Raiders’ Run Game Woes Expose Deeper Accountability Issues Under Pete Carroll
The 2025 season has been a rough ride for the Las Vegas Raiders, and nowhere is that more evident than in the trenches. The offense can’t hold onto the ball, the defense struggles to get off the field, and special teams have had their share of missteps. But if you’re looking for the biggest culprit behind this season’s collapse, look no further than the offensive line and the run game - or lack thereof.
Let’s start with the numbers, because they don’t lie. On Sunday against the Eagles, the Raiders became the first team in the Super Bowl era to go six straight games rushing for fewer than 75 yards and giving up four or more sacks.
That’s not just a bad stretch - that’s historic futility. Las Vegas has allowed a league-worst 54 sacks, costing them 390 yards.
They’re averaging just 70.8 rushing yards per game, nearly 20 yards less than the next-worst team. That’s less than half of what most teams are producing on the ground.
Head coach Pete Carroll didn’t shy away from the issue after the game. When asked about the biggest disappointment of the season, he was blunt:
“Our inability to just get the ball moving where we have some kind of substance of a run game to play off of.”
He’s not wrong. The inability to establish any kind of ground attack has left the offense one-dimensional and predictable. It’s put added pressure on the quarterback, exposed the offensive line, and made it easier for opposing defenses to tee off.
Carroll has already made some bold moves this season in response to underperformance. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and special teams coordinator Tom McMahon were both let go midseason.
In their place, Greg Olson and Derius Swinton II stepped in. It was clear that Carroll wasn’t afraid to make changes - at least in certain areas.
But here’s where things get complicated.
Despite calling out the run game as the team’s biggest letdown, Carroll has made no changes to the people directly responsible for that part of the offense. The offensive line coach and run game coordinator remains Brennan Carroll - Pete’s son.
And that’s where the questions start.
Brennan holds dual responsibilities for two of the team’s most glaring weaknesses: the offensive line and the run game. Those units have consistently underperformed all season. Yet, while other coaches have been held accountable and shown the door, Brennan remains in place.
That’s not to say Brennan is solely to blame for the Raiders’ offensive struggles. Football is a team sport, and there are plenty of moving parts. But when your head coach publicly identifies the run game as the team’s biggest disappointment, and the person overseeing that area remains untouched while others have been dismissed for less, it raises legitimate concerns about accountability.
This isn’t about family ties - it’s about results. And in the NFL, results matter.
Coaches get hired and fired based on performance. If Carroll is going to demand results from his staff, that standard has to apply across the board.
Otherwise, it sends the wrong message to the locker room and the fan base.
The Raiders are a proud franchise with a passionate following. They’ve endured their share of ups and downs, but what fans want most is a team that competes - and a coaching staff that holds everyone, everyone, to the same standard.
As the season winds down and the Raiders head toward another offseason without playoff football, the spotlight will only grow brighter on Carroll and the decisions he’s made. If the run game is the team’s biggest failure, as Carroll himself admitted, then addressing it has to be a top priority.
And that starts with taking a hard look at who’s leading it.