Raiders’ Offensive Woes Persist After Chip Kelly’s Firing - And the Problems Run Deeper
The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold move last week, parting ways with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly following a dismal Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns. The hope - or maybe just the desperate prayer - was that a change at the top of the offensive hierarchy might breathe some life into a unit that’s been stuck in neutral all season.
But after Sunday’s 14-point showing against the Chargers, it’s clear: Kelly wasn’t the only problem. And if anything, the Raiders’ offensive struggles might be more systemic than anyone in the building is willing to admit.
A New Voice, Same Results
Interim offensive coordinator Greg Olson stepped in with a chance to reset the tone. Instead, the Raiders delivered another flat performance - one that looked eerily similar to the ones that got Kelly fired in the first place.
Las Vegas managed just 12 first downs, their third-lowest total of the season, and finished with 156 total yards. That’s only marginally better than the 95-yard debacle they put up against Kansas City back in Week 7. For a team that came into the week averaging a league-worst 15.0 points per game, Sunday was a step backward, not forward.
Yes, the Chargers have talent on defense. But this was about more than just the opponent. The Raiders looked disjointed, uninspired, and - perhaps most concerning - unchanged.
Carroll’s Optimism vs. Reality
After the game, head coach Pete Carroll tried to put a positive spin on things. He praised the communication among coaches, the effort to install a new system on short notice, and the general vibe in the building. But when you’re 13 weeks into the season and your offense is still described as “a ways away,” that’s not exactly reassuring.
“Offensively, to have an expectation that we’re going to flip-flop and all of a sudden be ripping... we would like to have seen that, but that didn’t happen,” Carroll said. “We’re a ways away.”
That may be true - and to be fair, no one expected Olson to wave a magic wand and turn this group into the 1999 Rams overnight. But the idea was to at least look more functional. Instead, the Raiders looked like a team still stuck in the same rut, just with a different driver behind the wheel.
A Deeper Issue Than Play-Calling
Let’s be clear: Chip Kelly deserves his share of the blame for how things have unfolded this season. But scapegoating the offensive coordinator only goes so far when the same issues persist after he’s gone.
This offense has lacked rhythm, identity, and execution for weeks. And when the guy calling the plays changes but the results stay the same, it’s time to look further up the chain.
Carroll has long been known as an eternal optimist, but at some point, the results have to match the rhetoric. On Monday, he doubled down on his belief that the team is heading in the right direction, saying the staff was “drinking from the fire hose” last week and suggesting better days are ahead.
“We’re going to move in a good direction here,” Carroll said. “Communication for the players and to the coaches was good, and we’ll see if we can’t just build on that.”
That’s fine - but Raider Nation has heard this tune before. They’re not interested in process talk or silver linings.
They want points. They want wins.
They want an offense that doesn’t feel like it’s stuck in preseason mode in December.
The Accountability Question
If this truly is a “win-now” season - as Carroll has repeatedly insisted - then the decision to fire Kelly midseason raises some uncomfortable questions. Namely: Why make the move if there wasn’t a clear, ready-to-go upgrade in place?
Greg Olson is a respected coach, but he didn’t inherit a clean slate. He stepped into a situation where the offense was already sputtering, and the quarterback play, the protection, and the play design have all been inconsistent at best. He also stepped into a structure where Carroll, by many accounts, has maintained a heavy hand in offensive decisions.
That’s where the spotlight starts to shift. Carroll’s influence over the offense - from personnel to scheme - has been significant.
His hand-picked quarterback is still struggling. His two sons are leading the team’s two most underperforming units.
And yet, the messaging continues to be about patience and progress.
At some point, though, the head coach has to take a hard look in the mirror.
Where Do the Raiders Go From Here?
The Raiders are at a crossroads. They’ve made the first move by changing coordinators. But if the offense continues to stagnate, more changes may be necessary - and not just on the sidelines.
This isn’t about one bad game or one bad decision. It’s about a pattern that’s repeated itself throughout the season.
The Raiders have talent. They’ve shown flashes.
But right now, they’re a team without a clear offensive identity, and that’s a reflection of leadership as much as execution.
The hope is that things will improve with more time under Olson, more continuity, and maybe a bit of luck. But hope only gets you so far in the NFL. Eventually, the results have to follow.
And right now, those results just aren’t there.