OC Chip Kelly lit up the Raiders’ conference session with an honest take about modern football. Ahead of Week 9, the veteran coordinator admitted that Las Vegas’s offensive struggles boil down to one problem: balance.
“You can’t be 1-dimensional when you play football. You can’t throw everything down. You can’t run every down… Defenses are too good,” Kelly said.
#Raiders OC Chip Kelly on the importance of running the football & having a balance offense.
“You can’t be 1 dimensional when you play football. You can’t throw every down. You can’t run every down…Defenses are too good.” pic.twitter.com/lTEABUOsVK
— Around The Shield (@aroundtheshield) October 30, 2025
Raiders Seek Balance After Weeks of Frustration
Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll
Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll reacts after a play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Raiders return from the bye at 2-5, looking for answers. Smith’s 10 interceptions tie him for the league lead with Tua Tagovailoa. Las Vegas sits 28th in total offense and 26th in scoring (17.9 points per game). Kelly’s strategy, once celebrated for its pace, now faces scrutiny for being too predictable.
According to theRaiders Beat report, it hinted that opposing defenses know what’s coming. During Week 2, Chargers safety Alohi Gilman intercepted Smith on the first play, a read the defense had “anticipated,” insider Hondo Carpenter revealed. The moment unveiled the Raiders’ offensive identity: readable, reactive, and too often behind the chains.
Head coach Pete Carroll has defended Smith publicly, but his tone toward Kelly has shifted. Execution is one part of the problem. Play design is another. The Raiders’ protection hasn’t helped either. Smith has been sacked 21 times, fifth most in the AFC, and that pressure has wrecked the timing that Kelly’s offense depends on.
The bye week gave Las Vegas time to reset. Tyler Lockett’s presence feels no less than that of a veteran, who understands the quarterback’s sync. Rookie Ashton Jeanty, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, might be in much use as Kelly insists on the run game. A balanced approach could finally open play-action lanes that have been missing all season.
While the Raiders are ready to bash with their new comers, Fans rallied over Chip’s stance on offense and reacted with different remarks:
One fansaid, “Chip says that you can’t throw every down, but then he proceeds to do exactly that.”
Othersstated, “The more I hear coaches speak, the more I think about Charles Woodson saying football isn’t that hard when asked about learning the defense on his return to OAK. Although great coaches like Reid make a diff, so much about talent & a great QB & trenches.”
Onereacted, “Chip, you’re fired!”
Another said, “Keh, but everyone already knows that Chip.”
Onechimed, “This means Jeanty will have 4 carries for 2 yards this week.”
The Raiders will now face a Jaguars defense that just allowed 35 points to the Rams. For Kelly, this showdown offers more than a test; it instead demonstrates that his offense can adapt. The message is clear. If Las Vegas allocated its attack and believed in the ground game, the balance Kelly preached about might finally deliver an upshot.