Raiders return to .500 as Mike Washington Jr. sets career-high workload

Raiders Return to .500 Behind Balanced Effort Against Jets

The Las Vegas Raiders climbed back to an even record by putting together contributions across offense, defense, and special teams in a win over the New York Jets.

The victory brought Las Vegas back to .500 on the season, driven by explosive moments rather than a single isolated breakthrough. Brock Bowers caught two touchdowns—covering 12 and 2 yards—while Dylan Laube provided a major momentum swing with a 95-yard kickoff-return touchdown. Defensive pressure added crucial stops, highlighted by sacks from Maxx Crosby and Tim Keenan III.

Rookie Running Back Takes on Career-High Workload

The Raiders coaching staff designed a game plan specifically aimed at getting rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. more heavily involved in the offensive scheme. Playing in front of family and friends who traveled from his hometown of Utica, New York, Washington responded by setting career highs with 25 carries for 83 rushing yards. Before Sunday, he had not carried the ball more than nine times in a single game.

Mike Washington Jr Week 8 Highlights vs Jets | Every Run

He’s just continued to improve, Kubiak said regarding Washington’s development. Coming in as a young player, like all young players, there’s a lot to learn. And early, there’s things you don’t want to expose them to. You want them to learn the meeting room. You want them to learn the hard way in practice, so that you’re not learning the hard way on Sunday. … But it’s been a development process to get him to this point.

Even with Washington handling a heavier workload, Kubiak said second-year running back Ashton Jeanty will remain a big part of the offense moving forward. When asked about the distribution of touches, Jeanty pointed to team success above individual statistics.