Raiders' Struggles on Offense Come Down to Multiple Significant Issues

The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled on offense this season. Their ineffectiveness has primarily been caused by one issue.

Oct 13, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) is flushed from the pocket by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk (92) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have multiple issues that are plaguing them on offense.

Some of those issues are not fixable during the middle of the season, but some of them are. Primarily, the Raiders’ offense has failed to make proper adjustments on the fly. 

While they have shown the ability to be successful early in games, once the opposing defense make adjustments, the Raiders’ production on offense comes to a screeching halt. Raiders’ coach Antonio Pierce spoke about what it is that is holding the unit back.

"Yeah, that first drive was scripted,” Pierce said. “I thought Luke [Getsy] and those guys did a hell of a job. I think you obviously got to make adjustments, right? And they started to make adjustments as well. But yes, that's been a key for us offensively. 

“Having that script, getting guys comfortable, especially the quarterbacks and receivers knowing what's coming, what to expect. You can walk through that 1000 times. And the good thing is, we put it on paper. What we're struggling with right now is in the second quarter, right? Something's going on late in the second quarter, either turnover or bad play on defense, and we're not going into the half the way we want to."

The Raiders offense had a crisp and productive first drive of the game but failed to score a single point for the following two quarters. Pierce said accountability for the unit’s shortcomings falls on both the coaches and the players, as the coaches must call the correct plays and the players must execute properly.

"I think it's both,” Pierce said. “I'm not going to put it on players, I'm not going to put it on coaches. It's both. It's hand in hand, right? Because there's a play call that's called in, and it's not always the best play call. It doesn't matter, but it's up to the players to make it the best play call, and vice versa, right?”

Pierce emphasized the fact that the team must be more detailed their preparation and their execution, if they hope to be successful on game days. The offense has shown success at different points this season, including the first drive against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, they have yet to sustain that success for an entire four quarters.  

“So, I think as we go in here and I talk to the team, being detailed, doing your job to your best ability, straining, finishing it,” Pierce said. “And obviously, as a coach and a coordinator, putting your guys in position to make plays. That's what you get paid to do. 

“And we've obviously got to find a better way of getting the ball into our playmakers' hands and being more creative. Let's go back to just a couple weeks ago when we needed some explosive runs, we found creative ways to do that. So, whatever we've got to do as we're battling with guys in and out the lineup, to be creative and to create explosive plays, we've got to do it throughout the course of the game."

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