Oakland Raiders: Seahawks’ run-first offense will test P.J. Hall, Maurice Hurst

Oakland Raiders defensive tackles P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst must pull their weight in the trenches to thwart the Seattle Seahawks’ top-10 ground attack.

Typically, a sack will garner more attention than a run stop. In a Week 6 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in London, Oakland Raiders defensive tackles P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst must excel in the less glamorous aspect of the game.

We already know the Raiders have deficiencies in the pass rush — expect quarterback Russell Wilson to extend plays with his legs. On the other hand, he’s probably going to hand the ball off to his running backs close to 30 times.

The Seahawks rank eighth in rush attempts and yards. They’ve managed to establish their ground attack post-Marshawn Lynch featuring Chris Carson, Mike Davis and rookie first-rounder Rashaad Penny.

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Penny isn’t a major factor with 29 carries for 92 yards, but he recorded nine rush attempts for 49 yards in his last outing. He’s also a threat as a receiver out of the backfield. The Raiders allowed a combined five catches for 106 yards and a touchdown to Los Angeles Chargers running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler as receivers last week.

Oakland selected Hall and Hurst in the second and fifth rounds of the draft. The latter has been able to penetrate in run and pass scenarios; he’s logged two sacks and nine stops in five games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The former missed Weeks 2 and 3 with an ankle injury.

The Seahawks will certainly test Hall and Hurst in the middle along with Raiders’ veteran newcomers Johnathan Hankins and Clinton McDonald. The rookies will go under the microscope in a prove-it test.

Critics raised eyebrows when Oakland selected Hall, a small-school prospect out of Sam Houston State. Now, he must flash when the Raiders need him most. Thus far, Hurst looks like a draft-day steal, though, we know his heart condition factored into a fall into the fifth round. He’ll attempt to play through a shoulder injury Sunday.

With their playoff hopes fading, coming off an embarrassing 26-10 loss at home, the Silver and Black could spark a turnaround overseas with a victory. Oakland will have an opportunity to jump on the right track in the first of three matchups against clubs that have sub-.500 records.

Sunday’s contest will come down to battles in the trenches. Oakland must force Wilson to throw to his unfamiliar pass-catchers. The defense has allowed 140-plus yards on the ground in three out of five games. If that porous unit shows up at Wembley Stadium, the Seahawks will run over the Raiders, sending them to 1-5.