Showcasing decisiveness, speed, and racking up 202 yards on five kick returns this past Sunday, Raheem Mostert is providing a much-needed jolt for the Las Vegas Raiders special teams unit.
Leave it to a 33-year-old veteran to ignite what had been a slow-burn production in the Silver & Black’s return game.
A running back by trade, Mostert showcased the no hesitation, get up field fast, and vision against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Purdue product ripped off two big kick returns in the 30-29 overtime loss, the first of which was a 54-yarder that eventually lead to a go-ahead field goal in the third quarter. The second was a 51-yard return after the Jaguars scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime. That field position gave the Raiders the ball at Jacksonville’s 45-yard line, and, nine plays later, Las Vegas scored the touchdown, but failed on the two-point try to lose by one point.
“Our resolve about hanging tough and keep coming back and keep working to finish the key drives three, four times, especially special teams returns,” Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said after Sunday’s loss. “Raheem’s returns were excellent and put us in field position where we could score from there.”
Mostert averaged 40.4 yards per return in Week 9 and on the year, the OG old-head running back has 13 total kick returns for 421 yards (a long of 54) and paces the NFL with an average of 32.4 yards per attempt. The league average is 25.8 yards per return and amongst the Top 5 kick returners in the league, Mostert is the oldest by seven years.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young (26 years old) is second with an average of 32.2 yards per return and Washington Commanders receiver Luke McCaffrey (24 and who broke his collarbone in Sunday night’s tilt) is third at 29.6. New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (23) follows with an average of 29.4 yards per return and Philadelphia Eagles tailback Will Shipley (23) rounds out the Top 5 with a 28.6 yards per return average.
The top kick return man in the league is Tennessee Titans wideout Chimere Dike who has 1,108 yards on 42 returns (long of 71) and an average per attempt of 26.4 yards. McCaffrey is second with 769 yards on 26 attempts (long of 58). There’s been only two house calls on kick returns this year: A 98 yard score from Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Charlie Jones and a 90-yard gallop by New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson.
While Mostert hasn’t had a carry as a traditional tailback since the Raiders’ 20-10 victory over the Titans in Week 6, his willingness to not only play special teams but breathing life into the return game can’t be understated. Fellow kick returner and running back, Dylan Laube, would be wise to absorb as much knowledge, ask questions, and watch film of Mostert’s returns. The 26-year-old tailback has 14 returns for 383 yards (long of 38) and is averaging 27.4 yards per attempt and Laube had a 30-yard return against Jacksonville.
Make Some, Miss Some
It’s as hackneyed as “well, time to look at draft prospects” this time of the year for Raider Nation, but it bears repeating: No one cares about special teams unless something goes absolutely right or horrifically wrong. And Las Vegas’ loss this past Sunday is no different.
Raiders kick Daniel Carlson’s extra point sailed wide right after the Raiders’ 13-play, 95-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. And that whiffed point hurt. Hindsight is always 20/20 but if Carlson nails that point after attempt (PAT), it would’ve been 7-0 instead of 6-0 and the overtime 30-29 loss could’ve been the Raiders kicking the extra point for a victory instead of going for the two-point conversion.
Carlson’s Jaguars counterpart — Cam Little — drilled a record-setting 68-yard field goal as time expired to end the second quarter to make it 6-3. And according to Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen, that long-distance blast made all the difference for the Jaguars.
“That was what ignited us, I think. They missed the extra point on their touchdown. We get it in field goal range, or we get it in somewhat range,” Coen said in his postgame press conference. “And for a guy that we have not lost confidence in, everybody’s been trying to get us to lose confidence in him, I know that for sure, and we have never lost confidence in him. And he went on the bye, got away from it, and set an NFL record on his first kick back. So and then makes, obviously, multiple critical kicks throughout the game to keep the thing going. Couldn’t be more proud of him and this whole team.”
The place kicker, a position that’s often overlooked and dismissed by fans, can set the tone.
Where They Stand
Carlson is currently 12 of 15 on field goal attempts this season and his 80 percent conversion rate sits below the league average of 83.9 percent. The Raiders kicker is 10 of 11 on extra points this season and his 90.9 percent conversion rate on those also sits below the league average of 95.8 percent.
Not solid numbers for a 30-year-old who is in the final year of his contract with the Silver & Black. Carlson has been the place kicker since the 2018 season and may hit unrestricted free agency sans a new contract in Las Vegas.
The Houston Texans’ Ka’imi Fairbairn leads the league in attempts and makes at 25 attempts and 22 made. A trio of kickers have yet to miss a field goal this season: The San Francisco 49ers’ Eddy Pineiro (19 of 19); the New York Jets’ Nick Folk (17 of 17); and the Dallas Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey (16 of 16).
Raiders punter AJ Cole III, who also serves as the holder on Carlson’s boots, has 25 punts for 1,223 yards on the season. His 48.9 yards per boot average puts him at 11th in the league amongst his counterparts. The attempts and yardage totals put him at 25th and 23rd, respectively.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ Ryan Rehkow paces the NFL with a 52.8 yards per punt average while the Denver Broncos’ Jeremy Crawshaw is tops in attempts (46) and yardage (2,237).
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