Analysis: Raiders' offense still rough in loss to Chargers despite Chip Kelly's firing

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman (6) and defensive tackles Teair Tart (90) and Justin Eboigbe (92) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. Photo by: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Spamming Ashton Jeanty rushing attempts mostly between the tackles didn’t work as the cure to improving the Raiders’ NFL-worst offense in Sunday’s Week 13 game at the Chargers.

Los Angeles defeated Las Vegas 31-14 to deepen coach Pete Carroll’s problems and hand the latter its 10^th consecutive AFC West loss dating back to last season.

The Raiders fell to 2-10 on the season a week after Carroll scapegoated offensive coordinator Chip Kelly by firing him 11 games into a record-breaking three-year, $18 million contract.

Carroll appointed quarterbacks coach and veteran assistant Greg Olson interim offensive coordinator and asked for more of an emphasis on the run game.

But the offense ended up looking as lackluster as ever, managing just 156 total yards and 12 first downs.

Much of that production came after the Chargers took a 24-7 lead with kicker Cameron Dicker making a 56-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. Los Angeles began playing back on defense, and Las Vegas packed the box score with hollow statistics in garbage time.

The stretch boosted the optics of quarterback Geno Smith’s day as he completed 18 of 23 pass attempts for 161 yards but there was no saving Jeanty's outing. The first-round drafted rookie running back finished with 21 touches for 61 yards.

The Raiders' stubborn insistence on trying to get Jeanty going tanked their chances to keep the score close for most of the game.

Through three quarters, Jeanty got touches on 58% of Las Vegas’ plays and it responded with just five total first downs.

The Chargers’ pair of lesser heralded backs, 2024 sixth-round pick Kimani Vidal and practice-squad call-up Jaret Patterson, were much more efficient.

Vidal posted 25 carries for 126 yards and ran for a 59-yard touchdown in the first minute out of halftime to put the Chargers up 14-7.

The Raiders couldn’t contain the Chargers’ run game, which racked up 192 yards on 43 attempts, despite knowing the latter were forced to lean on it after quarterback Justin Herbert appeared to break his finger in the first quarter.

Herbert left the game for the majority of the Chargers’ second possession, came back wearing a glove and tried to limit strain on his non-throwing hand for the rest of the afternoon.

Raiders cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly nabbed an interception off Herbert at the goal line right after he re-entered, but the quarterback later threw his second touchdown of the day on a seven-yarder to Ladd McConkey.  

Herbert found Quentin Johnston over the middle of the field for a 10-yard touchdown on the Chargers’ first drive, which covered 74 yards over 14 plays and 8:50 of game time.

That’s the kind of offense Carroll prefers, but one he and Olson don’t have the pieces to implement in Las Vegas.

Nothing was too different in the Raiders' 12th game of the year despite the staffing changes.

Smith kept pace for the NFL’s lead in interceptions with his 14^th of the season, throwing into a crowd along the sidelines in a pass intended for rookie Dont’e Thornton in the second quarter. Chargers safety Tony Jefferson slid in for a pick off a deflected pass.

The Raiders were woefully inefficient on third and fourth downs, going a combined for 2-for-10 on conversion attempts.

Smith took five sacks with blame split between him holding the ball too long and the protection being subpar with a third starting offensive lineman, center/guard Jordan Meredith, sidelined to injury.

Rookie Caleb Rogers and elevated practice-squad player Atonio Mafi filled in at Meredith’s right-guard spot, while veteran guard Alex Cappa got the start at center and struggled mightily.

As usual, the Raiders’ offense only looked decent when it went to All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers. The second-year player caught all four of his targets for 63 yards and two touchdowns.

Bowers found a hole in the Chargers’ zone defense over the middle of the field to tie the game at 7-7 with a six-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Then, in the fourth quarter, Smith faced pressure and appeared to be throwing the ball into the ground, but Bowers swiped it with one arm in the corner of the end zone for another 6-yard touchdown.    

That cut the score to 24-14 with 7:52 remaining, but the Chargers pieced together a six-minute drive to ice the game. The Raiders helped keep the possession alive when superstar Maxx Crosby drew a personal-foul for shoving Herbert to the ground and sparking some jawing between the two teams.

Crosby was otherwise outstanding with two sacks and four tackles for loss.

Bowers and Crosby have lived up to their billing all season when healthy. Nothing else has gone according to plan, and none of Carroll's firings have changed that.