LAS VEGAS – There were many reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders had a tough performance on offense Sunday. They went up against a Pittsburgh Steelers unit that ranked second in scoring defense this week. They also took the field without four starters — receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, running back Zamir White and right tackle Thayer Munford — and then lost another in right guard Dylan Parham.

Given the circumstances, it's hardly surprising that the Raiders struggled to score points in a 32-13 home loss. What was more difficult to understand, however, was the coaching staff's conservative approach on offense.

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Instead of proactively trying to move the ball and score, they did their best to prevent the offense from making mistakes. Making prudent decisions is one thing, but this was next level. The result was 13 points in a game in which they averaged just 4.6 yards per play (their second-lowest total this season) and matched their season high with three turnovers. Coach Antonio Pierce and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy both share blame for developing a tentative game plan.

“I would like to see positive games,” Pierce said Sunday when asked if the team needs to be more aggressive on offense. “At the moment we don’t have enough of them on the pitch. That’s up to all of us.”

This fractured offense is the main reason the Raiders are just 2-4 heading into their Week 10 bye, in a tough spot against the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.

“We have guys who want to go to work,” said quarterback Aidan O’Connell, making his first start of the season. “It's a long season and there are a lot of other teams in the NFL that aren't where they want to be yet. It’s enough to look at ourselves in the mirror.”

Things will continue to be ugly for the Raiders' offense unless there is a dramatic shift in ideology. The driving force behind replacing quarterback Gardner Minshew in favor of O'Connell this week was that they believed they needed to take better care of the football. Minshew had committed six turnovers through Week 5 (third most in the NFL).

But O'Connell didn't fare much better. He completed 27 of his 40 passes for 227 yards, a meaningless touchdown and a terrible interception. His accuracy was erratic on midrange and deep throws throughout the game, and his fourth-quarter pick nearly sealed the outcome.

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— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 13, 2024

“It’s just frustrating,” O’Connell said. “We had some self-inflicted wounds.”

O'Connell is a limited player. He's smart but has average arm talent, doesn't move well in the pocket, and lacks the feel or skill to react when a play doesn't go as planned.

However, the Raiders played offensively as if they didn't trust O'Connell. If that's the case, it's hard to expect a quarterback to have much success.

The edict from Pierce and Getsy was clearly that O'Connell should get the ball out quickly and allow the Raiders' pass catchers to move in space. According to TruMedia, he averaged just 6.0 air yards per attempt (fourth-lowest among quarterbacks in Week 6). That worked well on the Raiders' opening 10-play, 70-yard drive, which ended with an Alexander Mattison touchdown, but the Steelers' defense quickly adjusted once it realized there was no danger of O'Connell closing them in would challenge downfield.

Instead of shaking things up in response, the Raiders simply did the same thing over and over again, to no avail. When asked about it after the game, Pierce suggested that O'Connell missed some opportunities that came his way.

“There were some calls for some shots on the field. Obviously we didn’t take them,” Pierce said. “I thought early on that the quarterback was good at getting the ball out of his hands. … When you're making shots on the field, there's a lot of things that come into play. You want to get the look right and then sometimes you just have to let it rip.”

The running game was once again ineffective. Mattison started his second straight game and was limited to 33 yards on 13 carries. Overall, the Raiders averaged just 3.0 yards per carry and only 57 total rushing yards. That left O'Connell and the passing game on an island.

Still, the Raiders continually showed a lack of trust in O'Connell. When it came to a third-and-11 on their second possession, Getsy called a handoff that went 7 yards but ended in a punt. After a difficult offensive sequence that included a three-pointer and a fumble by running back Dylan Laube deep in their own territory, the Steelers went into halftime with a 12-7 lead.

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— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 13, 2024

“The turnover thing is embarrassing,” Pierce said. “We don’t respect the ball enough, so we don’t even deserve the chance to put ourselves in a position to win.”

Early in the second half, the Raiders got the ball back, but instead of increasing their aggression, they held the ball tight. After a holding penalty negated a great catch by tight end Brock Bowers, the Raiders essentially gave up the drive.

They ran the ball on first-and-20. On 2nd and 18, they ran the ball again. On the 3rd and 18th a checkdown was incomplete. Their reward was a blocked punt by AJ Cole on fourth down that set up a game-winning Steelers touchdown.

This sequence was cowardly and cost the Raiders dearly.

“I have a lot of confidence in our locker room,” O’Connell said. “I look around at our players and know the work that has been done. We know we can do it. … I still have every confidence in our guys. There’s definitely nothing going to change that for me.”

The Raiders coaching staff needs to show the same confidence in order for the offense to have a chance.

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Of course, the defense also had some problems. Pierce, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and the players talked all week about how they needed to tackle better, but that didn't happen against the Steelers.

Las Vegas' pass defense was strong, but Pittsburgh was able to beat the Raiders to the ground. They rushed for 183 yards as quarterback Justin Fields frequently evaded defenders while running back Najee Harris ran over them like he was Marshawn Lynch. The defense was also whistled for several untimely penalties that extended the Steelers' play.

“That’s bullshit,” defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “We have to find ways to get better.”

Still, the defense kept the Raiders alive for most of the game. Ultimately, they were undone by the ineptitude of their offense.

Would it benefit the unit to be more aggressive?

“It depends,” receiver DJ Turner said. “In certain situations I think that's the best way. But in other situations you have to stick to the game plan and see what works best.”

Of course, the fact that the Raiders are more assertive on offense does not mean that they will suddenly become the best team on grass. After all, they have no answer at quarterback, the offensive line is inconsistent and the talent at the skill position is mediocre without Adams, who requested a trade two weeks ago.

Still, it would be better to go down swinging The.

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(Photo by Aidan O'Connell: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)