Antonio Pierce, head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, witnessed a new offensive meltdown on Sunday. This week, the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs are in town. Pierce saw his team gain 228 yards, including 33 rushing, in the 27-20 loss. Kansas City not only had five sacks, but it also snuffed out a crucial fourth-and-goal call that could have given the home club a 20-17 lead. Fans of the Silver and Black continuously attacked the team’s offensive performance.
However, the harshest criticism was levelled at Pierce’s hiring of Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator.
Raider fans have grown dissatisfied with the offensive performance in recent weeks. Las Vegas enters the AFC West matchup ranked 26th overall. Sunday’s terrible performance is likely to change the ranking. But is Sunday the last straw for Pierce in keeping Getsy?
Pierce was posed a scorching question. He took a firm position on his present coaching staff, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic.
“When asked if he is considering changing offensive play callers, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce stated he believes the problem is with execution. “Doesn’t sound like OC Luke Getsy is in danger of losing those duties,” Reed wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Much to the anger of Raider supporters, Pierce appears unwilling to relieve Getsy of his duties. However, offensive clashes have become a weekly occurrence. Many mistakes were made throughout Sunday’s performance.
Examining the 2024 Raiders offence
Fortunately for the Raiders, the Denver Broncos have the weakest offence among AFC West teams.
That doesn’t justify the lack of offensive production.
Getsy’s offence has yet to top 331 total yards in a single game this season. Strangely, the Raiders are 2-0 overall when the unit hits between 260 and 268 yards. However, they are 0-3 when the offence exceeds 300 yards.
Establishing a permanent starting quarterback is one of the offense’s challenges. Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell shared quarterback duties before the former was named the starter for the Chiefs game. Minshew, however, is tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions. He’s also just 2-4 as a starter.
Worse is the Raiders’ ground production. Alexander Mattison is the leading runner, although he averages just 3.6 yards per carry. He’s averaging 35.7 yards per game. Zamir White added 165 yards. Nonetheless, he continues to average 3.2 yards per handoff. They play in front of an offensive line that has had to rearrange its lineup due to injuries.
The air attack is the final blight on Sin City. Jakobi Meyers leads the team with two touchdown catches, the second of which came against the Chiefs. That means the Raiders haven’t had more than one touchdown reception in seven straight games.
Brock Bowers, a rookie, shows promise. The tight end leads the club with 52 receptions and 535 yards. But he’s gearing up for an offence that yields few returns.
The Raiders now have only 15 first downs, despite matching K.C.’s nine drives. The Chiefs reached the first down marker 23 times. Kansas City outgained the Raiders, 82-33.
Getsy, 40, continues to face harsh criticism. Silver and Black enthusiasts are eager for a change. Pierce’s statements, however, indicate that he intends to maintain the embattled offensive coordinator.
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