Even after the firings of Josh McDaniels and Mick Lombardi, the Raiders are struggling to score points. Against the Dolphins, they managed to score only 13 points and turned the ball over three times. They are among the lowest-scoring teams in the league and there is a big underlying reason why they can’t score points.
Through 11 weeks, the Raiders have created just 33 big plays. A big play is a run of 10 or more yards or a reception of 20 or more yards. They are dead last in the NFL in explosive plays despite playing 11 games.
Here is the full chart of the big plays created during the 2023 season:
Most big plays through Week 11: pic.twitter.com/CeJUYhPfQ6
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 21, 2023
With a rookie quarterback under center and a new play-caller, it’s pretty unlikely that the Raiders will start creating chunk plays soon. The offense just isn’t functioning well and Aidan O’Connell isn’t the type of quarterback to create on his own.
But that is the key for the offense to get back on track. Even an extra big play or two in a game could be the difference between a win or a loss.
The Raiders are at 5-6 through 11 games and desperately need a win in Week 12. If they are going to beat the Chiefs, they have to find a way to start making big plays down the field. Or else, their season could be over before December.
