The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t walk away with a win in Week 16, but for the first time in a while, there’s something real to build on-and that feeling alone is a win in its own right. After a season marked by blowouts and breakdowns, the Raiders finally found themselves in a hard-fought, competitive game. And while the scoreboard didn’t tilt in their favor, the performance on the field-particularly on offense-gave fans a reason to believe again.
Let’s start with the breakout star of the day: rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. The rookie put on a show, racking up 188 total yards and two touchdowns that weren’t just highlights-they were tone-setters.
His 60-yard touchdown reception came on a mismatch against a linebacker, and later, he broke loose for a 51-yard scoring run that had the Texans’ defense gasping for breath. Jeanty didn’t just flash potential-he looked like a player who’s ready to be a focal point of this offense moving forward.
But Jeanty wasn’t the only one turning heads. Interim offensive coordinator Greg Olson deserves a major nod for the way he called this game.
Going up against a Houston defense that came into the week ranked No. 1 in the league, Olson’s offense carved out 315 yards and 21 points. That’s no small feat, especially for a unit that’s struggled to find rhythm for much of the season.
Jeanty himself gave Olson credit postgame, breaking down what worked so well.
“We just took advantage of the mismatches,” Jeanty said. “Whether it was receivers on DBs or me lining up wide on a linebacker… we kept taking advantage of what was working throughout the course of the game.”
That’s exactly what Olson did-he found the soft spots in Houston’s defense and kept hammering away. The Raiders stayed committed to the ground game, and it paid off. The run game didn’t just open things up-it wore the Texans down, creating space for the explosive plays that followed.
Jason Horowitz, the radio voice of the Raiders, echoed that sentiment on the postgame show. He pointed out how Olson used bootlegs and play-action to get quarterback Geno Smith moving outside the pocket early-something the offense hadn’t done much of in recent weeks.
Even the opening drive, which ended in a three-and-out, featured three aggressive shots downfield. That kind of intent matters.
It sets a tone.
“The effort to stick to the running game today was pretty consistent,” Horowitz said. “How long has it been since this team has really been able to accomplish that? Maybe the Bears game is the only other one all year.”
Former Raiders wideout James Jones, now a weekly voice on the postgame show, also praised Olson’s approach.
“Coach Greg Olson today had a really good game plan,” Jones said. “Change it up a little bit, and I think that was important for the overall performance of the running game… When you move the pocket, those defensive ends can’t just crash upfield.
Geno Smith can get outside and make plays. Then when you hand it off, they’ve got to pause a little bit.
I absolutely love the game plan today. I think that’s what got Jeanty going.”
It’s not just about the numbers-it’s about the feel. This offense had life.
It had rhythm. It had identity.
That’s something it’s lacked for most of the season. And while the Raiders still haven’t cracked the 30-point mark this year-they’ve only topped 24 once-there’s a growing sense that if they keep trending in this direction, that milestone might not be far off.
Even Geno Smith, who’s had to adjust midseason to a new voice in his headset, gave Olson his due.
“Hats off to Coach Olson,” Smith said on Tuesday. “It’s not easy stepping into that role and calling plays using someone else’s terminology, but I think he’s done an outstanding job. The players are picking up on it, and we’ve played pretty much better than we have in the past.”
There’s still work to do, and the Raiders know that. But Week 16 offered something that’s been missing for far too long-hope.
And for that, Greg Olson deserves a game ball. Not just for the play calls, but for giving this offense the spark it’s been missing.