In lieu of the injured All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs, Zamir White, starting for the second time in a row, assured his offensive linemen for the Las Vegas Raiders that if he gained more than 100 yards rushing on Monday, he would purchase a pair of Nike Jordans for each of them.
It seemed a safe gamble; White had only once in his short career rushed for more than 28 yards in a game.
Subsequently, he ran for 145 yards on 22 carries, and with 2:35 remaining in the game, his 43-yard run up the right side of Arrowhead Stadium sealed the Raiders’ 20-14 shock victory over the Chiefs.
“These are moments that you dream of and with my o-line and teammates, anything is possible,” White stated. “I should just go out there and trust in them guys right there.”
The defense scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 33-yard pick-six by Jack Jones off of Patrick Mahomes and an 8-yard scoop and score off of a failed exchange and fumble by Isiah Pacheco and Patrick Mahomes. Therefore, the faith was well-founded. And the Raiders (7-8) not only kept their slim playoff aspirations alive and further cemented interim coach Antonio Pierce’s claim to the permanent position, but they also denied the Chiefs (9-6) an opportunity to win the AFC West.
Recall that four days prior to their historic 3-0 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Raiders had destroyed the Los Angeles Chargers 63-21.
Not that the Raiders in middle America were particularly thinking about making a postseason run.
Malcolm Koonce, the bookend edge rusher for the Raiders, sacked Mahomes three times and applied seven pressures. “It’s a huge win,” Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby declared. “Second straight division victory. We simply need to keep getting better because we’re playing terrific football right now.
It’s amazing. We always know that we’re going to have to fight and claw when we come out here, especially at Arrowhead. Everyone out here did just that, and for that, I’m incredibly proud of them all. It is a lovely day.
In reference to the tried-and-true mainstays of what works when teams are on the road, Pierce stated that defense and a running game both travel.
As a result, the Raiders put on a vintage performance, holding the typically potent Chiefs attack to minus-18 yards in the first quarter and running out the clock in the fourth.
Raiders right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said of White, “I’m happy for him because coming into the start of the season, people were talking about him and saying he’s a wasted draft pick and stuff like that.”
“He takes that personal, and to come out against one of the top rushing defenses in the league and put up 140 on them, that solidifies his commitment to this game and this team and how great he wants to be.”
With Jacobs set to become a free agent this offseason, White has run for 214 yards on 39 carries in his two starts, perhaps giving the Raiders more to consider this offseason.
White, a Georgia native selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, is living in the present, both on and off the field.
He answered, “You have to have patience.” “You have to just trust your linemen and let them block for you.”
In this manner, White may cheerfully hand out additional shoes while leading the Raiders to victories against opposing teams.
Pierce remarked, “That’s right there—a football component.” “When the game can be won by pounding the rock and taking three knees. Football’s best formation? formation of victory.”
