    YDS    YDS/ATT   LONG    TD      FUMBLE

Justin Fargas         218    853         3.9         42         1         3

Darren McFadden  113     499         4.4         50         4         3

Michael Bush          95     421         4.4         67         3         1

Other Thoughts

I think Oakland will have a better running attack this year. Bush and McFadden will split most of the time. Fargas will be mixed here and there, again, if he stays in Oakland. Also noteworthy is RB Louis Rankin, a former practice squad player, who played well in his very limited action last season.

Considering Oakland has been a top 10 rushing team the last two years, and with more experience and being injury free, the Raiders' running game could and should be a force to be reckoned with.

Not to mention the ability at the RB position, one key addition in the offseason could have a huge impact on the Raider Nation, and that's FB Lorenzo Neal.

Lorenzo Neal

Lorenzo Neal may have been the most solid pickup in the offseason for the Raiders. He was brought to Oakland for not only his great blocking skills but also to help lead the young team with a veteran presence—being a mentor to the team, and specifically being a mentor to injured Oren O'Neal, who had a devastating knee injury last year.

Neal, in his 18th season at age 38, has shown to be a great leader and performer on the field. He makes average RBs look good, and good RBs look great.

Neal should someday be a Hall of Famer, and even at his age he's a gamer. He shows up at every game and gives it his all. His leadership is invaluable, his work ethic is off the charts, and he'll still outplay most younger guys at his position. He's a beast and should really make a big improvement on Oakland's already talented backfield.

He can also help in the passing game, and that's a big plus for Oakland QB JaMarcus Russell. Neal should make a big impact on Oakland's offensive game, which has struggled since the days of QB Rich Gannon's injury-induced retirement in 2003.

Sundays are starting to look a little brighter in Oakland with such an impressive player in Neal and a talented running back tandem on the field.