Out of the bye week, the pressure is only mounting for the Las Vegas Raiders (1-4).

With the Houston Texans (1-3-1) coming to town, this is the most winnable game the Raiders have experienced to this point in the season. So, what is the recipe for beating Houston?

Simple, keep the ball on the ground and play a brand of defense that rushes to the ball and makes plays in the backfield.

First, Las Vegas needs to allow Josh Jacobs to set the tempo.

On the year Jacobs has run for 490 yards on 90 carries. In the first two weeks of the season head coach Josh McDaniels thought it would be a running back by committee. But in the last two weeks, that is evidently changing.

Why the Raiders win when Jacobs eats

The Raiders' single victory on the season, a 32-23 victory over the Denver Broncos, came when Jacobs rushed for 144 yards on 29 carries. The Raiders coaching staff let him be the back he's always been in the offense.

During the Following week's matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas only lost by a single point (29-30), the Raiders stayed competitive because of Jacobs, not in spite of him.

He rushed for 154 yards on 21 attempts while recording a touchdown. Jacobs looked like the dominant back he's always been when given the opportunity. Against Houston, the Raiders need to utilize him.

And Jacobs is hungry for a breakout performance against Houston. In one game against the Texans in 2019, Jacobs ran the ball 15 times for 66 yards and no touchdowns. With this version of the Raiders, Jacobs needs to run the ball at least 20 times to indicate that something good is happening offensively.

Secondly, Las Vegas needs to limit what Houston does in the running game by owning the battle up front. Houston shouldn't be able to move the ball on Las Vegas' front line. It's simply a battle that has to be won on nearly every defensive down.

If the Raiders do the little things, play defense, and feed Jacobs, they may look more like a winning football team.

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Feature image via Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports