Raiders’ 2nd-year wideouts let their play do their talking

Henry Ruggs admitted helium had other information successful Sunday’s crippled against the Dolphins, adjacent if helium didn’t privation to divulge the source.

“I had a small occurrence down maine for this game,” helium said. “I was conscionable acceptable to go. I don’t similar to accidental excessively overmuch due to the fact that I don’t similar to commencement anything. But immoderate things were said, and I was acceptable to play and conscionable beryllium who I am.”

The second-year wide receiver’s play did plentifulness of talking.

Ruggs made 2 spectacular catches successful cardinal situations to assistance the Raiders to a melodramatic 31-28 overtime victory Sunday astatine Allegiant Stadium.

Ruggs finished with 4 catches for 78 yards and picked up 7 yards connected his lone rushing effort successful a crippled successful which helium and chap second-year wideout Bryan Edwards continued to found themselves arsenic foundational pieces of the discourtesy aft somewhat disappointing rookie seasons.

Edwards caught 3 passes for 89 yards, including a 34-yard reception connected the last possession of overtime to acceptable up the game-winning kick.

“I’m ever going to beryllium assured successful those guys,” manager Jon Gruden said. “We were assured connected draught day. All they person to bash is support playing and support taking vantage of their at-bats. Both of those guys had large days against 1 of the amended secondaries successful pro football. The amusive happening for maine is I spot these young guys truly travel alive. I spot a antithetic look successful their eyes. I spot confidence, and present they’re starting to request the ball, truthful they get connected my nerves a small bit.”

Gruden volition gladly invited the pestering if the 2 proceed to play arsenic they did Sunday.

Ruggs thinks the occurrence is lone beginning.

“The biggest happening is conscionable being comfy now,” helium said. “We’re much assured successful our assignments and our jobs and knowing what we person to bash to assistance our team.”

The speedster made 1 spectacular drawback down the near sideline during which helium got open, past recovered a mode to get some feet successful conscionable wrong the boundary. That reception came aft helium assured himself of a spot connected the item reel by going up implicit prima cornerback Xavien Howard to marque a drawback successful the 2nd quarter.

It mightiness person been Howard who motivated Ruggs. After past season’s meeting, Howard said connected a podcast that helium had made a 4.3 receiver look arsenic if he’s moving a 4.5.

If that was what drove Ruggs, helium made Howard devour his words.

“He made that play against 1 of the 3 champion corners successful the NFL,” backmost Derek Carr said. “I gave him a accidental to marque the play, and he’s proven that arsenic good arsenic helium tin run, helium plays the vertical game, too. I’m definite you’ve seen immoderate of his hoops highlights. He tin spell up and get the ball.”

Carr has akin religion successful Edwards, and the chemistry is starting to show. He thinks it started done pickup sessions successful the parkland astatine 6 a.m. implicit the summertime and has lone continued to grow.

“I decidedly challenged them, and they stepped up,” Carr said. “Going against these corners and that defense, you spell backmost to past twelvemonth and however galore turnovers they caused, and you ticker them connected movie and however sticky their sum is against truly bully receivers and they’re making immoderate immense plays for us.”

The second-year pros besides impressed third-year receiver Hunter Renfrow, who had 5 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.

“I emotion Bryan and Henry, and it’s conscionable truthful overmuch amusive watching them play,” helium said. “I get to tally a route, and past we propulsion it heavy and I get to beryllium determination and ticker from the champion spot successful the house. It’s amusive being their teammate and watching them develop, due to the fact that they took a batch of disapproval from radical past twelvemonth for not having the benignant of twelvemonth they wanted and they were wounded a small bit.”

More performances similar Sunday’s, particularly against defenders with reputations similar that of the Dolphins, volition marque their rookie years look similar a distant memory.

“I consciousness similar I’m a playmaker, and I tin marque plays with the champion successful this league nary substance who they are oregon what their sanction is,” helium said.

Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected Twitter.