1 Interesting Stat Puts the Raiders' Struggles into Perspective

The Las Vegas Raiders continue to come up short where it matters the most.

Jul 24, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during training camp press conference at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There are plenty of ways to describe how poorly things have gone for the Las Vegas Raiders during their 2-7 start to the season.

Raiders' Unfortunate Truth

The Raiders made a legitimate effort to improve their offense over the offseason. Las Vegas traded for Geno Smith and used multiple draft picks on offensive weapons. Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus noted that those moves have not helped much.

Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Even after an offseason filled with change, the Raiders' offense is still subpar.

"Even after adding both Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders are 29thin offensive EPA per play," Locker said.

After passing the ball nearly 40 times and only running it about 20 times, the Raiders lost the time of possession battle against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars had the ball for 43 minutes, compared to the Raiders possessing the ball for 27 minutes in the overtime loss.

Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The next game, the Raiders passed the ball 27 times and ran it 25 times, respectively. Las Vegas possessed the ball for 29 minutes; the Denver Broncos possessed the ball for 31 minutes. A balanced attack helped the Raiders stand toe to toe with one of the best teams in the league.

Heading into Week 9, Raiders Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly noted how critical balance is to an offense.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (8) reacts after missing a field goal against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“I think you can't play one-sided. You can't be one dimensional when you play football. You can't throw it every down; you can't run it every down. You have to be able – if you do it, defenses are too good; if they know this is all this team is going to do is chuck it, well, then, the schemes that these people will bring from a pass rush standpoint and coverage standpoint will be very complicated," Kelly said.

“So, you've got to be able to not let them home in and say, 'This is all they do on this down.' So, you want to be balanced. If you're balanced, that's a good thing. If you're running the ball more, it probably means you're winning, because that means you're in a four-minute offense, and you're going to run the ball more in a four-minute offense, than you do in a two-minute offense. 

“If you're ahead at the end of the game, you're going to get more rushes. If you're behind at the end of the game, you're going to get more throws. So, you always want to be on the side of more rushes, because that means you're probably in a four-minute mode, and you're trying to run the clock out.

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