CLEVELAND, Ohio — In a raw and candid moment that showcases the accountability often missing in professional sports, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith refused to sidestep responsibility for the offensive struggles that led to yet another coordinator change in Las Vegas.
Speaking to media members following Chip Kelly’s dismissal, Smith immediately took ownership of the situation that has the Raiders’ offense ranked among the NFL’s worst units. His words carried the weight of a leader who understands that ultimately, execution falls on the players, not just the play-caller.
“If we made more plays, if we’d executed better, I think things would be different,” Smith admitted, reflection evident in his tone. “I really feel for Chip (Kelly), I really do… the things that were, which was execution on the field, those are the things I wish I could have done better for him.”
The relationship between Smith and Kelly dates back to when Smith was just a high school sophomore, making the coordinator change particularly personal for the quarterback. Yet despite that history, Smith’s focus remained steadfastly forward-looking with a clear-eyed assessment of what needs to improve.
When asked what changes he’s hoping to see from the offense in coming weeks, Smith didn’t hesitate or speak in generalities.
“Scoring points, man. We got to score more points,” Smith stated bluntly. “We got to be more efficient in all areas. Passing game, running game, our third down, our red zone, just the entire game has got to be better… We got to help our defense out. They’ve been playing tremendous games and um I feel like you know a lot of times we haven’t held up our our side of it.”
The Raiders’ offensive struggles have forced the team to become increasingly one-dimensional, with Pete Carroll noting they’ve been a 70% pass team over the last three games – though much of that imbalance stems from playing from behind.
Now the offense turns to Greg Olsen, whom Smith knows from their time together in Seattle. The quarterback expressed complete confidence in the new play-caller’s abilities.
“I have great faith in him and tremendous confidence in him,” Smith emphasized. “I know he knows what he’s doing. He’s worked under some of the best of all times with you know (Sean) McVay and and Coach (John) Gruden, and so you know we understand what Oie brings to the table and we got to go out there and execute for him.”
The transition brings logistical changes as well. Unlike Kelly, who called games from the booth, Olsen will be on the sideline, creating a more direct line of communication with his quarterback.
“The play caller will now be, you know, right next to me,” Smith explained. “So, I think the communication, I won’t have to get on the headset or, you know, talk on the phone. I can just talk directly to him.”
With six games remaining, time is running short for the Raiders to salvage their season. But if Smith’s accountability and straightforward assessment of the situation is any indication, the team at least understands exactly what needs to change – now they just need to execute.
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com’s Browns reporters.