In a frigid Thursday Night Football showdown at Empower Field at Mile High, the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense hit rock bottom yet again, sputtering to a dismal 10-7 defeat against the Denver Broncos. This marks the third consecutive loss for the Silver and Black, but the real story isn’t just the scoreboard—it’s the embarrassing historical footnote they’ve etched into the franchise’s record books under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Kelly, hailed as an innovative mind when he jumped from Ohio State to join head coach Pete Carroll’s staff this offseason, was supposed to ignite a “revolution” in Las Vegas. Instead, his unit has plummeted to depths not seen in decades. For the fourth time in Raiders history—and the first since 2009—the team has scored fewer than 10 points in four of their first 10 games, joining the infamous company of the 1981, 2006, and 2009 squads that defined offensive futility. As Josh Dubow of The Associated Press pointed out, this isn’t just a slump; it’s a full-blown crisis for a coordinator pulling in a league-high $6 million salary. So much for that investment paying dividends.
The lowlights are painfully familiar by now. Against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, they mustered just nine points. Week 5 brought a measly six against the Indianapolis Colts. They were shut out entirely by the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. And tonight? A paltry seven against Denver’s suffocating defense. It’s a pattern that’s turned promise into punchlines, with fans wondering if Kelly’s high-octane schemes have been lost in translation from college to the pros.
Quarterback Geno Smith bore the brunt of the Broncos’ relentless assault, completing 16 of 26 passes for a pedestrian 143 yards, one interception, and a dismal 60.3 passer rating. Denver’s “Orange Crush” revival sacked him six times and harassed him on 13 dropbacks, turning the pocket into a house of horrors. A late fourth-quarter pressure cooker even forced a missed 48-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson that could have tied the game. Smith tweaked his quad in the second half but gutted it out after sitting just two plays—commendable grit in a night full of gritless offense.
Rookie sensation Ashton Jeanty provided the Raiders’ lone spark, bulldozing in for a 4-yard touchdown run. But even he couldn’t escape the malaise, racking up only 60 yards on 19 carries while dropping two passes that might have shifted momentum.
The youth movement at receiver, accelerated by the trade of veteran Jakobi Meyers, promised excitement but delivered headaches. Rookies Jack Bech, Dont’e Thornton Jr., and Tre Tucker flashed potential only to sabotage it with costly errors. Bech’s holding penalty wiped out a 32-yard scamper; Thornton’s offensive pass interference nullified a 31-yard touchdown strike; and Tucker’s apparent fourth-down score was called back. Add in nine penalties team-wide, a blocked punt by AJ Cole that gifted Denver field position, and Carlson’s clanked kick, and you’ve got a recipe for self-inflicted disaster.
On the flip side, Denver’s defense was a blitz-happy machine, clamping down to hold Las Vegas to a measly 186 total yards and just 10 first downs. Broncos QB Bo Nix wasn’t exactly lighting it up either—16 of 28 for 150 yards, one touchdown, and two picks—but he didn’t need to. A touchdown pass to Troy Franklin and a Wil Lutz field goal, courtesy of that blocked punt setup, were enough to seal the deal.
With the win, the Broncos surge to 8-2 and gear up for a heavyweight clash with the Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Raiders limp to 2-7, staring down the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. For Kelly and company, the clock is ticking on this so-called revolution. If history is any guide, Raiders fans know all too well how these stories end—not with bangs, but with whimpers.