Raiders mailbag: Who is to blame for team’s offensive struggles?

The Raiders head to Kansas City to play the Chiefs on Sunday.

A win would send them into their bye week on a two-game winning streak, but it’ll require a huge upset against the three-time defending AFC champs.

Fans have plenty of questions before the matchup with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and coach Andy Reid.

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

PDXRaider (@JohnHakkila): Who is more to blame for the offensive problems, (quarterback) Geno Smith or (offensive coordinator) Chip Kelly? I have not been impressed with either and wouldn’t mind moving on. Not creative and not executed well.

Vincent Bonsignore: Smith has been the biggest culprit. His play — and NFL-leading 10 interceptions — is a huge reason why the Raiders are tied for 30th in points per game (17.2).

But there are still 11 games remaining and Smith has shown before he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. It just may take time for him, Kelly and multiple rookie starters to jell. Especially with injuries to key players like left tackle Kolton Miller and tight end Brock Bowers.

The Raiders don’t need to fire Kelly or bench Smith. They just need to build chemistry and discover what they’re best at.

Matt Berger (@matt_berger): Other than Smith, what other player, or players, on the Raiders need to step it up for the team to turn the season around?

Bonsignore: The Raiders, in no particular order, need more from their offensive and defensive lines, their secondary and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

Ricardo Lopez (@Ricardo80211503): Was (rookie wide receiver) Dont’e Thornton overhyped in the early parts of training camp, or is it only a matter of time?

Bonsignore: Thornton, who has five catches for 94 yards in six games, played well at times in training camp.

But the fourth-round pick out of Tennessee was always going to need time to develop. It was clear his chemistry with Smith was a work in progress in the preseason.

Thornton has talent. It’s now up to him to dedicate himself to his craft and earn more of a role.

Ed Helinski (@MrEd315): Who might be leaving the Raiders before, or at, the trade deadline?

Bonsignore: A lot depends on what happens the next two games and what offers the Raiders receive for some of their players.

Meyers is one name to keep an eye on if the team loses to the Chiefs on Sunday and to the Jaguars in Week 9. The trade deadline is Nov. 4, two days before the Raiders’ “Thursday Night Football” matchup with the Broncos in Week 10.

Allan (@AllanT_Sask): I would love to know how (offensive lineman) Laki Tasi is doing. Is he developing quickly? How is his football IQ coming along?

Bonsignore: Tasi, an Australia native the Raiders signed through the NFL’s international pathway program, is developing on the team’s practice squad.

It’s hard to say how far he’s come without the benefit of watching full practices. He had a long way to go in training camp, which is understandable for a former professional rugby player.

It will be interesting to watch Tasi next summer.

Gordo (@AngelE9X2): How does (coach) Pete Carroll plan on implementing those young offensive linemen we drafted? Seems like the only way they get any playing time is if something catastrophic happens on the line right now.

Bonsignore: The Raiders don’t plan to insert rookie third-round picks Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers into the starting lineup unless they have to.

They want those two to use this season to adjust to the NFL, in the hopes they can compete for roles next year.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.