I must have missed the memo. I did not realize that last week in the NFL was “Accountability Week “and as a result two NFL teams stepped up and demonstrated their commitment to “Accountability” by firing a coordinator. The Giants decided it was necessary to fire Shane Bowen – their Defensive Coordinator – after losing in OT to the Lions on Sunday. Ironically, the person announcing the firing is an interim head coach, Mike Kafka, who is only in a position to have to do that because the Giants already fired their head coach this season. Here is what Kafka had to say about the firing:
“These decisions aren’t easy, Shane’s a good person. He’s a good man; he’s a good coach. Just the results weren’t what we wanted them to be.”
Maybe there is a basis for thinking the Giants’ record of 2-10-0 might be pinned on the defensive coaching staff. After all, the Giants have lost 5 games this year when the team had a double-digit lead at some point in the contest. However, if that is a defensive failure, why is it not a defensive accomplishment that it played well enough to create the opportunities for those double-digit leads? Here is more from interim coach Mike Kafka about the now interim Defensive Coordinator, Charlie Bullen:
“I got a lot of faith in Charlie. He’s going to step up for us and rally the group. The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan.”
- Memo to interim Head Coach Mike Kafka:
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- Putting together a great plan is necessary but not sufficient.
- The players need to carry out that “great plan” effectively.
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But that’s not all. As Sonny and Cher once sang, “And the beat goes on …” The Raiders fired their Offensive Coordinator, Chip Kelly, this week too. He is the second coordinator fired by the Raiders in the last two weeks; Tom McMahon was fired as the Special Teams Coordinator previously. The Raiders’ record is 2-9-0 this season; and, in this case, the announcement of the firing comes from the incumbent head Coach, Pete Carroll:
“I spoke with Chip Kelly earlier this evening and informed him of his release as offensive coordinator of the Raiders. I would like to thank Chip for his service and wish him all the best in the future.”
There is something missing from that statement. It was only 9 months ago – – in February 2025 – – that Chip Kelly was hired as the Raiders’ Offensive Coordinator and was paid a record $6M per year to do that job by someone named Pete Carroll. The Raiders’ offense has been a hot mess all season long, but before anyone jumps to the conclusion that it was the offensive play calling and offensive game plan that is the basis for that hot mess status, just look at one statistic from last week’s Raiders/Browns game:
- The Browns sacked QB Geno Smith 10 times in the game.
OK, so maybe the Offensive Coordinator should realize that his OL is overwhelmed by the DL, and he should stop calling pass plays; after all, you can’t sack a QB if he isn’t trying to throw the ball. That logical conclusion leads to yet another blind alley; the Raiders can’t run the ball effectively because the OL gets beaten and the backs are hit behind the line of scrimmage far too often.
The Raiders’ offensive stats for 2025 are awful; there can be no debate on that:
- Raiders rank 30th in the NFL in Total Offense
- Raiders rank 31st in points scored for the 2025 season.
- Raiders have given up 41 sacks in 2025 – – second most in the league.
- Raiders’ QB, Geno Smith, is tied for most INTs thrown in 2025 with Tua Tagovailoa (13 INTs in 11 games).
To my eyes, the Raiders’ offensive problems begin and end with the OL; it is simply not on a par with opposing defenders week in and week out. The Raiders drafted Ashton Jeanty at RB last Spring after Jeanty ran for more than 2500 yards at Boise St. last season. Jeanty is averaging 3.6 yards per carry for the Raiders not because he is a sub-standard RB but because he is being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage far too often; the OL is opening no holes for him and is being pushed back into the offensive backfield far too often. There is not much a play-caller can do about that reality; you can put all the make-up you want on a pig, but it is still a pig at the end of the day.
Here is a question for the Raiders’ Front Office and ownership team:
- When you folks hired Pete Carroll, you proclaimed that he would bring/create a “winning culture” to your organization. Now, twelve weeks into the season, you and he have fired two coordinators and have a 2-9-0 record.
- Is that a “winning culture” and have you folks had any discussions with Pete Carroll on that topic?
Finally, somehow this morning I feel a resonance with this thought from Kurt Vonnegut:
“Of course it is exhausting, having to reason all the time in a universe which wasn’t meant to be reasonable.
But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………