Progress in a Loss: What the Raiders Showed vs. Houston

DID THE RAIDERS FIND BUILDING BLOCKS IN THE TEXANS LOSS?

The Raiders came up short against the Texans, but this loss felt different than most of what we’ve seen this season. In the latest Silver & Black Sports Network postgame podcast, I break down the encouraging signs that finally point toward real building blocks — from Ashton Jeanty’s performance to a defense that found ways to challenge C.J. Stroud — and why this game shouldn’t be lumped in with the rest of the blowouts. We also dive into what actually worked offensively and defensively, what still needs to be fixed as the Raiders inch closer to the draft, and how long-term answers at quarterback could come into focus. If you’re looking for clear-eyed analysis without empty optimism, this one is worth your time.

CRAZY STATS

Ashton Balled out so we’re dedicating today’s crazy stats section to him:

• Ashton Jeanty is the 13th player in the Super Bowl era with a touchdown run and a touchdown catch of 50+ yards in the same game.

• He’s also the third running back since the merger with five or more touchdown catches as a rookie.

• Finally, Ashton’s 188 yards from scrimmage are the second most by a Raiders rookie, second only to Bo Jackson (235 total yards vs. Seattle on 11/30/87)

NO MORAL VICTORIES? THIS HAS TO COUNT FOR SOMETHING

RECAP

The Raiders came up just short in a 23–21 loss to the Texans, but this one was far more competitive than most of what we’ve seen during Las Vegas’ nine-game losing streak. Houston built a 13–7 halftime lead behind Ka’imi Fairbairn field goals of 55 and 50 yards, then leaned on a Derek Stingley Jr. 31-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 1-yard scoring strike from C.J. Stroud to Dalton Schultz to hold on late. Stroud finished with 187 yards and a touchdown, while Nico Collins had four catches for 59 yards as the Texans improved to 10-5 and extended their winning streak to seven.

Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was the story for the Raiders. The sixth overall pick carried the offense with 24 rushes for 128 yards and a 51-yard touchdown run, while also adding a 60-yard touchdown reception — the longest TD catch by a Raiders running back since 2016. Jeanty finished with 188 yards from scrimmage, the second-most by a rookie in franchise history, and became just the third rookie running back since 1970 to record five receiving touchdowns. Geno Smith returned from injury to throw for 201 yards and two touchdowns, as the Raiders totaled 315 yards and snapped a six-game streak of scoring fewer than 17 points and finishing under 275 yards.

Las Vegas pulled within two late, but a costly pass-interference penalty on Darien Porter on third-and-20 extended Houston’s final drive and allowed the Texans to run out the clock. The loss dropped the Raiders to 2-13, but the final score reflected a team that competed — that has the count for something at this stage of the game, especially after what happened last weekend in Philly.

ANALYSIS

The Raiders ran the ball effectively — something we haven’t seen over the course of a full game since Week 4 against the Bears. Their 27 rushing attempts were the most since their last win back in mid-October against Tennessee, but this time the production matched the volume. Ashton Jeanty averaged 5.3 yards per carry and had 22 carries through the first three quarters alone, while the Raiders forced 10 missed tackles on the ground. That commitment mattered. It forced Houston’s defense to respect the run and opened up space in the passing game, with defenders consistently peeking into the backfield. Yes, it came in a loss, but for a two-win team to do that against the NFL’s top defense is a legitimate positive.

Defensively, the Raiders benefitted from C.J. Stroud being off on early downs, pushing Houston into longer third-down situations than they’re used to facing. That disrupted an offense built on “death by a thousand cuts.” It also felt like Patrick Graham cranked it up a bit. After leaning heavily on Cover-3 for much of the season, the Raiders mixed their looks more in this one, sprinkling in additional man coverage and showing more aggression overall. At times, it looked far more like a Patrick Graham–led defense than what we’ve consistently seen this year. The defensive line held up well, forcing four three-and-outs and pushing the season total to 40 — the most the Raiders have recorded in a season since 2014.

The issues came late, when missed tackles led to chunk plays, and while Nico Collins was largely contained, he still drew 44 yards in defensive pass interference penalties that had a significant impact on the game. Overall, this one lands in uncomfortable territory — a moral victory. I hate even typing that, but after how this season has gone, the Raiders needed a game like this, even in a losing effort. Plus, I know a lot of you are stoked to hold onto draft positioning, too.

For a deeper dive into the game, watch our post-game reaction podcast linked above.

PETE WANTS TO SEE IT THROUGH

MISS ANYTHING?

Catch up on some of our recent stories:

YOUNG BUCKS

ASHTON JEANTY

We talked a lot about Ashton Jeanty so we won’t beat a dead horse, but here’s what Demeco Ryans had to say about the rookie after the game:

JACK BECH

Jack Bech finished tied for second on the team in receiving yards with 43 on the day, not a game-breaking day by any means, but he did get loose on a career-long 37-yarder.

CALEB ROGERS

Caleb Rogers made his fourth straight start and was part of an interior offensive line that played a nice game agaisnt a tough Texans front seven.

TONKA HEMINGWAY

Tonka played 22 snaps in the loss to the Texans and snagged himself two tackles, one TFL, and a QB hit.

DARIEN PORTER

Darien’s taken hold of the starting spot opposite Eric Stokes since Kyu Blu Kelly went down and he’s gone through the ups and downs of a rookie at the position. Sunday he had some moments. He allowed three catches on six targets, and 49 yards receiving (40 to Nico Collins), but he also picked up a pair of pass interference calls.

INTERESTING READ

With draft evaluations starting to heat up, The Athletic dives into Dante Moore’s performance in the opening round of the College Football Playoff — and it’s required reading for Raiders fans tracking quarterback options. The piece breaks down what Moore showed on the field against James Madison, how scouts are viewing his performance as the stage gets bigger, and what it could mean for his long-term NFL outlook. If you’re looking for deeper intel on Moore as the playoff — and draft conversation — ramps up, this is a smart one to check out.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Pete heads to the podium for his usual Monday press conference around 11:00 a.m. PT so stay tuned for updates from that.

Also, keep an eye out for the next episode of the Silver & Black Sports Network Podcast dropping on Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. PT.

Catch ya next time,