{"id":4946,"date":"2025-11-24T09:20:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/?p=4946"},"modified":"2025-11-24T09:20:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:20:46","slug":"chip-kelly-out-in-vegas-historic-starts-for-sanders-and-smith-njigba-afc-race-wide-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/chip-kelly-out-in-vegas-historic-starts-for-sanders-and-smith-njigba-afc-race-wide-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Chip Kelly Out in Vegas, Historic Starts for Sanders and Smith-Njigba, AFC Race Wide Open"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Coaching News<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Chip Kelly<\/strong> is out as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple reports including ESPN&#8217;s Adam Schefter. The move comes amid ongoing inconsistency on offense following a rocky season for the Raiders, who recently installed a new starting quarterback. Kelly, who returned to the NFL after a stint at UCLA, continues a pattern of short-tenure roles in the pro ranks.<\/p>\n<h2>Quarterback Developments<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Shedeur Sanders<\/strong> made history in his NFL starting debut with the Browns, leading the team to victory in Week 12. He is now the first Cleveland quarterback to win his first career start since 1995, ending a nearly 30-year drought for the franchise. His performance marks a significant milestone and gives Browns fans renewed hope at the quarterback position.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>J.J. McCarthy<\/strong> continues to struggle in his rookie campaign. According to Tru Media data cited by Danny Heifetz, McCarthy ranks 851st out of 852 qualified passers in EPA (Expected Points Added) per dropback since 2000. Only JaMarcus Russell ranks lower, placing McCarthy\u2019s early efforts among the least effective of the modern statistical era.<\/p>\n<h2>Player Milestones<\/h2>\n<p>Cleveland&#8217;s <strong>Myles Garrett<\/strong> is closing in on the NFL single-season sack record. With six games remaining, he needs just five more sacks to break the all-time mark of 22.5. Garrett is on pace for a potentially historic finish as he anchors one of the league\u2019s top defensive units.<\/p>\n<p>In Seattle, <strong>Jaxon Smith-Njigba<\/strong> has shattered the Seahawks\u2019 franchise record for receiving yards in a single season. The second-year wideout accomplished the feat by Week 12, highlighting his rapid development and integral role in the team\u2019s aerial attack. The record underscores a breakout campaign that puts Smith-Njigba among the league&#8217;s elite young receivers.<\/p>\n<h2>Team Insights<\/h2>\n<p>In a crowded AFC playoff picture, no single team has emerged as a dominant force. According to analysis by Mike Florio and Chris Simms on NBC\u2019s Pro Football Talk, contenders such as the Patriots, Broncos, Colts, Ravens, Chargers, and Chiefs each show both promise and clear vulnerability. The parity among top AFC teams points to one of the most unpredictable paths to the Super Bowl in recent years.<\/p>\n<h2>Player Sentiment<\/h2>\n<p>Las Vegas wide receiver <strong>Davante Adams<\/strong> expressed unusually high spirit about his current role, stating, \u201cThis is the most fun I\u2019ve ever had playing football,\u201d per Adam Grosbard. The quote comes despite the Raiders\u2019 transitional season and reflects optimism within the locker room following leadership and roster changes in recent weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coaching News Chip Kelly is out as the offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple reports including ESPN&#8217;s Adam Schefter. The move comes amid ongoing inconsistency on offense following a rocky season for the Raiders, who recently installed a new starting quarterback. Kelly, who returned to the NFL after a stint at&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofootballanalytics.com\/statsblog\/chip-kelly-out-in-vegas-historic-starts-for-sanders-and-smith-njigba-afc-race-wide-open\/\" rel=\"bookmark\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Chip Kelly Out in Vegas, Historic Starts for Sanders and Smith-Njigba, AFC Race Wide Open<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This 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