Introduction
Hello and welcome to the Week 13 Gamethread to pair with your viewing experience as the Chargers take on their divisional rivals; Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.
For this week’s Gamethread accompanying post I thought I’d dig into the Raiders’ new offense and what can expect from it in Week 13. I used some AI tools to help me break down his coaching history, his style and scheme deployments and I used this to establish how he will use the roster talent he has at hand. I then used that schematic profile as a prompt to work up what we could expect to see in the matchup with Jesse Minter’s defense. For some fun (and to test AI’s capabilities) I then got it to create an opening drive script to see how it would attack Minter’s schematic principles.
Greg Olson’s Coaching Profile
Greg Olson steps into the interim offensive coordinator role with a deep résumé built across multiple NFL systems. His career has included quarterback-centric work with offenses run by Sean McVay, spread-influenced West Coast structures under John Gruden, and varied run-game philosophies he collaborated on with Dirk Koetter and Jeff Tedford.
Across stops with teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and most recently the Las Vegas Raiders, Olson has built a reputation for:
- Quarterback-friendly reads
- Heavy use of tight ends and H-back structures
- Formation mirroring (same looks, different plays)
- Balanced sequencing designed to support play-action
- Preference for inside/outside zone paired with constraint RPOs
His philosophy blends West Coast timing rules with adaptable personnel usage; a pragmatic rather than ideological coordinator.
How Olson’s Approach Fits the Raiders’ Core Offensive Pieces
Olson’s system tends to highlight flexibility and matchup targeting rather than purely system-driven structure. Here’s how that maps to the Raiders’ core skill players:
Brock Bowers
Brock Bowers fits Olson’s long-standing love for multi-tool tight ends. Expect:
- Frequent use as a motion piece (YO-YO, jet, short orbit)
- Quick-game isolation: stick, spacing, drag-wheel
- Red-zone matchup hunting
- Intermediate crossers off play-action
Olson has historically schemed TEs as both primary read and misdirection bait, and Bowers gives him more versatility than any tight end he has coached.
Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty brings the dual-threat profile Olson leaned on with backs like Cadillac Williams and Leonard Fournette:
- Zone + duo run blend
- Angle, choice, and swing screens
- RPO check-release options
- Motion-to-empty flexibility
Jeanty’s contact balance suits Olson’s desire for early-down efficiency to set up manageable second/third downs.
Geno Smith
Geno Smith thrives when reads are defined, timing is structured, and intermediate play-action is available — perfect for Olson’s rhythm passing approach. Expect:
- High percentage early throws
- Flood, sail, and dagger concepts
- Bootleg variations with half-field reads
- Shot plays off mirrored formations
Olson’s QB-centric teaching meshes well with Smith’s strengths in anticipation and ball placement.
Tre Tucker
Tre Tucker gives Olson the vertical stressor every West Coast derivative wants:
- Clearouts on flood and dagger
- Speed motion to create leverage
- Designed touches on quick perimeter screens
- Deep over routes off play-action
- Expect high-value rather than high-volume usage.
Jack Bech
Jack Bech fits the “possession slot with TE traits” archetype Olson often featured:
- Middle-field sit routes
- Choice / option concepts
- Blocking roles in condensed formations
- Red zone leverage snaps
Bech will often be the “glue” player who allows Bowers and Tucker to be moved around.
Matchup: Olson’s Offense vs Jesse Minter’s Chargers Defense
The Los Angeles Chargers defense under Jesse Minter is built on:
- Match-quarters and simulated pressures
- Rotational disguise pre-snap
- Force offenses into “earned throws”
- Strong interior leverage with post-snap safety depth changes
- Pattern-matching principles that punish slow-developing concepts
Key Stress Points Against Minter
- Condensed formations force defenders into traffic; this challenges match rules.
- Motion at the snap breaks leverage for pattern-match assignments.
- Fast game + RPOs punish Minter’s rotating safeties.
- Play-action crossers test the “don’t get beat over the middle” rule when LBs step into run fits.
- RB receiving usage exploits Minter’s tendency to allocate resources to TE and slot matchups.
Olson’s Likely Counters:
- Tempo variations to prevent disguise
- Mirror formations to keep reads simple for Geno Smith
- Multiple TE looks to force base defense and simplify coverage shells
- Attack the flats early to pull apart curl/flat defenders
- Use Jeanty’s receiving skills to force linebackers into space
Overall, Olson’s adaptability pairs well against a defense built on post-snap manipulation.
What Olson’s Opening Drive Script may look like
Play 1
12-Personnel PA Boot Flood Right
- Objective: Early easy read for Geno Smith; attack flat defender.
- Usage: Bowers on the intermediate sail; Bech in flat; backside drag.
Play 2
Inside Zone (Gun)
- Objective: Test interior fits; set up later play-action.
- Usage: Use motion from Bowers to force safety bump.
Play 3
Quick Game: Stick to Bech (Trips Bunch)
- Objective: Get into rhythm and stress match rules.
Play 4
Jet Motion Screen to Tre Tucker
- Objective: Horizontal stretch & test Chargers pursuit angles.
Play 5
Duo Run to Jeanty (Condensed Set)
- Objective: Hit downhill vs rotating safeties.
Play 6
PA Shot: Yankee Variation
- Objective: Attack Minter’s MOFC (middle-closed) rotations.
- Usage: Tucker deep post; Bowers deep over.
Play 7
11-Personnel RPO: Bubble/Glance
- Objective: Simple read; punish LB over-commitment.
Play 8
Mesh with Bowers as Point Man
- Objective: Force traffic vs match-quarters.
Play 9
RB Angle Route to Jeanty
- Objective: Stress LBs in space; likely mismatch.
Play 10
Red Zone: Bowers Choice Route
- Objective: Iso your best player; quick decision for QB.
Drive Flow Summary
- Plays 1–3: Establish motion, stress Minter’s quarters rules, make safeties declare.
- Plays 4–6: Attack match coverage with crossers, mesh, deep sail/bender.
- Plays 7–9: Punish LB conflict and simulate pressures with quick game + RB leverage.
- Play 10: Finish the drive by isolating Bowers in the low red area.
Final Thoughts
Greg Olson inherits a roster well suited for the type malleable, matchup-driven West Coast variant offense that he runs. Against a Jesse Minter defense defined by post-snap processing tests, Olson’s best tools (motion, play-action, versatile tight end usage, and RB involvement in the passing game) position the Raiders to dictate matchups rather than react to them.
The question is of course going to be how much of his scheme has he been able to install in less than 2 weeks and how the players adapt to the shift in principles.
As always this week is about Family, Trust and Respect so let’s keep that energy in the comments!
Bolt Up and I’ll see you on the other side!
Not the cleanest effort, especially from the offense, but they did what they needed to do in the second half. It will be interesting to see how the team handles the injury to Herbert. Not sure of they would sit him this week against Philly and opting to give him another week of heal time for the final 4 opponents? I guess how the records look after next Sunday’s games could have an influence on it, but i bet Harbaugh doesn’t think that way. If Herb is good to go and isn’t in danger of worse damage, I’m sure he will play.
Enjoy the game today everyone!
These were a few notes I took for this game that we didn’t get to on the show yday:
o 5 game losing streak
o Chip Kelly Fired. Greg Olson interim OC (Raiders OC from 2018-2021 under Jon Gruden)
o 10 sacks allowed v Browns
§ Browns played heavy Man Coverage (Tyson Campbell + Denzel Ward) and then got home with 4 or 5
o 20 sacks allowed in last 3 games
o Traded away Jakobi Meyers before the deadline
o Offense is 31st in Points Scored, 30th in Total Yards, 32nd in EPA/Play, 32nd in Rush Yards Per Attempt
o Offense is 26th in Turnovers (16), 29th in Net Yards Per Pass Attempt (5.2)
o Defense is 23rd in Points Allowed, 14th in Total Yards, 20th in EPA/Play, 2nd in Rush Yards Per Attempt (3.7)
o Defense is 3rd in EPA/Rush allowed
o Geno Smith: 235/353, 2,367 yds, 13 TDs, 13 INTs (66.7), 37 carries, 110 yds
o PFF’s 25th ranked QB of 29 who’ve played 238 snaps (Bryce Young, Aaron Rodgers, Penix and Cam Ward below him)
o 5th most pressured QB in the NFL (39.4% of DBs)
I’ve predicted a 24-14 victory but I don’t think this is going to be the total domination we are hoping for in a bounceback game. Having no Hampton and facing (arguably) a Top 3 Run Defense in the NFL is a potential problem.
I noticed in the Browns game that the Raiders D has problems rallying to tackle (especially on the outside lane and their LBs in space) so I’m thinking the quick game elements will be important today. Running the ball for no yards on early downs could spell disaster.
Defensively, I think we will do enough to win this game. Geno missed 2-3 open throws down the field last week that could have changed the game, so let’s hope his radar is off again.
FTR!