Through two games, Raiders RB Darren McFadden is stuck in the mud. He's totaled 56 yards on 24 carries, with no gain longer than eight yards, and the Raiders rank 31st in the league in rushing (out of 32 teams).
Judging from fan reaction on blogs, message boards and Twitter, the primary culprit is the same blocking philosophy that Hue Jackson de-emphasized in 2010 when he took over the offense and jump-started McFadden's NFL career.
Meanwhile, coach Dennis Allen remains undeterred. Gap and power blocking systems are out. Zone blocking -- which some critics term more finesse-oriented -- is in for the long haul. Things won't get easier Sunday when the Raiders host the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that last surrendered more than 100 yards per game rushing in 2003.
"I've got all the confidence in the world in our running game," Allen said Wednesday. "I've seen it work. It's been successful in this league, and we've got the right personnel to get it done."
This was a concern heading into the season. The Raiders were throwing out what worked for McFadden under Hue Jackson and going to the zone blocking scheme which hadn't worked very well for DMC in the past.
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