PITTSBURGH — The Raiders absorbed a blow to their offense that could have some lasting impact.

Running back Latavius Murray left the game in the third quarter and did not return while being evaluated for a concussion. Oakland had to play the final 20 minutes without its starting running back and could be without him for at least one game if he has any lasting concussion symptoms.

“It’s always tough to see any player go down,” said backup running back Taiwan Jones, who had only two carries for zero yards. “Our motto is next man up. It’s unfortunate but I’m sure he’ll bounce back.”

The Raiders need him to because their options for an every down back are slim. Jones remains more of a change-of-pace type back and struggled with a pair of fumbles Sunday. One came on a kick return that Pittsburgh recovered at the Oakland 6-yard line to set up a touchdown. The other was recovered by the Steelers, but they were ruled out of bounds on the recovery and so Oakland maintained possession.

By the fourth quarter, Oakland was going mostly with Marcel Reece and Jamize Olawale in the backfield with Roy Helu Jr. inactive for the game.

The only postgame update provided on Murray was that he will go through concussion protocol, which could make him a long shot to be available next week against the Minnesota Vikings.

“I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know how long,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “I just know that when you lose someone who is that type of a football player, it’s going to hurt anybody.”

Murray was poised for a second straight 100-yard rushing game. When he went out with 5:07 left in the third, he had 17 carries for 96 yards. That includes a 44-yard run on the Raiders’ second offensive play that helped Oakland get on the board with the first of Michael Crabtree’s two touchdown receptions.

The Raiders had been 7-0 when Murray rushed for 65 or more yards until this game and the play in which he was injured was damaging in more ways than one. He was clocked by Mike Mitchell and there was helmet-to-helmet contact on the play. Murray lost the ball and Pittsburgh recovered and the Raiders’ top back spent several minutes on the ground being attended to.

That turnover, one of four by the Raiders on the day, prevented Oakland from capitalizing when David Amerson intercepted Ben Roethlisberger two plays prior. The Raiders’ finished the day minus-2 in the turnover battl.

“If you win the turnover battle, you win the game,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “We didn’t.”