Raiders’ Wake-Up Call: The Harsh Reality They Must Face Now to Save the 2026 Season

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders (2-8) are looking at the abyss of a wasted 2025 season.

There are many factors contributing to the Las Vegas Raiders' disastrous 2025 season, but it is essential for them to address these issues now to prevent a repeat in 2026.

You can watch the entire podcast below:

Two Examples of Reality

1. Offensive Line M*A*S*H* Unit

The offensive line is a true dilemma. What a coach wants to run is great. We know that Chip Kelly didn’t rise to the level of highest paid offensive coordinator in the National Football League by not comprehending offense.

Las Vegas Raiders Jordan Meredith | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

But wanting to do something conceptually doesn’t mean that you have the personnel. Kelly’s Las Vegas Raiders offense doesn’t look anything like we saw in the pre-season, but they were healthy then.

I asked him about the impact of the offensive line and the reality of its effect on his play-calling. His frankness, was impressive.

Las Vegas Raiders IOL Will Putnam from Training Camp — Las Vegas Raiders IOL Will Putnam

“I look at it as who's available and then what's the best way to put those guys in situations where they can make plays. But to ask guys to do something that they can't do isn't smart either. That's just where are you? If you say, 'Hey, we should be a really big zone read team.' Well, if your quarterback can't run, then you shouldn't be a zone read team. Is it a good play? That's a great play. But I think it's always your offense is catered to who your personnel is, and then who their personnel is in this league switches on a weekly basis. You could be strong at one point in time up the middle, and then all of a sudden, with a couple injuries, you're not.”

Kelly elaborated, adding, “So, it's just how you adapt and adjust. And it's the same thing for everybody. There's nobody in the league right now that doesn't have guys out, and you've just got to kind of have to deal with it. So, it's always based upon who's available, really, that week, both as you try to implement a plan and what do they have? You can say, 'Hey, we think we're going to run the heck out of the ball this week.' Well, that's the best thing they do, but they're last in the league in pass defense. So, maybe you have to flip your philosophy a little bit that way in terms of because they're banged up. They have three or four kids in the secondary out, but their D-line is outstanding. So, how do we take advantage of it that way? So, I think it's on a weekly basis in this league, especially, it can morph and change all the time."

2. Everybody Has A Boss

Patrick Graham the Raiders defensive coordinator is highly respected around the NFL. But, everybody hasd a boss.

Las Vegas Raiders DC Patrick Graham, and Coach Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

As football minds around the league continue to bemoan that the Raiders' defense doesn’t look like a Patrick Graham defense, he was asked today about the reality that he has had to take others' input on his side of the ball.

True to form, Graham, ever the team player, answered succinctly, but honestly as well.

He said, "I mean, Pete's [Carroll] the head coach, and it blends together. The vision of the head coach in terms of what we're trying to do, in terms of playing with toughness, playing smart, playing disciplined football, but there's a blend. There's always going to be a blend. Every year's a blend of the different ideas and coaching staffs from different trees. I mean, that happens every year. It's nothing unique to us this year in terms of that happening. We're always looking for new ideas."

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

Coach Carroll: "Yeah, we have done it. We've done it consistently throughout. It's been the kickers working on the kick and all that every week. So, we wouldn't have done it if we didn't feel like we had a chance, because we've worked on it. So, it gave us a shot, and it was, again, a tremendous kick. And there's a lot of things that can happen right there."

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