TL;DR
- Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly disagreed on key offensive strategies.
- Kelly was fired after 11 games due to the Raiders' poor offensive performance and disagreements.
- Disagreements included the running game's frequency and the pass-blocking scheme, impacting quarterback Geno Smith.
- Carroll favors a strong ground game, contrasting with the Raiders' low rushing attempts and Jeanty's limited use.
If you thought Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly weren't in agreement, your assumption would be correct.
Kelly was fired just 11 games into his tenure in charge of calling plays. Normally, this might raise an eyebrow, but considering the Las Vegas offense's dismal performance this season, it's hardly unexpected.
Vincent Bonsignore, writing for The Las Vegas Review-Journal, reported that Carroll and Kelly disagreed on at least two points: the running game and the pass-blocking strategy.
"The implication is Carroll and Kelly were at odds on multiple fronts, including run game frequency and pass-blocking plan/scheme," Bonsignore reported.
We can definitely see why Carroll wasn't happy with those two areas.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has been sacked 41 times in 2025, the second-most in the NFL. Not all of that is on the offensive line, as Smith tends to hold on to the ball for too long, but the group upfront is no doubt the primary issue.
Whether or not a better scheme can make up for the overall lack of talent the Raiders have upfront remains to be seen, though.
Given Carroll's history with the Seattle Seahawks, it's evident he favors a ground game, despite Las Vegas ranking fourth in the league for the fewest rushing attempts.
Carroll has spoken out publicly about the Raiders' need to run the ball more and better on multiple occasions.
A further blemish on Kelly's time was how frequently Ashton Jeanty seemed to vanish. When the Raiders didn't completely forsake the run, Jeanty would be sidelined, particularly during two-minute situations.
You wouldn't select a running back like Jeanty with the intention of benching him in those specific circumstances. Even if Jeanty faces difficulties in those moments, he won't improve by remaining inactive.
We'll soon find out if Carroll and interim offensive coordinator Greg Olson have learned from their mistakes, though our confidence in Carroll is low given his numerous perplexing choices this season.
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