The Raiders lost a heartbreaker to the Chicago Bears on Sunday and there has been no shortage of critiques on the game in the days since.
The locker room is still behind the coaching staff, but Pete Carroll and his staff have picked up a few doubters over the course of the team’s three-game losing streak.
From the offensive line debacle that dates back to the start of training camp to the questionable schematic decisions that plagued the month of September, it feels like the offensive coaching staff has been swinging and missing more than you might expect to see with the NFL’s highest-paid offensive coordinator in the building.
As well as Jackson Powers-Johnson played against the Bears, it’s hard to understand why the coaching staff hasn’t been higher on him in the last two months. And seeing how the Powers-Johnson situation played out, it’s fair to wonder if the coaching staff is getting it right with second-round pick Jack Bech spending so much time on the sideline.
In four games, Bech has played only 25 offensive snaps compared to 134 for fellow rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr., who made a strong impression on the coaching staff in training camp.
Thornton now has five receptions on the season while Bech has two, and on Sunday, Thornton dropped a pass that probably would have changed the outcome of the game.
Bech was on the sideline for the play, and it was Thornton who ran a shallow crossing route in the red zone that didn’t utilize his size or his speed. In fact, Thornton’s 6’5 frame only made the low throw from Geno Smith even more difficult to handle at the goal line.
Bech dropped only four passes in his college career and it’s fair to wonder why the Raiders’ coaching staff would bury him on the sideline when he is a stronger, better route runner than Thornton, with far more reliable hands.
Bech only played five offensive snaps on Sunday (Thornton had 57), and it’s fair to wonder if the offense would benefit by playing Beck more than a few snaps per game.
Bech and Thornton play different wide receiver positions in Chip Kelly’s offense, but Kelly can still play situational football.
For as much as it’s been stressed that players will have to “compete” for playing time, it’s starting to feel like a few players that might have been winning competitions in practice haven’t been winning in games.
It’s a small sample size, but Pro Football Focus lists Bech as the highest-graded wide receiver on the Raiders’ roster over the first four weeks, so it might be time for Kelly and company to give him a few more opportunities on offense, particularly in the red zone.
x: @raidersbeat
It’s hard to say if Bech gets much separation but I guess so if he’s doing well well according to pff. My guess is Thornton is getting more snaps because he’s a deep threat. Right now we need more guys who can get open on the intermediary routes, based on how defenses are playing us. Thornton doesn’t seem to be getting open deep anyway
I thought that for once we made a Couple of Good Coaching hires this offseason. But Carroll (and especially his Bone Headed OL Coach Son) have completely stunk it out. Personel decisions have not been made based on Ability but some other unknown measure (I can Guess). Even look at the Jeanty Situation… The Coaches (Carroll and Kelly) decided that he would be more effective in a New more traditional stance… Three games in Jeanty says F-It im going back to the stance that works and BINGO – Look at his Game 4 !!! JPJ? He finally plays and tears the DL a New A-H0L3!! Boneheads – AGAIN!!! This organization is Cursed…
Cursed with Mark Davis, sell the team.
Not cursed but mismanaged at the highest levels. Mark doesn’t know a **** thing so he keeps giving money to people he thinks do know something. Tom thinks he knows how to run a franchise but with every single decision it’s apparent that Tom doesn’t know a **** thing. And it keeps going on and on. We are doomed as a franchise but not cursed.
Tom is worse than Mark and Mark is an imbecile
Wow, what can you say? JPJ back in the lineup on offense and guess what happens the offensive line starts to look good and I do agree with some of the other commenters if you got players who aren’t producing, would it really hurt to play some of the other guys like Jack Bach I mean, the guy dropped four balls his hole. I said his hole college career come on man. It does feel like we’re cursed and then when we do finally pull the trigger and pull players out that aren’t doing well. It’s too late the season’s already over I hope they don’t wait too long to maybe shift a few things around and what’s up with Gino I mean he has another three interception outing this week don’t you think it might be time to start looking at other quarterbacks hey Ryan Tannehill sitting at home if he’s in plain shape man give him a call it couldn’t hurt.
I asked why Thornton was starting. He doesn’t run good routes and that’s why he can’t get open.
To me, starting Bech would be a lot better because he can run routes and isn’t afraid to battle for the ball.
Thornton does nothing game after game, yet keeps starting.
Why?