The Raiders’ coaching staff has made some strange decisions in the last few months, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, and the departure of Chip Kelly didn’t change that dynamic this week against the Chargers.
Going all the way back to training camp, the offensive line shuffle in Las Vegas has been confusing and despite featuring one of the worst offensive lines in the league, the team’s two third-round picks have barely been able to get on the field this year.
Week 13 was the week that third-round pick Caleb Rogers was finally plugged into the lineup and despite starting the game, he only played 17 snaps.
Rogers “split” time with Atonio Mafi at right guard, but Mafi played 31 snaps in the game.
Mafi signed with the Raiders in August and spent most of the season on the practice squad. But despite the Raiders meager investment in Mafi, he is taking away snaps from Rogers, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
In his limited role on Sunday, Rogers was the Raiders highest-graded offensive lineman (Pro Football Focus) against the Chargers (67.1) and received the Raiders’ third-highest offensive grade in the game. What was interesting, though, is that Mafi actually graded high specifically in pass protection (84.5) and in the spirit of competition, it might make sense for the coaching staff to sit Dylan Parham and try Mafi and Rogers on the field together.
Parham gave up three sacks against the Chargers and was the Raiders’ lowest-graded offensive lineman in pass protection (33.0).
Parham will be a free agent after the season, and there’s a good chance he’s in his last year with the team.
If that’s the case, why not try an offensive line combination that doesn’t involve Parham and see if the tandem of Mafi and Parham might be something that works over the last five games of the season?
x: @raidersbeat
This is certainly more evidence in the Pete interfering with Chip version of events. Pete has been the one saying they’re putting the players out there to give the Raiders the best chance to win, even though they’re pathetically bad. Pete has talked about not handing people roles when asked about Rogers….. And then they fire Chip, and it’s Cappa at center (a position he hasn’t really played as a pro, when Parham has played center as a pro, and was a projected replacement for Andre James a free years ago). Rogers only plays because injuries forced Pete’s hand, and he’s still not getting many snaps. So it seems clear to me that these were not just Chip decisions. Of course, the OL was a trainable again as a unit.
Even on defense, does anyone really believe Devin White, Elandon Robert’s and Kyu Blu Kelly are Patrick Graham decisions based on who he’s played in the past? Does anyone believe PG wouldn’t have Porter playing over Blu Kelly, who has been one of the worst corners in the NFL this year in terms of what he’s given up, if he was making those decisions?
Earlier in the year, I thought there was a case for retaining Pete based on continuity, and potentially culture. But continuity means less when the coach is 75, and the culture is as dysfunctional and bad as it was when McDaniels was coaching.
What are we left with? What aspect of his performance as HC this year has been positive, or has demonstrated an ability to turn things around? Of course, that ignores the fact that Pete generally seemed convinced he could win right away.
One thing I’ll add is Chip was still here when JPJ got hurt & they moved Meredith to guard but yes Pete is a phony.
Boy Seattle really misses him.
Carroll has hamstrung this team since the get go and then lied about it. He has scapegoated coaches and players all season long. I’ve never seen a coach this bad. I can’t understand his reasoning unless it’s senility.
That’s been the shock for me! I could have seen this season going poorly before it started. They did go 4-13 last year. But I expected at a minimum Pete would be classy and instill a positive culture of improvement, competition and accountability. Instead, he’s been manipulative, sick with guys who have deserved to lose playing time, ducked accountability, and resorted to scapegoating. So what’s he bringing then?
That’s horse sheet. He was missing stunt pick ups all day long. He got pulled three times. He didn’t have a good game. Film don’t lie. More rhetoric
Rhetoric has neither positive, nor negative comparisons, so I’m not sure what you mean, but the OL has sucked at adjusting protective and picking up stunts and games all year. Parham has been awful at it, JPJ was awful at it, we don’t even need to mention Putnam….
It’s an issue with coaching and calling protections more than a player issue at this point, IMO.
Excellent idea!!! I would like to see both Mafi and Rogers as our guards for the remainder of the season. And if it succeeds we could move JPJ back to center for next season.