The Las Vegas Raiders decided that they could no longer accept the status quo regarding their offense. The team averages 15.0 points a game, which is tied for worst in the NFL.
Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, the group could only score 10 points in the loss. This led to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly getting fired after the game.
The Raiders paid Kelly a lot of money to run the offense, but he struggled with the transition from college to the NFL. Instead of taking a chance on a young mind who is on the staff and letting them call plays, the team is going with the safe choice to replace Kelly.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Raiders are naming Greg Olson as the interim offensive coordinator. This will be the third separate time that Olson has been hired as an offensive coordinator for the franchise.
He was previously serving as the team’s quarterbacks coach this season. He has some rapport with head coach Pete Carroll, as he was the quarterbacks coach with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023. While Olson isn’t the most creative offensive mind, he does have a lot of experience calling plays at the NFL level.
Olson Is Last OC to Call Plays for Raiders Playoff Team
The Raiders haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2021 season. During that season, head coach Jon Gruden resigned from his position. He was the offensive playcaller, so Olson was the one who took over those duties.
The Raiders ended up finishing 10-7 that season and made it to the playoffs. The team hasn’t had a winning record since. Olson has proven that he can step in during the season and call an effective offense.
He’s been working closely with the quarterbacks, so he should know what Geno Smith does well. The Raiders aren’t about to have a top-10 offense, but they could see some signs of improvement now that they have a NFL coach calling plays.
Carroll Still Thinks Good Things Are Ahead
Even amid the Raiders’ terrible season, Carroll remains an optimist. Nothing has gone right for the team, and the coach has to be feeling the heat.
Despite that, he thinks better days are ahead for the franchise.
“Something good is about to happen,” Carroll said Sunday. “If you hold onto that mentality and keep believing, you can turn it and make things happen. That’s what has guided me all these years. It hasn’t been here, but it doesn’t change.
“It (always) takes work to get it right. It’s a challenge every season. We’re going to keep doing what we do, and that’s grinding. Everyone in that locker room — they ain’t giving up on each other, and I’m not giving up on them, and they’re not giving up on me, I hope. We’re going to keep battling. That’s what we do.”
The Raiders’ schedule doesn’t get any easier, as they only face one more team with a losing record the rest of the way. The team’s ceiling might be three wins this season.
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