Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll before the game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Reason the Raiders Can't Keep Pretending On Offense

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders' offense has been a huge disappointment this season. The Raiders, coming into this season, went out and made all these changes for their offense that was supposed to be game-changing, and it has not lived up to that at all this season.

The Silver and Black went out and got offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and made him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the NFL. They also traded for quarterback Geno Smith and gave him an extension before the season.

Smith has not looked good outside of a few games, and Kelly is struggling to get the right plays in for this team. This team has not had an identity all season long. They say they want to be a run-first offense, but when it comes down to it, they do not use rookie running back Ashton Jeanty like the first-round pick that he is. They go away from it when it is work, and it just does not make any sense.

The Raiders now will have to show something on primetime in Week 11. Their second straight week where they are the one game on and everyone is watching. The last one was horrible for the offense and this one has to be different, or else we could be talking about a lot of different personnel changes coming soon that many would think.

Why Raiders Stay the Same on Offensive Side of the Ball?

Our Hondo Carpenter talked about the Raiders offense on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"So you look at a defense where you go and say there has not been a ton done for us. Y'all know we had questions," said Carpenter. "And we are performing really well. And the offense is not ... You fire your special teams coordinator. And then you have a quarterback who is playing on one leg, and you keep him in the game. Those are all things you better believe players question."

"How come it looks like all the changes are coming to special teams, and you are willing to try new guys on defense. Why does the offense seem to be untouchable? Those are normal questions. That is not division. When the appearance is, nothing gets done on that side of the ball, and the defense is doing their job ... Why, when all these changes are being done and the offense is worse? These are legitimate questions."