Raiders rookie starts his career with hard-earned TD

The Raiders were down by a score at the start of the half when the Patriots began the half with possession of the ball. It wasn't for long, though, thanks to safety Isaiah Pola-Mao's interception of Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye.  

Raiders veteran quarterback Geno Smith then set up the scoring opportunity for Jeanty with multiple completions to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, along with a helpful unnecessary roughness penalty from Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins. 

Jeanty's short touchdown run exhibited the toughness and elite contact balance of the rookie from Boise State University as he was initially stuffed in the middle but kept himself upright to finish the scoring run to the right of the line.

Jeanty's first touchdown for the team also made him just the sixth Raiders running back to score a rushing touchdown in his NFL debut, according to the team. This is the first time a debuting Raiders running back has scored since Josh Jacobs' two-touchdown game against the Denver Broncos in 2019.

Jeanty had just 27 rushing yards on the day ahead of the touchdown, but if the Raiders get back into the red zone, they know who to go to. For new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll, who is now the oldest head coach in NFL history, he may be looking at Jeanty like he did his old running back in his time with the Seattle Seahawks — Marshawn Lynch. 

While Jeanty isn't quite the bruiser that Lynch was, he is a hard runner who excited plenty of Raiders fans in the preseason by bulldozing over San Francisco 49ers defenders. 

The sky is the limit for Jeanty, and if the Raiders can get a consistent ground game going, the team may find a way to turn around the franchise's fortunes.