The Las Vegas Raiders hoped rookie running back Ashton Jeanty would be the offensive spark that lifted them in 2025, but the results have been uneven.
Former Raiders great Maurice Jones-Drew even argued that Jeanty’s slow start isn’t entirely his fault, pointing instead to the lack of a true No. 1 receiver.
With defenses keying on the run and tight end Brock Bowers serving as the de facto top option, Jeanty has often been hit behind the line before he can build momentum.
Through three games, he managed just 144 rushing yards on 47 carries, a stat line that suggests more about his surroundings than his effort.
That made what happened in Week 4 all the more bittersweet. After piling up 155 total yards and three touchdowns against the Chicago Bears, Jeanty should have been celebrating a breakout performance.
Instead, he could only express frustration.
“Feels alright, I guess,” Jeanty said in a video shared by NFL insider Jordan Schultz after the game.
“To me, it’s all about winning, not personal performance. I’m more about winning and putting W’s on the stat sheet than my own stats.”
#Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty on his 3-TD game:
“Feels alright, I guess. To me, it’s all about winning, not personal performance. I’m more about winning and putting W’s on the stat sheet than my own stats.”
Mature beyond his years. 👏
(🎥 @alexeschelman) pic.twitter.com/hSKlpaYNCR
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 29, 2025
Jeanty became the first Raiders rookie since Bo Jackson in 1987 to score three touchdowns in a game. His highlight was a 64-yard sprint down the sideline that gave Las Vegas a second-quarter lead.
He also added an 8-yard reception and another rushing score, joining a select group of players 21 or younger, including Ja’Marr Chase, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, and De’Von Achane, to post a three-touchdown game in the last decade.
Yet none of that mattered after the Raiders fell 25-24 on a last-minute blocked field goal. The heartbreak only underscored Jeanty’s words: individual accomplishments mean little without victories.
Quarterback Geno Smith bore much of the blame, throwing three interceptions that repeatedly stalled drives and set up Chicago points.
Afterward, he admitted the “reality” was that he hadn’t been the player Las Vegas signed him to be. Head coach Pete Carroll backed him publicly, but Smith now leads the league in interceptions.
For all of Jeanty’s promise, the Raiders are left at 1-3, still searching for a way to turn standout performances into wins. Until the turnovers stop, Jeanty’s milestone games will feel like hollow victories.