The subtle shift Greg Olson brings could be what finally ignites Ashton Jeanty’s fantasy ceiling. DH

After 11 disappointing games, the Las Vegas Raiders fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and promoted quarterbacks coach Greg Olson to the interim role.

When the Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly to take over their sideline, there was a lot of optimism that they could change the culture for this team and build a competent, if not lethal, offense from this roster. After all, there was enough talent to offer that promise, at least from the skill-position players.

And yet, with Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, and Tre Tucker, the Raiders could only muster an attack that ranked 30th in the NFL in yards per game at 268.9 and tied for dead last in scoring with the New Orleans Saints at 15.0 points.

That led to Las Vegas parting ways with Kelly after just 12 weeks. In his place, the franchise has elevated quarterbacks coach Greg Olson to be their new interim offensive coordinator. He previously served in the same capacity for the Raiders in the 2018-2021 seasons. What can he do for this abysmal Las Vegas attack?

Expect a lot more from Ashton Jeanty

The Las Vegas Raiders‘ offensive struggles this season can’t be solely blamed on Chip Kelly. Their trench play has been completely horrid, between injuries and a lackluster group to begin with. Geno Smith has totally regressed to his sack- and turnover-prone form from his days with the New York Jets.

There were plenty of things that Kelly did wrong, though. Despite Smith’s detrimental play this season, the former Raiders’ OC repeatedly put the ball in his hands, and he would go on to put it in harm’s way. Kelly failed to unlock his team’s sixth-overall pick at running back, with Las Vegas ranking 32nd in rushing yards per carry and 29th in total attempts.

It’s only natural for the Raiders to go away from the run game a bit due to their lackluster offensive line and the fact that they were usually playing from behind, but there were plenty of opportunities for Kelly to lean on the rushing attack when he opted against it.

Greg Olson is unlikely to make the same mistake. With Josh Jacobs at his disposal, Olson’s offense ranked 11th in rushing attempts in both 2019 and 2020. It also seems like he has a mandate to improve the ground game.