What Must Raiders Fix During Bye Week

The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot to look at entering their bye week. What are the non-negotiables?

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce on the sidelines against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are hobbling into their bye week at 2-7, tied for the worst record in the league. 

The Raiders hired Coach Antonio Pierce as their full-time head coach due to his success in 2023 as the interim and how well he took to players and fans. He has not recaptured that magic this season, and things look far worse than when he was the interim. 

Many in Raider Nation are relieved the Raiders do not have to play a game this week. The lack of offensive consistency and occasional defensive struggles have not made for enjoyable Sundays for fans of the Silver and Black. 

Pierce and the Raiders are not going to mail in this season. They will not quit on the year and will look to do what it takes to turn things around. 

But what does that entail?

It starts with fixing the offense. The Raiders rank 29th in the league in total offense, 19th in passing offense, last in rushing offense, and 26th in scoring offense. The Raiders have fallen behind in games because they cannot sustain drives or find the end zone. 

This is why the team fired Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator. The team lacked explosiveness and efficiency on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders brought in former coach and well-respected offensive mind Norv Turner to help turn things around. 

How do the Raiders improve offensively? It starts with a more consistent run game. The Raiders have struggled to move the ball, with Zamir White and Alexander Mattison taking a majority of carries. 

Turner could potentially help his son, Scott, who is also an offensive coach, and the Raiders’ offense turn things around. In his coaching career, he has generated high-powered offenses.  

The Raiders must also figure out their defense. They rank as one of the worst scoring defenses in the NFL, allowing nearly 28 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. 

The key to fixing this is forcing more turnovers. The Raiders have five takeaways on the season, ranking dead last in the NFL. Giving the offense a short field gives them more opportunities to score, but they have not done that at all this season.

This Raiders season is not over yet, but it would take a lot to turn things around even remotely. The formula is there for things to get better, though.

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