The Serious Change the Raiders Have To Consider

Pete Carroll's refusal to bench Geno Smith is a contributor to their poor offense, but their play-calling is infuriating. Ashton Jeanty only had six carries for seven yards, which is inexcusable for any running back, let alone one they spent a top ten pick on.

Chip Kelly's decision-making is moronic, perfectly exemplified by his decision to run the ball at the 1-yard line, which resulted in a defensive safety. Their offensive line was getting beaten all game, so why give Jeanty a rushing attempt so close to their own endzone?

He refused to give him carries all game, just to give him the ball in the worst possible spot. It's grounds for termination, and I think they'd be better off if they did fire him. They brought him in to improve their rushing attack, and he's managed to make Jeanty look like an average running back.

Some of that is on the rookie, but the Raiders have mismanaged him all season long. I believe Carroll has done enough to warrant his firing as well, but that seems less likely. Either way, someone needs to take the fall for their embarrassing performance, and Kelly would be the perfect scapegoat at the moment.

Outside of their poor rushing attack, the change the Raiders have to make is clear. Smith isn't helping their offense by being their starting quarterback, and every other team in the NFL would've benched him by this point.

His turnovers are too costly for the Raiders, and while this wasn't his worst performance, he cannot survive behind their offensive line. Kenny Pickett may not even be better than Smith, but how much worse can he be?

The Raiders' problems on offense won't be solved with a single firing, or even multiple, but it's a step in the right direction. They've invested too much and have more than enough talent to be above average; it's just a matter of using that talent correctly.