After a devastating loss to the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll dismissed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. The move came as little surprise. The Raiders had endured multiple games without scoring a single touchdown, and a desperate change felt inevitable.
Yet Kelly’s departure quickly became more complicated than a simple reset. Conflicting reports surfaced almost immediately, painting two different pictures of what went wrong inside the building. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Kelly at times called plays that “were not installed at all,” suggesting a coordinator freelancing beyond the staff’s preparation.
Ian Rapoport, however, presented a sharply different account. According to his reporting, Carroll installed the offense himself and Kelly’s role was limited to calling the plays provided to him. The discrepancy has left observers questioning where the true breakdown occurred.
What is clear is that the Raiders moved forward without delay. Greg Olson took over as interim offensive coordinator for the matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, tasked with stabilizing a unit that has struggled to find rhythm or identity all season. Whether the shift brings clarity—or simply raises more questions—remains to be seen.
Raiders rookies finally received playing time under Olson’s leadership…
Despite being a healthy scratch for most of the season, Caleb Rogers finally saw action in a professional game. His performance was far from perfect, but getting young players on the field remains essential for the Raiders’ long-term development. Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech also contributed, and Ashton Jeanty continued to serve as a reliable option in the short passing game.
For a team that resisted youth involvement early in the year, these developments marked a noticeable shift. Still, even with a new voice calling plays, the overall product looked largely unchanged. Subpar quarterback play and continued struggles along the offensive line limited any meaningful progress.
The Raiders have made it clear they want to emphasize the run game, especially after spending their first draft pick on a running back. But the execution has yet to match the intention. Las Vegas is averaging just 75 rushing yards per contest, a number that underscores how far the unit remains from establishing any real identity.
Brock Bowers is dominant in the first game with the new play caller…
Coming off the best rookie tight end season in NFL history, Brock Bowers entered the year with sky-high expectations. Instead, it has largely been a disappointing follow-up for the former Georgia standout. Injuries played a role, but there have also been stretches where his production simply vanished.
Sunday’s matchup offered a much-needed reminder of his talent. Bowers was unguardable, showing the separation, yards-after-catch explosiveness and wide catch radius that made him a breakout star a year ago. His one-handed touchdown grab stood out as one of the most impressive plays of his young career and a rare bright spot in an otherwise turbulent season.
There will be more opportunities for Bowers to perform under Olson’s play calling. It seems that the new offensive coordinator will prioritize his running back and tight end. The Raiders lost once again but followed the philosophy of their head coach.
Was firing Chip Kelly the right move?
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images