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How Greg Olson Has Impacted the Raiders' Offense
Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks coach Greg Olson against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' offense has struggled for various reasons this season. Along with poor execution and injuries, the Raiders' offense also struggled because they could not find the best group of offensive linemen and call a cohesive game with the players available to them.

Raiders' Moves Work

The Raiders fired Chip Kelly as its offensive coordinator, primarily for those reasons. The injuries the Raiders suffered were challenging, but Las Vegas' Week 16 loss proved the Raiders' offense had potential the entire season. The unit simply needed the right players and the right play caller.

Las Vegas has not won a game since firing Kelly. The offense's issues were not all on him. However, it is undeniable that the Raiders' offense often looked lost with him as the team's offensive coordinator. This was especially the case in his last game with the team, where the unit was a mess.

One thing Olson has done, even in the Raiders' losses, is call a logical game. Even when Las Vegas' offense has struggled under Olson this season, it always made sense what Olson was trying to do. That was not always the case with Kelly at the helm.

Earlier this week, Olson explained his approach to calling play and how it impacted the team last week. Specifically, Las Vegas' offense was able to get Ashton Jeanty in favorable positions several times, opening things up for the unit.

“You're always trying to set plays up, obviously, in the league, and we have had him out wide, and the good thing about him, he's able to do multiple things as a wide receiver flexed out, and we're finding that out a little bit more about him," Olson said.

"Certainly, something we could have been doing all season, but it was great that Geno [Smith] recognized it and saw the match up, and we knew right away when we saw the matchup, that's where the ball was going to go,” Olson said. 

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Olson noted that last week's performance will be much more difficult to replicate without tight end Brock Bowers, who was added to the Injured Reserve list earlier this week. Losing Bowers is yet another example of how this season has gone for the Raiders' offense.

“And we all had faith that Ashton [Jeanty] was going to win on that route and make the catch. But still, just as we talked about last week, trying to find ways to get the ball into our playmakers' hands, and losing Brock [Bowers] this week certainly hurts us because he's one of our biggest playmakers," Olson said.

"We'll still have some other guys that'll need to step up, and Ashton becomes one of the primary playmakers for us. So, we'll continue to find ways to get the ball into his hands."

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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