‘We’re not coaching for fantasy people…’: Raiders’ Chip Kelly fires back at critics over rookie star Ashton Jeanty’s limited carries — as fans accuse him of “wasting talent” after heartbreaking one-point loss to Jaguars… - suong
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the Las Vegas Raiders‘ offense in Year 1 with Chip Kelly as the team’s offensive coordinator. Moreover, one of the criticisms aimed at Kelly has been his handling of rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.
A few weeks ago, critics called out Kelly for changing Jeanty’s stance, but the player has since switched back and regained his form after a slow start to the 2025 NFL season.
Nonetheless, Kelly is again under fire for his usage of Jeanty as the Raiders’ young star only had 13 carries in the 30-29 Week 9 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 2.
Amid the criticism, the Raiders coach did defend himself, noting how much Las Vegas have Jeanty as a focal point of their offense.
“I think he leads the league in rookie rushing, doesn’t he? Carries,” Kelly told reporters on November 4 (h/t
“We’re just trying to win games. He’s our No. 1 back, and we’re running the ball; he’s running a bit in the pass game the other day, and he’s starting to be involved in that and trying to get him more involved in that way. He’s continuing to grow; he’s doing a heck of a job. Really excited that we have him.”
Brock Bowers Is a Bright Spot in the Raiders Offense
Whether Jeanty will get more touches running the football remains to be seen, but Brock Bowers is one player getting his share of targets after returning from injury.
The Georgia product recorded 12 receptions for 127 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Although Bowers’s individual performance was fantastic, he didn’t hold back on how it felt to return to the field in a Raiders loss.
“It’s not a great feeling,” Bowers said postgame (h/t Vegas Sports Today). “You want to come back in here and celebrate with the guys. It sucks. You can’t celebrate anything… I think we’re definitely still working on finding that identity, especially now that we’re getting everyone back to full strength. So I’m just excited to see what the rest of the year holds.”
Raider Are Leaning Heavily on Brock Bowers
Giving Jeanty more touches and leaning on the run game should ease some pressure on veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Nonetheless, with Bowers back in the lineup for Las Vegas, Smith also has a dependable target over the middle. At times, it
“He’s one of the best players on our team, one of the best players in the NFL,” Geno Smith said postgame (h/t
“A lot of those catches a lot of guys don’t make. You can just see his impact on the game when he’s out there. He’s such a dynamic player. At one point, they were double-teaming him, triple-teaming him trying to stop him and that just opens the field for the rest of the guys.”
‘Too good to give up…’: Eagles make final call on controversial All-Pro A.J. Brown after string of off-field dramas — star WR survives trade deadline chaos despite ‘diva’ label and locker room tension as Philly refuses to part with their game-changing weapon… - suong
When it comes to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, the headache that comes with what he does off the field still isn’t painful enough to give up on him because of how good he is when the bright lights come on.
The Eagles made a decision not to trade Brown, a 3-time NFL All-Pro, ahead of the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, November 4, after a first half of the season where Brown created several controversies away from the game itself.
While Brown’s beef almost always centers around the same thing — not getting the ball enough — he’s just too big of a piece for the defending Super Bowl champions to send to another team.
Or, maybe, the price just wasn’t high enough.
Either way, Brown is staying put in Philly for the rest of the season.
“As expected, Eagles WR AJ Brown has not been and will not be traded by today’s deadline,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account less than one hour ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
The Eagles are 6-2 and coming off a bye in Week 9 and return with a marquee Monday Night Football matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10.
Brown missed Philadelphia’s last game, a 38-20 win over the New York Giants in Week 8, with a hamstring injury.
In 7 games, he has 29 receptions for 395 yards. He is also coming off his best game of the year with 4 receptions for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 28-22 Week 7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
“AJ Brown is a diva,” NFL reporter James Nagle wrote on his official X account. “At the same time, you’d be hard-pressed to find a WR of his caliber who isn’t. He’s the best WR in
Brown Averaging One Crash Out Per Month
Through the first 2 months of the 2025 regular season, Brown is averaging one social media crash out per month — not what any team wants from one of its highest paid players and a veteran.
Brown, who signed a 3-year, $96 million contract extension in April 2024, went viral in September after a 2-catch performance in a 31-25 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4 in which the Eagles improved to 4-0 but didn’t complete a pass in the second half.
“If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw,” Brown posted on his social media accounts following the win. “Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
It forced Brown to provide a quick public apology.
“Obviously, Sunday after the game I let my frustrations boil over … That’s on me,” Brown said on September 30. “I take full accountability on that … My message on Twitter wasn’t directed at anyone in the building.”
Brown went back online to express his frustration after his stellar game against the Vikings on October 19.
“Using Me But Not Using Me” Brown posted on his Instagram account after the win.
“With Brown, the Eagles live in turmoil, they live in chaos,” ESPN analyst and Super Bowl champion Jeff Saturday said on October 22. “This is a house that exists in chaos … being his teammate, you might be able to tune him out, but being (head coach) Nick Sirianni or (offensive coordinator) Kevin Patullo must be a nightmare.”
