MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Marshawn Lynch rarely talks to the press. In fact, he hadn’t said a word to reporters since Sept. 17, 2017, following a blowout victory over the New York Jets where he got hyphy.
Lynch didn’t feel like dancing during or after a 28-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, but he wanted to convey a clear message.
The Raiders aren’t going to fold after an 0-3 start. And they’re very close to being very good.
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“To be honest with you big dog, we are just a play away, a check away from being probably the most explosive offense in the league,” Lynch said. “That will come in time, with preparation. I don’t think we’re going to stop working. Any given moment, it can click.”
The Raiders' run game was clicking against the Dolphins, totaling 109 yards on 32 carries. Lynch averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, but he seemed to get better as the game progressed.
The Silver and Black moved the ball well but couldn’t score often enough. They couldn’t keep the chains moving long enough in the fourth quarter and ultimately let another late lead slip.
Lynch believes the Raiders' locker room remains optimistic despite a disappointing string of results.
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“That should tell you how we really feel,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “Even as critical as you guys need to be of us, you all see it too, right? We’re moving the ball against some good defenses. …We stay close and we’ll be right there, and then we screw it up. If we get it together, once you get rolling, it doesn’t stop.
“We have a group of guys who believe that. If Marshawn talked to you, he really believes it. The fact he came out and said something shows you how we really feel.”
Lynch is a popular figure in the locker room and among the fan base, even though he doesn’t talk to the media much. He made a point to speak after this loss -- though he was promoting a movie as well -- to add emphasis to his point and what’s he’s surely saying behind closed doors.
"What’s going to be most important is that we rally behind each other more than anything,” Lynch said. “From the outside looking in, it may look terrible, but we know what we have in this locker room. If we get behind each other, I think we’ll be able to turn this (thing) around.”
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