The Las Vegas Raiders delivered another primetime performance Monday night that made America wonder if the offense was powered by a dying phone battery. Dallas coasted to a 33–16 win that, if anything, flattered the Raiders. Chip Kelly’s offense sputtered for the second straight national audience, and frustration is understandable—expected, even.
Amid the boos, the memes, and Troy Aikman’s on-air frustration, an intriguing argument has emerged: that the Raiders are unwilling to do what they’re “good at,” suggesting that increasing their running plays is the obvious solution the coaching staff fails to acknowledge.
If only NFL problems were that cute…
Let’s start with the Aikman critique. He wasn’t wrong to be baffled. Four first-half runs—three designed—are the kind of imbalance that makes even the most casual fan say, “Come on, man.” But the conclusion many have reached—that Las Vegas could have simply run itself into competence—conveniently ignores the factor Aikman mentioned in the very next breath: the offensive line.
You don’t establish the run with an offensive line held together with hope, tape, and insurance adjusters. This isn’t Madden. You don’t press “HB Dive” until something works.
Ashton Jeanty getting two quarters without a carry wasn’t a crime against football; it was a symptom of an offense that can’t block zone, gap, or whatever hybrid Chip Kelly is trying to install on a short week with backup guards. The idea that pounding the ball into that mess would magically stabilize time of possession and keep Dallas off the field is fantasy dressed up as old-school romanticism.
What are the Raiders actually good at?
More importantly, pretending the Raiders “won’t do what they’re good at” begs a more uncomfortable question: What exactly are they good at?
Running the ball? The metrics suggest otherwise. Dropback passing? That only happens when Geno Smith isn’t being pursued like a mall Santa in a snowstorm. Tempo? Rhythm? Identity? Choose your theme—none have been evident this season.
Related: The Raiders Are Wasting Maxx Crosby’s Efforts
The coaching staff deserves criticism. Kelly’s scheme has been scattershot. Pete Carroll’s fingerprints on the offense feel more like smudges. The situational decisions have been confounding, and the lack of self-scouting borders on malpractice. Nobody watching this team believes the staff is getting the most out of what it has.
However, holding up the run-pass ratio as the smoking gun of dysfunction oversimplifies a deeper structural problem: the Raiders are not designed to rely on any one aspect. They don’t run because they can’t block. Oh, and they can’t pass because they can’t protect. They can’t adjust because the offense is operating like someone lost the instruction manual.
Ashton Jeanty won’t fix these issues…
And until that changes, they could hand the ball to Jeanty 30 times or zero times, and the outcome would look disturbingly similar.
The Raiders aren’t reaping what they sow. They’re reaping what they never built.
If the organization wants to avoid further embarrassment on national television, it requires more than just balance. It needs coherence and development. It must establish a functional identity that goes beyond simply “hoping the defense forces a turnover and praying the offense doesn’t give it back.”
Running the ball more won’t fix this.
Building an offense that actually works might.
*Top Photo: Getty Images