EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty believed the New York Jets' defense offered a chance to improve his rushing numbers.He didn't get an opportunity to test his theory Sunday.Jeanty was held to a career-low two carries for 9 yards in the Raiders' 38-33 win over New York at MetLife Stadium. Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said it was his call to limit Jeanty's workload in the run game and that it wasn't a response to the second-year running back's comments during the week about certain Jets players not wanting to tackle."Ashton is still going to be a big part of our team," Kubiak said postgame. "He's going to be a huge part of our run game going forward."Jeanty said it was "communicated" to him before the game that he would get fewer opportunities in the run game, with rookie Mike Washington Jr. being the team's featured running back.Jeanty added that he was unsure whether his comments Wednesday led to Kubiak's decision."We won. It doesn't matter how I feel about how [many] times I get the ball," Jeanty said. "Whatever it takes for the team to win, I just want to win. That's all."Jeanty's first carry was a 1-yard run with 4:34 to go in the second quarter. He didn't receive another handoff until the beginning of the fourth quarter, when he had an 8-yard run.Meanwhile, Washington finished with 25 carries for 83 yards -- the most rushing yards by a Raiders player since Jeanty's 102-yard performance in the Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins. Washington was utilized in early down situations while Jeanty mostly played on third down and passing situations. Kubiak didn't say whether this will be the plan for the running backs in the coming weeks."We just have to look at the film because we have two runners that we believe in," Kubiak said.Washington was instrumental in the Raiders' scoring drive to begin the third quarter. He had six carries for 30 yards to set up quarterback Kirk Cousins' touchdown pass to tight end Brock Bowers, cutting the team's deficit to 23-21.Despite the lack of opportunities in the run game, Jeanty still contributed to the Raiders' win, which snapped a four-game losing streak. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jeanty caught a short pass, then bounced off the ground and sprinted down the field for a 45-yard gain.Jeanty finished with three catches for 64 yards -- second-most on the team behind Bowers, who had seven catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.Jeanty's reception set up Cousins' go-ahead touchdown pass to wide receiver Jalen Nailor with 11:33 to go in regulation."He's a high-caliber person and had the same great attitude," Cousins said. "He made a major difference for us in the pass game and in the run game. He'll continue to be a key player for us because he has so much ability to be a threat when the ball is in his hands."Washington said he understood that Jeanty's comments Wednesday, in which he said the Jets "have a couple of guys out there that don't really want to tackle," could have been used as bulletin board material by the opposing defense. At the same time, he felt it didn't put any additional pressure on the team."We're all pros," Washington said. "We were brought here for a reason, and we gotta do what we got to do."
