What exactly did the Oakland Raiders’ Week 7 matchup reveal about running back Latavius Murray‘s importance to the offense?

What does averaging 3.2 yards per carry on 18 rush attempts and 59 yards mean to you? Some may chuckle and think about the ineffective running backs in the league. However, when you add two touchdowns and three first down runs, a clearer picture comes to mind. Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray logged those unimpressive rushing numbers.

On the surface, you’re not going to crown Murray as the best running back on the Raiders’ roster. Coming into Sunday’s contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he ranked third in total yards among the trio in the backfield. After Week 7, he’s still third in yards per carry among the group. Is Murray replaceable? That’s what his critics often say about his contributions.

At times, the skeptics take their assessments one step further and call for the coaching staff to bench him for one of the rookie ball-carriers. For those watching box scores and still grading him on the same scale as Adrian Peterson, you may believe it’s time for the Raiders to replace him as the featured back.

However, if you examine his carry-to-carry impact on the offense, you’d understand he’s the engine that keeps the Raiders offense rolling. Let’s start with his most obscure contribution.