3 Blunt Takeaways From Raiders Loss to Chargers

OL Needs To Step It Up

One of the biggest reasons why the Raiders couldn't get any part of their offense going is that the protection simply wasn't there. Whether it be pass protection or run blocking, the Chargers' defensive line was feasting all night.

That's with the Chargers having to go without Khalil Mack, who left the game due to an arm injury. Three different players were able to get a sack on Geno Smith, and when he doesn't have time in the pocket, his limitations as a starting quarterback start to show.

The offensive line has to perform better if the Raiders don't want to fall back into mediocrity again. This game had so much gravity to it: a new head coach, a new quarterback, a shiny new weapon drafted in the first round, and it was all ruined by poor offensive line play.

What makes this even worse is that it isn't like the Raiders didn't try to address their offensive line in free agency and the draft, because they did, but they didn't try hard enough. The Raiders still have $9 million in cap space; that money could've been used to help out the offensive line.

Smith’s Performance

When the Raiders traded for Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, it was the expectation that they were getting a player who could elevate their offense and a veteran in the locker room. Smith had always had a problem with throwing the ball in harm's way, but his performance in this game was poor.

Three interceptions in a game where, if his team had won, they would've been atop the AFC West is inexcusable. What's most damming about his performance isn't that he threw three interceptions, but it was his demeanor on the sidelines.

I understand that the Chargers' defense was making it a slog to get any yards on offense, and up to this point, Smith had missed wide-open receivers and just thrown his third interception of the night. This team is looking towards him as a leader, and if he's scowling on the bench, what impression does that give the rest of the team?

On top of his hat-trick of doom, his decision-making overall was poor. The offensive line shares some of the blame, but the accuracy that he's known for wasn't present, and it felt like the Raiders didn't stand a chance of winning the game with how he was playing.

What Was the Offensive Game Plan?

More so than the loss they suffered against a divisional rival, what was most surprising in this game was how little they were using Ashton Jeanty. They used a top-ten pick on him, and in this game, he only had 11 carries.

Once again, the offensive line contributed to his lackluster performance. It was just an odd selection of plays that Chip Kelly decided to run. Jeanty was being used in the screen game, but that didn't result in much, and he shied away from giving him carries down the stretch of the game.

Jeanty is clearly so talented, and the Raiders were playing from behind, which explains why they were so insistent on passing the ball. However, there should be no reason why Smith attempts 43 passes and Jeanty only carries the ball 11 times.

They misused the talent they drafted, and he has to be more involved moving forward. This offense cannot live and die by Smith's arm, because the results speak for themselves. Jeanty is a three-down running back; there's no reason why Zamir White or Dylan Laube should be getting carries and targets sprinkled in their offense.