Graney: Chip Kelly was a problem, but he alone didn’t create 2-10

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — We didn’t learn much after the Week of Dysfunction culminated with another loss. We only saw what was already known: Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby are terrific football players.

So much for non-news.

That, and it appears the Raiders have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Yeah. That’s a safe bet.

The Raiders fell to the Chargers 31-14 on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, and nothing should surprise you as to how the final score came about.

Whether it really was Chip Kelly orchestrating his own bizarre offense and confusing the heck out of players or there just not being the sort of communication needed to run even the most competent of attacks, all of that is over.

Kelly is gone, fired as offensive coordinator last week. He was replaced by Greg Olson, who returned yet again to calling plays for the team.

And the offense didn’t look much different.

Kelly an issue

The Raiders had 91 total yards after three quarters, at which time Chargers running back Kimani Vidal had 111 yards on the ground. Two sustained scoring drives by the Raiders all afternoon wasn’t close to being enough.

“To have an expectation that we were just going to flip and all of a sudden we were going to be ripping, we would have liked to have seen that, but that didn’t happen,” coach Pete Carroll said.

Believe who you want. Kelly was a major issue (yes) and totally out of the loop when it came to calling plays or the Raiders just couldn’t execute what he wanted.

The end result never changed.

Lots of losing.

“We just have to play better,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “I have to play a lot better.”

Smith stands there weekly answering questions the same way. Always blames himself first. Is always accountable. Never throws anyone under the proverbial bus.

This, a guy who has been sacked 23 times the past four games.

Which brings us to the most obvious of problems. One that has lingered over this team for years now.

Two coordinators have been fired this season — special teams boss Tom McMahon was also shown the door — and yet the next person who should be fired is whoever doesn’t immediately address this awful offensive line in the offseason.

I’m just not sure who that is — Carroll, general manager John Spytek, minority owner Tom Brady? — because no one is sure who really calls the shots around this organization.

The Raiders rolled the dice in not improving the offensive front in the offseason and have paid for it dearly. Don’t start with injuries and inexperienced guys playing. The line also wasn’t any good last season. The Raiders haven’t run the ball in forever.

And as much as others want to point the finger at Smith — maybe not the one he offered a fan last week — such constant pressure is going to wear on any quarterback. He hasn’t been good this season, but there are other factors to this much failure.

Smith does have a wonderful tight end in Bowers, who scored both touchdowns on catches, the second a one-handed grab that nearly hit the ground and added yet another clip to his highlight reel. Crosby was his usual disruptive self and then some with two sacks and four tackles for loss.

Which means nothing at all seemed different. Certainly not with the offense and a new play-caller. There was no ripping of any kind.

Same narrative

“We’re not able to enjoy the hard work and the changes and adjustments we’ve made,” Carroll said. “We’re responding to each other and how we work and the attitude and mentality of guys supporting each other. It just hasn’t happened.

“It feels like it’s right there within our reach. Maybe it doesn’t look like it to you guys, but that’s what I feel. I can say that because of the guys in the locker room and how they continue to lead and continue to hang and continue to practice well. We just have to play better.”

A new week, another loss, the same narrative.

Chip Kelly was obviously a major part of the problem.

But he alone doesn’t make for what is now 2-10.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com Follow @edgraney on X.