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Klint Kubiak said changes could be coming as the Raiders searched for answers to their struggling running game.
On Sunday, he followed through.
The Raiders coach benched Jackson Powers-Johnson in favor of Caleb Rogers at right guard to start Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, turning his talk of potential adjustments into a tangible change along the offensive line.
It”s not known if it’s a full-game benching.
Whether the move produces the desired results remains to be seen. But Kubiak made clear that maintaining the status quo was no longer the only option.
For Powers-Johnson, the decision represents a setback and a challenge to work his way back into the lineup. For Rogers, it presents an opportunity to help address a problem that has made life considerably more difficult for the Raiders’ offense.
The running game is supposed to provide the foundation for Kubiak’s system, creating manageable down-and-distance situations and helping set up opportunities through the air. When it stalls, the effects extend well beyond the rushing totals.
Longer third downs. Fewer favorable situations for the quarterback. More chances for opposing defenses to dictate how possessions unfold.
Changing one player does not guarantee those problems disappear. Nor does benching Powers-Johnson mean the responsibility falls entirely on his shoulders. Effective run blocking requires coordination across the front, with execution and timing extending to everyone involved in the play.
But the switch underscores Kubiak’s willingness to try a different combination rather than simply wait for improvement.
Against Buffalo, the Raiders needed an offense capable of sustaining possessions and giving itself a chance to keep pace. Finding traction on the ground would help accomplish both.
Rogers now gets his chance to contribute to that effort.
The larger question is whether a different face at right guard can help produce a different result for the running game.
Kubiak had promised to consider changes. Sunday brought evidence that he meant it.